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POLL: Who Would You Most Like To Stay Out Of The Headlines: O.J. Simpson Or George Zimmerman?
Both were found not guilty of murder, but neither can seem to keep out of trouble.
If you could, which of these two men would you love to never see in a headline again? O.J. Simpson or George Zimmerman? Both have been acquitted of murder and both just cannot seem to stay away from trouble.
O.J. SimpsonIn addition to his football and acting achievements, Simpson is also famous for his 1995 acquittal of murder charges in the 1994 deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. Two years later, he was found liable for their deaths in civil court. Since then, he has been unable to stay out of the headlines. In 1999, police were called multiple times to Simpson’s home to settle disputes between him and his then-girlfriend, Christie Prody. In 2001, a motorist accused Simpson of attacking during a road rage incident, which led to a well-publicized trial where Simpson was found not guilty. That same year, the FBI raided Simpson’s home on suspicion of money laundering and ecstasy smuggling but no charges were ever filed.
Simpson made headlines again in 2002 for allegedly buying ecstasy and becoming embroiled in another drug probe. He then hosted a comedy show where he pranked people and made multiple references to the 1994 murder. Most recently, he spent nine years behind bars for a 2008 armed robbery and kidnapping conviction. On the night of September 13, 2007, Simpson and a group of men entered a room in the Palace Station hotel of Las Vegas, Nevada. Sports memorabilia dealer Bruce Fromong testified that they broke into his hotel room and stole sports memorabilia at gunpoint. Simpson’s original sentence was 33 years but he received parole last year thanks to good behavior, according to the Associated Press.
George ZimmermanGeorge Zimmerman shot and killed black teen Trayvon Martin in 2012, who was unarmed and carrying nothing but Skittles and Arizona Iced Tea. He was acquitted a year later after a jury of mostly white women decided he was not guilty of both murder and manslaughter. The death and its subsequent acquittal spawned a national debate about racism. Zimmerman claimed in 2013 that he killed Martin, 17, in self-defense. Since his acquittal, he has been unable to lead a quiet life. The same year he dodged jail he sold a painting on eBay for more than $100K. It featured an American flag with the words “God, One Nation, with Liberty and Justice for All.” In the item description, Zimmerman wrote, “I found a creative, way to express myself, my emotions and the symbols that represent my experiences. My art work allows me to reflect, providing a therapeutic outlet and allows me to remain indoors :-)” Two years later, he painted and sold a Confederate flag with the slogan “Our 2nd Protects Our 1st” after being inspired by the tale of a Floridian gunshop owner who was sued for refusing to sell guns to Muslims.
He was arrested on domestic violence battery after pointing a shotgun at his girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe, who later recanted her statement. Charges were subsequently dropped. Zimmerman was arrested again in 2015 for allegedly throwing a wine bottle at a girlfriend. Charges were also dropped in that incident. Zimmer was shot and endured minor injuries during a 2015 altercation with a man named Matthew Apperson. One year earlier, Apperson claimed Zimmerman threatened to kill him.
Last year, he made headlines for threatening to beat up and then feed Jay Z to an alligator prompted by a Trayvon Martin film that Jay Z was working on. In 2014, he threatened to beat DMX’ ass in a boxing fight, according to CNN. A match was scheduled but later canceled.
[Photo: Getty Images]