If you’ve spent any time on the internet in the last twenty years, you know the Kardashian name is basically a permanent fixture of pop culture. But before the Skims empire, the TikTok dances, and the billion-dollar Hulu deals, there was a white Ford Bronco and a man named OJ Simpson. Honestly, it’s wild how many people forget—or never knew—that the "Trial of the Century" wasn't just a news event for this family. It was a personal tragedy that literally ripped them apart.
The connection didn't start in a courtroom. It started on a tennis court. Robert Kardashian Sr. and OJ Simpson met way back in 1967 at USC. They weren't just acquaintances; they were brothers in every way that mattered. They opened frozen yogurt shops together under a brand called "Juice Inc." and vacationed in Cabo every single spring break. For the Kardashian kids, OJ wasn't a celebrity athlete. He was just "Uncle OJ."
When Your Best Friend is Accused of Murder
Everything shattered on June 12, 1994. When Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were found murdered outside her Brentwood condo, the world stopped. But inside the Kardashian household, it was a war zone. Robert Kardashian hadn't practiced law in 15 years. His license was inactive. He was a businessman. Yet, he reactivated that license specifically so he could join OJ’s "Dream Team."
Why? Most experts and legal historians believe it was about more than just legal strategy. By becoming OJ's lawyer, Robert gained attorney-client privilege. This meant he couldn't be forced to testify about certain things—like that bulky Louis Vuitton garment bag he was seen carrying away from OJ’s house the day OJ returned from Chicago. People still talk about that bag. Was the murder weapon in there? Bloody clothes? Robert took that secret to his grave in 2003.
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The House Divided
While Robert was defending his best friend, Kris Jenner was living a nightmare. Nicole was her best friend. They were supposed to have lunch the day after the murders happened. Kris didn't just believe OJ was guilty; she was certain of it.
You had a husband and wife on opposite sides of a double murder trial. It was messy. Kris would sit in the courtroom on the prosecution side, mourning her friend, while Robert sat at the defense table. Imagine being Kim or Kourtney, 13 and 14 years old at the time, being pulled out of school by your dad to watch the trial. They’d walk in and see their mom across the room looking at them with total disbelief.
One of the most chilling stories from this era—confirmed by Robert himself in a 1996 interview with Barbara Walters—involved a suicide threat. OJ was staying at the Kardashian house to hide from the media. He was in Kim’s bedroom, holding a gun to his head, looking at pictures of his kids. Robert had to plead with him: "I could never walk in this room, my daughter couldn't sleep in this bed."
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Those Persistent Khloé Rumors
We have to address the elephant in the room. The internet loves a conspiracy, and the one about OJ being Khloé Kardashian’s "real" father has been around for decades. It’s the kind of gossip that just won’t die, despite everyone involved denying it.
- OJ Simpson’s take: Before he passed away in 2024, he repeatedly said he never had a romantic interest in Kris.
- Kris Jenner’s take: She has called the rumors "disgusting" and "pathetic."
- The evidence: Khloé eventually took a DNA test on an episode of their reality show to prove Robert was her father, though she famously said she didn't need a piece of paper to tell her who her dad was.
The reality is that Kris and OJ were close, and they did spend a lot of time together in the 80s, but there has never been any actual proof of an affair. It’s mostly fueled by people noticing Khloé looks different from her sisters, which, honestly, happens in plenty of families.
The Legacy of a Verdict
The day the "Not Guilty" verdict came down, the camera caught Robert Kardashian’s face. He didn't look like a man who had just won the biggest case in history. He looked stunned. Maybe even horrified.
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He later admitted to Barbara Walters that he had "doubts" about OJ's innocence. The blood evidence was the "thorn in his side" that he couldn't get past. By the time Robert died of esophageal cancer, he and OJ weren't even speaking anymore. The friendship that built the Kardashian foundation had completely evaporated under the weight of the truth.
What This Means for You
The OJ Simpson trial was the first real "reality show." It taught the world—and the Kardashians—that attention is a currency. If you're looking at how the family manages their brand today, you can see the echoes of the 90s. They learned how to handle a media circus before most people even had an email address.
If you're interested in digging deeper into this specific piece of history, here is what you should do next:
- Watch the archive footage: Look up the 1996 Barbara Walters interview with Robert Kardashian. It’s the only time he really breaks down his internal struggle over the case.
- Read the book: American Tragedy by Lawrence Schiller. It was written with Robert’s cooperation and is widely considered the most accurate look at what was happening inside the defense team.
- Research the civil trial: Remember, OJ was found "not guilty" in criminal court but was later found liable for the deaths in a civil trial. Understanding the difference in the "burden of proof" is key to understanding how he "got away with it" initially.
The Kardashian empire didn't happen by accident. It was forged in the fire of a tragedy that changed the American legal system and celebrity culture forever.
Next Steps:
- Verify the legal definitions of attorney-client privilege to understand why Robert’s role was so controversial.
- Review the 1997 civil trial verdict to see how the Goldman and Brown families finally achieved a version of justice.