O.J. Simpson’s Attorney Answers Whether His Body Will Be Tested For CTE Brain Injury, Which Some Say Spurred his Actions

O.J. Simpson passed away from complications due to cancer last week — leaving behind adult children and an enduring and controversial legacy.

Simpson went from a star football player to one of the most hated men in America after the murder of his second wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. Although Simpson was acquitted of their murder, he was later found liable for their deaths in a civil case.

Many have speculated that Simpson may have been suffering from a Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) brain injury, which is commonly associated with pro football players. CTE is a progressive degenerative brain disease that impacts people who’ve suffered multiple concussions or other traumatic brain injuries. Aggression, poor impulse control, and erratic behavior are all common symptoms of CTE.

On social media, people were hopeful that after his death, scientists would be able to study Simpson’s brain for signs of the degenerative disease. Some people argued that it could potentially shed light on his later actions, including his repeated “hypothetical” confessions to the murder of Brown Simpson and Goldman.

However, Simpson’s attorney splashed cold water on the possibility of having him tested for CTE. Attorney Malcolm LaVergne told the New York Post that his brain would not be tested. “That’s a hard no,” LaVergne said. “His entire body, including his brain, will be cremated.”

“I may consult with the children on it, but I haven’t heard anything about it, so it’s just not going to happen. O.J. wants all of his body cremated for his children to do what they see fit,” he told the New York Post.

LaVergne told the outlet that Simpson’s children still had to sign off on the cremation, but that he would likely be cremated by Tuesday.