June 12, 1994, marked the “Trial of the Century:” The brutal murder of O.J. Simpson’s second wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. The less told story, though, is about the abortions Nicole claimed to have been coerced into having.   

Saying the murders were brutal is no exaggeration. Nicole and Goldman were found stabbed several times outside her home. Nicole was in the fetal position in a pool of blood, having been stabbed seven times in the neck and scalp and gashed across her throat.   

30 years later, it’s still one of the most publicized murder trials in American history. Race, fame, and abuse took center stage in O.J. Simpson’s trial as he was, to the shock of the nation, acquitted. Despite this verdict, many people, along with Nicole’s sisters, believe O.J. Simpson is responsible for her death. It’s not hard to understand why.   

Underneath the allegations of murder was a marriage in distress, which included abuse from the very start and, most tragic of all, abortions.   

Lifetime’s new docuseries, “The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson,” unearths and reveals new information regarding Nicole’s life and her tortured marriage to NFL star O.J.  Simpson, as her sisters and those close to her tell the story of her life and the mistreatment she endured while married to O.J. Simpson.   

Nicole’s abortion story isn’t isolated to just her – abuse and abortion often go hand in hand. In this article, we’ll review the disturbing allegations of O.J.’s abuse and Nicole’s abortion and how domestic abuse contributes to the abortion industry.   

Who was Nicole Brown Simpson?   

Born on May 19, 1959, in Frankfurt, West Germany, to German mother Juditha Anne Brown and American Louis Brown Jr., she was the second oldest of four daughters: Denise, Dominique, and Tanya. Her older sister, Denise Brown, has been vocal about O.J.’s guilt, appeared in the Lifetime documentary, and continuously advocates for women in domestic abuse situations.   

Before she was known as a Simpson, she was an 18-year-old waitress at “The Daisy” when she met O.J., who was 12 years older and still married to his first wife, who was pregnant at the time. Sparks flew between the two, and O.J. asked her out on a date.   

Beginnings of Continued Abuse and Control 

Their first date was the first sign of trouble. As her sister reports in Lifetime’s documentary, she came home with a rip in her jeans at her zipper, claiming that O.J. got a “little forceful.” Despite their concerns, Nicole kept dating and eventually married O.J. on February 2, 1985, and had two children. Their marriage was far from ideal, riddled with documented physical and verbal abuse from O.J., as well as stalking during their marriage and after their divorce in 1992.   

“He gets a very animalistic look in him,” Nicole stated to the police after a 1993 domestic dispute between her and O.J. “All his veins pop out, his eyes are black and just black, I mean cold, like an animal. I mean very, very weird. And when I see it, it just scares me.” 

Even before their marriage, family and friends report seeing O.J. gripping Nicole by the throat and pinning her against the wall, yelling profanities, and break items. Nicole even documented the bruises and cuts on her face.  

Was Nicole Empowered by Abortion?   

O.J.’s abuse was spurred on by his controlling nature over Nicole, including who she saw, what she did, and how she looked.   

Lifetime’s docuseries on Nicole’s life detailed shocking allegations of her pregnancies. According to Nicole’s diaries, O.J. called her a “fat pig” and wanted her to not deliver vaginally or breast feed, insisting on Cesarean sections for both children to maintain her body. Even more heart-breaking was Nicole’s diaries, where she admits to having three abortions.   

A 1996 Los Angeles Times article recounts the diaries’ contents that never made it into court due to ruled hearsay:   

“In the journals, Nicole Brown Simpson alleges that her then-husband terrorized and verbally abused her, menaced her with a gun, attempted to coerce her into aborting their unborn son, and threatened to report her to the Internal Revenue Service, which he eventually did. She also recounts three abortions–one after an affair with one of her lovers.”  

During his murder trial, O.J. said, “I think I’m a controlling person, period.” Yet, he denied ever coercing her into an abortion, as well as being obsessive or controlling over Nicole during his cross-examination.  

We’ll never have complete certainty regarding Nicole’s abortions. Still, one thing we do know, is that according to a peer reviewed study published in May 2023 – women are less likely to abort their children if they believe they have the support to raise them. Also worth noting in the study:  

“Perceived pressure to abort is strongly associated with women attributing more negative mental health outcomes to their abortions. The one-third of women for whom abortion is wanted and consistent with their values and preferences are most likely over-represented in studies initiated at abortion clinics.” 

O.J. denied to high heavens his uncontrollable anger, even calling himself a “peacemaker” in one interview, but his rage was undeniable to the Brown sisters and it deeply and negatively impacted Nicole. 

O.J.’s Abuse: Robbing Nicole of Motherhood  

“He fucked up our whole family,” cried Denise Brown during the docuseries. “How can one person fuck up so many people’s lives?”  

Not only did O.J.’s actions affect the lives of his children, Nicole’s family, and his own, but also the lives of the children who never came to be due to circumstances. She adored the children she had, according to her family. We’ll never know precisely how the abortions happened or what led to the heart-wrenching decision, but abusive situations encourage abortion, leading to more lives lost in a tragic situation. Abortion doesn’t empower women – it certainly didn’t empower Nicole. It further allows abusers to continue their behavior and robs women of the dream of being mothers supported by their partners in a safe, loving relationship.   

As Dominique said in the docuseries, “Maybe it’s time to rekindle the flame of Nicole.”  

In addition, it’s time to rekindle the awareness of how domestic abuse encourages abortion, hurts preborn and born children, and causes women even more pain. 30 years later, Nicole and her preborn children deserve to be remembered.