Former Biden staffer and Harvard fellow compares OJ Simpson to persecuted slaves and warns there will be 'always be moments like him' unless Americas 'deals with the issue of race'

A former Biden staffer turned Harvard fellow has compared notorious double murder suspect OJ Simpson to persecuted slaves while appearing on CNN. 

Ashley Allison, who is also the broadcaster's political commentator, warned there will 'always be moments like him' unless America 'deals with the issue of race'. 

Former NFL star Simpson passed away surrounded by his family at his home in Las Vegas on Wednesday night after a short battle with prostate cancer. 

Simpson was also found civilly liable for the 1994 deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman after being controversially acquitted at a criminal trial.  

'It was so racially charged because of what had happened just before with Rodney King, but also just how black Americans feel about policing,' Allison said on CNN.  

Ashley Allison likened OJ Simpson to persecuted slaves during a CNN appearance Thursday

Simpson (pictured in his 1995 trial) became one of the most infamous figures in America after he was charged with murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994

Simpson was acquitted but later found civilly liable for  the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Pictured: The couple in New York in 1993

'It's not like OJ Simpson was the leader of the civil rights movement of his era; he wasn't a social justice leader.

'But he represented something for the black community in that moment, in that trial, particularly because there were two white people who had been killed. 

'And the history around how black people have been persecuted during slavery.

'There were just so many layers. There was racial tension then; there is racial tension now.'

'Until this country is ready to actually have an honest conversation about the racial dynamics from our origin story until today, we will always have moments like OJ Simpson that manifest,' she added. 

'And our country will always be divided if we don't actually deal with the issue of race.'

Simpson's family confirmed his death in an X post on their official account on Thursday. 

'On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,' they wrote. 

'He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace. - The Simpson Family.'

 It was previously reported that Simpson had been battling prostate cancer and undergoing chemotherapy

OJ Simpson in a mug shot following his arrest in Los Angeles, California, US, 17th June 1994

Simpson's family released a statement confirming his death on X on Thursday

Goldman's father said Simpson's death only serves as a reminder of the agony his family have suffered over the years.

'The only thing that I have to say today is that this is a further reminder of the loss of my son Ron,' Fred Goldman told DailyMail.com.

'It is a further reminder of my son's murder and a reminder about the many years we have missed Ron.'

Simpson, a former football running back who played 11 seasons mostly with the Buffalo Bills, reinvented himself as an actor before Brown and Goldman's murders.

Although cleared of the killings, his reputation was tarnished forever and the latter part of his career was marked by a series of seedy ventures.

After being acquitted, Simpson went on to be found civilly liable for the murders and was later forced to pay out $33.5million in damages to the victims' families.

He faced further legal troubles when he was sentenced to up to 33 years behind bars for armed robbery in Nevada in 2008.

His death comes two months after it was reported that the he was battling prostate cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.

Simpson was pictured looking frail on a number of occasions earlier this year while walking around his Las Vegas neighborhood.

But in February he released a video reassuring fans about his health and stating he was looking forward to the Super Bowl. 

Despite a successful NFL career, Simpson was best known for his acquittal following his high-profile murder trial in 1995, dubbed the 'Trial of the Century'.

 OJ Simpson died of cancer aged 76 on Wednesday, his family has announced. Pictured: Simpson in February 2024 during the last video he posted

Simpson's death came just two months after it emerged he was battling prostate cancer. Pictured: Simpson in Las Vegas earlier this year

He was charged with the deaths of Brown and Goldman, who were found brutally stabbed to death outside her Los Angeles home. 

The circumstances around his arrest were equally salacious, with the former NFL star leading cops on a low speed chase after learning of the impending charges.

Millions tuned in to watch the 90 minute pursuit of Simpson's white Ford Bronco  across southern California.

The athlete crouched in the back with a handgun while friend Al Cowlings drove, before his eventual arrest in Brentwood.

At trial, prosecutors argued Simpson was linked to the crime scene through forensic evidence.

A now-infamous moment saw Simpson struggling to try on a pair of black gloves believed to have been worn by the murderer. One glove was found at the scene, the other near to Simpson's mansion.

Prosecutors said the accused killer acted out of jealousy over his then ex-wife.

'He killed Nicole for a single reason,' Christopher Darden told the court. 'He killed her because he couldn't have her, and if he couldn't have her, he didn't want anyone else to.' Despite the evidence, Simpson was acquitted.

Commentators agree that the defense in part aided, by longtime friend Robert Kardashian, relied heavily on anger around racial bias historically shown by the LAPD and argued that evidence had been mishandled.

He won four NFL rushing titles, rushed for 11,236 yards in his career, scored 76 touchdowns and played in five Pro Bowls

He was initially arrested at the scene of the crime the day after the 1994 murders. He would later take police on a car chase after being notified of the impending charges

A decade later, still shadowed by the California wrongful death judgment, Simpson ended up back in court charged with armed robbery. 

Imprisoned at age 61, he served nine years in a remote northern Nevada prison, including a stint as a gym janitor. He was not contrite when he was released on parole in October 2017. 

The parole board heard him insist yet again that he was only trying to retrieve sports memorabilia and family heirlooms stolen from him after his criminal trial in Los Angeles.

'I've basically spent a conflict-free life, you know,' Simpson, whose parole ended in late 2021, said.

Public fascination with Simpson never faded. In 2019, on the 25th anniversary of the murder, Simpson launched a Twitter account.

He quickly amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and soon made something of a name for himself as a presence on the app, often posting short videos of himself, in which he offered his opinions and commentary on a range of subjects.

Many have debated if he had been punished in Las Vegas for his acquittal in Los Angeles. 

In 2016, he was the subject of both an FX miniseries and five-part ESPN documentary.