Kato Kaelin, the onetime houseguest of O.J. Simpson whose testimony helped shape the “trial of the century,” told Newsmax on Friday that although he once resisted the notoriety, he has come to embrace his role in history as the nation marks the 30th anniversary of Simpson’s acquittal.
Appearing on “The Record with Greta Van Susteren,” Kaelin reflected on the verdict delivered Oct. 3, 1995, when Simpson was found not guilty of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. Nearly 150 million people watched the moment live, a verdict that stunned the country and continues to fuel debate three decades later.
“Thirty years goes by in a blink of an eye,” Kaelin, 66, said. “I didn’t want to embrace it, but it’s part of my life. And so much so that I do a true crime podcast [“One Degree of Scandalous”]. I embraced it, and because of that, I’ve gotten a pretty big following and got invited to speak, now get this, to detectives and police law enforcement.
“And I just did my first public speaking with Nick Borges, the chief of police in Seaside, California, part of Carmel and Monterey. And I did it with detective Tom Lange, who was the lead detective in the O.J. trial. If that’s not full circle, I really don’t know what is.”
Kaelin, who was staying in Simpson’s guesthouse at the time of the June 1994 murders, became a central witness. He testified about Simpson’s movements that night, including hearing thumps outside his room shortly after the killings. His testimony, along with revelations of police missteps and racial tensions, helped make the trial a global media spectacle.
On Newsmax, Kaelin described the surreal atmosphere at Simpson’s estate after the infamous Bronco chase.
“You couldn’t imagine the helicopters, the reporters, the streets closed. There’s nothing ever like it. It really is the template of all trials,” he said.
Looking back, Kaelin acknowledged lingering questions about evidence never presented at trial, including testimony about discarded clothes, potential witnesses, and conflicting police accounts. But he said what remains most haunting are the lives lost.
“No matter what, there’ll never really be closure for them,” Kaelin said of the Goldman and Brown families. “It’s heartbreaking. They were so young, and there is no answer.”
Simpson, who later served prison time for armed robbery, died in April 2024 at 76. Although his legacy remains controversial, Kaelin said he has accepted his own part in the story: “I embraced it … it’ll never be forgotten.”
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