Robert Kardashian
Encyclopedia
Robert George Kardashian (February 22, 1944 – September 30, 2003) was an American attorney
and businessman. He gained national recognition as O. J. Simpson
's friend and defense attorney during the latter's 1995 murder trial
. Kardashian was also the father of celebrity socialites Kim Kardashian
, Khloe Kardashian
, Kourtney Kardashian
and Rob Kardashian
.
and practiced for about a decade; after that, he went into business. When he presented the OJ Simpson case in 1995, it had been over 20 years since Kardashian had last practiced law.
With his former wife Kris Jenner
, he fathered four children Kourtney Kardashian
, Kimberly "Kim" Kardashian
, Khloé Kardashian Odom
, and Robert Kardashian Jr.
. He married his second wife, Ellen Pierson, six weeks prior to his death.
Simpson stayed in Kardashian's house during the days following the June 12, 1994, murders of Nicole Brown Simpson
and Ronald Goldman
. Kardashian was the man seen carrying Simpson's garment bag the day that Simpson flew back from Chicago. Prosecutors speculated that the bag may have contained Simpson's bloody clothes or the murder weapon.
Simpson failed to turn himself in at 11 a.m. on June 17, 1994, and Kardashian read a letter by Simpson to the collected media. The letter was interpreted by many as a suicide note
.
Simpson was charged with the murders and subsequently acquitted of all criminal charges in a controversial criminal trial. Kardashian had let his license to practice law
become inactive before the Simpson case. He reactivated his license to aid in Simpson's defense as a volunteer assistant on his legal team. He sat by Simpson throughout the trial.
Simpson was subsequently found liable for the wrongful death of Ronald Goldman and battery of Nicole Brown in a civil trial and ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages. By the time of the judgment, in February 1997, he had transferred all of his estate to his mother, so he has yet to pay anything on the damages.
The New York Times
reported that, "Mr. Kardashian said in a 1996 ABC
interview that he questioned Mr. Simpson's innocence: 'I have doubts. The blood evidence is the biggest thorn in my side; that causes me the greatest problems. So I struggle with the blood evidence.
Attorney at law
An attorney at law in the United States is a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on the retainer of clients. Alternative terms include counselor and lawyer...
and businessman. He gained national recognition as O. J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson
Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
's friend and defense attorney during the latter's 1995 murder trial
O. J. Simpson murder case
The O. J. Simpson murder case was a criminal trial held in Los Angeles County, California Superior Court from January 29 to October 3, 1995. Former American football star and actor O. J...
. Kardashian was also the father of celebrity socialites Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian
Kimberly Noel "Kim" Kardashian is an American socialite, television personality, model, actress and businesswoman. She is known for the E! reality series that she shares with her family—Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and its spin-offs including Kourtney and Kim Take New York...
, Khloe Kardashian
Khloe Kardashian
Khloé Kardashian Odom is an American businesswoman, television personality, radio host, socialite, and model...
, Kourtney Kardashian
Kourtney Kardashian
Kourtney Mary Kardashian is an American businesswoman, socialite, model, actress and reality television personality who gained fame as a cast member of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kourtney and Kim Take New York, and Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami.She is the oldest child of Kris Jenner and...
and Rob Kardashian
Rob Kardashian
Robert Arthur "Rob" Kardashian is an American television personality. He is best known for appearing on his family's reality television shows, such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Khloé & Lamar. Kardashian competed and placed second on the thirteenth season of Dancing with the Stars...
.
Personal life
Kardashian was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Armenian-American parents Helen (née Arakelian) and Arthur Kardashian. Kardashian earned a law degree from the University of San Diego School of LawUniversity of San Diego School of Law
The University of San Diego School of Law, commonly referred to as USD Law, is a law school located on the campus of the University of San Diego in San Diego, California in the community of Linda Vista. Founded in 1954, the law school has held ABA approval since 1961...
and practiced for about a decade; after that, he went into business. When he presented the OJ Simpson case in 1995, it had been over 20 years since Kardashian had last practiced law.
With his former wife Kris Jenner
Kris Jenner
Kristen Mary "Kris" Jenner is an American television personality, socialite and businesswoman. She also is the manager for all of her family members, including Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian...
, he fathered four children Kourtney Kardashian
Kourtney Kardashian
Kourtney Mary Kardashian is an American businesswoman, socialite, model, actress and reality television personality who gained fame as a cast member of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kourtney and Kim Take New York, and Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami.She is the oldest child of Kris Jenner and...
, Kimberly "Kim" Kardashian
Kim Kardashian
Kimberly Noel "Kim" Kardashian is an American socialite, television personality, model, actress and businesswoman. She is known for the E! reality series that she shares with her family—Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and its spin-offs including Kourtney and Kim Take New York...
, Khloé Kardashian Odom
Khloe Kardashian
Khloé Kardashian Odom is an American businesswoman, television personality, radio host, socialite, and model...
, and Robert Kardashian Jr.
Rob Kardashian
Robert Arthur "Rob" Kardashian is an American television personality. He is best known for appearing on his family's reality television shows, such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Khloé & Lamar. Kardashian competed and placed second on the thirteenth season of Dancing with the Stars...
. He married his second wife, Ellen Pierson, six weeks prior to his death.
O.J. Simpson case
Kardashian and Simpson first met in the early 1970s and became close friends.Simpson stayed in Kardashian's house during the days following the June 12, 1994, murders of Nicole Brown Simpson
Nicole Brown Simpson
Nicole Brown Simpson was a former wife of professional football player O. J. Simpson.- Relationship with O. J. Simpson :...
and Ronald Goldman
Ronald Goldman
Ronald Lyle "Ron" Goldman was an American waiter and an aspiring model. He was murdered along with Nicole Brown Simpson, former wife of O. J. Simpson, an actor and retired American football player. The subsequent criminal investigation and trial against O. J...
. Kardashian was the man seen carrying Simpson's garment bag the day that Simpson flew back from Chicago. Prosecutors speculated that the bag may have contained Simpson's bloody clothes or the murder weapon.
Simpson failed to turn himself in at 11 a.m. on June 17, 1994, and Kardashian read a letter by Simpson to the collected media. The letter was interpreted by many as a suicide note
Suicide note
A suicide note or death note is a message that states the author has died by suicide, and left to be discovered and read in anticipation of suicide....
.
Simpson was charged with the murders and subsequently acquitted of all criminal charges in a controversial criminal trial. Kardashian had let his license to practice law
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
become inactive before the Simpson case. He reactivated his license to aid in Simpson's defense as a volunteer assistant on his legal team. He sat by Simpson throughout the trial.
Simpson was subsequently found liable for the wrongful death of Ronald Goldman and battery of Nicole Brown in a civil trial and ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages. By the time of the judgment, in February 1997, he had transferred all of his estate to his mother, so he has yet to pay anything on the damages.
The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported that, "Mr. Kardashian said in a 1996 ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
interview that he questioned Mr. Simpson's innocence: 'I have doubts. The blood evidence is the biggest thorn in my side; that causes me the greatest problems. So I struggle with the blood evidence.