About two years before the Nicole Brown/Ronald Goldman murders, sports journalist, Roy Firestone interviewed OJ Simpson ESPN’s Up Close.
During the interview, Firestone asked Simpson about an alleged incident of domestic violence between himself and Nicole Brown on New Year’s Eve. He had reportedly beat Brown so badly that she had to go to the hospital. Simpson denied the incident and that was that.
Due to the fact that there were no arrests, no charges filed, and no criminal investigation, Firestone took Simpson’s word for it. Although the interview did not confirm Simpson’s penchant for violence against his ex-wife, it was entered into evidence in Simpson’s murder trial before being dismissed.
Firestone grew to regret not digging deeper, asking more questions. To Firestone, the clip of the interview, which appears in the 5-part documentary, O.J. Simpson: Made in America, makes it appear that he dismissed the serious issue of domestic violence.
22 years later, Firestone is filled with regret over the interview and the fact that journalists at that time shied away from tough questions.
The Simpson interview is one of the most tragic examples of how the media (including me) and the public trusted and accommodated their heroes, believing their mythology and perpetuating their deification.
He goes on to name disgraced stars such as Marion Jones, Joe Paterno, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Tiger Woods who were revered by the press for their character and integrity before the truth was revealed.