Former NFL MVP and Heisman Award winner O.J. Simpson died on April 11 after a long-standing battle with cancer. He was 76 years old. Now that “Juice” has officially crossed over, more stories are coming out in connection to the late star.
During an appearance on Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown podcast on Tuesday, actress Cheryl Hines notes that she was a bartender and waitress at the Hotel Inter-Continental in Los Angeles. It is the location where the Simpson jury was sequestered.
Cheryl Hines Reveals Connection to O.J. Simpson
“I forget what floor they were on, but we weren’t allowed to go to that floor, we weren’t allowed to tell anybody they were there,” Hines recalled.
“One of them etched ‘help me’ in their window and you could see it. I was like, ‘What is going on on that floor?’ “
Actor Describes Days Leading Up to Verdict
Hines also noted that things got to a tipping point when the trial got closer to its conclusion. Most people knew that, whether O.J. was found guilty or not guilty, the verdict of the trial would be explosive.
In preparation for a decision, Hines notes that her manager at the time instructed her to “pack a bag and leave it by the door.” After that, she was to drive straight to her hotel and check in for safety precautions.
“It was very interesting,” Hines continued.
“My manager during that trial asked me to pack a bag and keep it packed by my door because when they got the news that a verdict was coming in, I was to drive straight to the hotel and check-in. I think it was the first time I stayed in a really nice hotel.”
Simpson’s Murder Case Explained
Despite having a decorated NFL career, O.J.’s rap sheet is just as decorated. In 1994, the former Buffalo Bills star was charged with murdering his ex-wife Nicole Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman.
The case made national headlines, including a nationally televised high-speed chase with the police leading to his arrest. The not-guilty verdict was one of the most controversial decisions in American history.
O.J. however did lose a civil trial that ordered him to pay a large sum to the victims’ families.