Audience members at the BET Awards on Sunday night were surprised when OJ Simpson was included in the In Memoriam section alongside respected figures like Willie Mays and Rudolph Islay. There was "noticeable silence" when Simpson's face appeared on the screen at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Moments later "there was a smattering of applause, but many in the audience were a bit surprised to see his face," per the Reporter.
Tia Mowry introduced the In Memoriam section as a tribute to "the Black excellence that we unfortunately lost this year," USA Today reports. Simpson, who was acquitted of the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994 but was found liable in a civil trial, died in April. Fred Goldman, Ron's father, tells TMZ that the inclusion was a slap in the face to the families. "I think they shouldn't include anyone of that caliber—a wife beater, murderer," he says. "Can't imagine why they would include someone like that."
Nicole Brown Simpson's sister Tanya tells TMZ that whoever decided to include Simpson should apologize to all domestic violence victims. "It's inappropriate to give an abuser and murderer recognition," she says.
- Usher won the lifetime achievement award Sunday night but much of his acceptance speech was censored for audiences at home, the AP reports. The awards show later released a video of the full speech on YouTube. Click for a full list of winners.
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