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Trigger warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence against women. Their sibling was murdered by her ex husband and watched as he was acquitted in what was dubbed The Trial of the Century, and now Nicole Brown Simpson’s sisters are reflecting on their “complicated” response to OJ’s death.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233) for confidential support.
Simpson and Brown married on February 2, 1985, and had two children, but almost 7 years exactly later, Brown filed for divorce on February 25, 1992, citing irreconcilable differences. On the night of June 12, 1994, Brown and her friend Ron Goldman were found brutally stabbed outside her home in LA—while much of the evidence pointed to OJ’s guilt, he was acquitted (later to be found liable for their wrongful deaths in 1997).
At trial, Nicole Brown Simpson’s sisters detailed several incidents that painted a picture of OJ as a violent and controlling individual during their testimony. They have since dedicated much time to shedding light on domestic violence. “Unfortunately, it took my sister, my sister’s life, to pass the Violence Against Women Act,” Denise told People. “And that was back in 1995.”
Who are Nicole Brown Simpson’s sisters?
Read on to find out more about Denise, Dominique and Tanya.
Denise Brown
Denise Brown is the eldest of the Brown daughters. She provided a crucial and emotional testimony during the 1995 trial of O.J. Simpson and recounted numerous instances of domestic violence that Nicole endured. Her testimony aimed to establish a pattern of violence and intimidation that supported the prosecution’s case.
During one such altercation, Denise described how OJ “picked [Nicole] up and threw her against the wall. He picked her up and threw her out of the house. She ended up falling on her elbows and her butt. We were all sitting there screaming and crying, and then he grabbed me and threw me out.”
In recounting some of that behavior to People ahead of a new Lifetime documentary, The Life & Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, Denise spoke about a time after the family watched the Buffalo Bills play in Upstate New York. “All hell broke loose when we came home that night,” Denise recalled, as O.J. “flipped out” after seeing Nicole kissing a male friend on the cheek at the game. “He had her upstairs in the bathroom crying. He said, ‘You embarrassed me.’ ”
When Denise learned of her sister’s death, she instantly felt she knew who was responsible. “The moment my mom got the phone call, I heard this screaming from my parents’ bedroom,” she told People. “It was gut-wrenching. I grabbed the phone, and the detective said, ‘Your sister’s been killed.’ I said, ‘Oh my God, he did it, he finally did it.’ I knew in my heart [it was OJ].”
Dominique Brown
Unlike Denise, Dominique has maintained a lower profile. She has not been as publicly active in advocacy or media appearances and did not have as prominent a role in the trial as Denise, but she was still part of the family’s presence and support during the legal proceedings.
She has however since revealed some instances of OJ’s hostility towards Nicole during their marriage. When Nicole got pregnant, she was thrilled. “It just opened her heart more,” Dominique said. “I think she thought that everything would be different having a child.” But in fact, things got worse. “She was pregnant, and he was calling her a fat pig,” Denise recalls.
After Nicole’s death, Dominique told People how important it was to protect OJ and Nicole’s sons, Sydney and Justin. “I knew that was the role I was supposed to undertake,” she said. “There was Denise’s son, my son, Sydney, and Justin. We played together, ate together, went to the beach together—everything together. It was to help them heal and do things that were fun.”
Apparently, the Brown sisters don’t keep in touch with Nicole’s children much, but “I see so much pride in their families just like [Nicole] had in her children,” Dominique said. “I see that with the kids now with their own.” After OJ died in 2024, Dominique revealed how the sisters reacted. “It’s very complicated,” Dominique explained.
Tanya Brown
Tanya Brown is the youngest of the four Brown siblings; she holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology. She has worked as a counselor and life coach, specializing in mental health and wellness, but has spent much time focussing on helping domestic violence causes.
She explained to People that she really only learned the extent of OJ’s violence towards Nicole during his trial for her murder when viewing photos of Nicole’s bruised face taken by Denise in 1989. “I was looking at the pictures, and then I looked at him, and I remember saying, ‘How can you do something like this to someone you love?’”
Ahead of the new Lifetime documentary that honors her sister’s death, Tanya told People: “[Nicole]’s not a dead body covered with a white sheet at the bottom of the stairs. That’s not Nicole. We want people to see this beautiful human being.” She added, “I’m so glad that she had a good time the last two years of her life. I can’t bring her back, so why not try to look at it like that?”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233) for confidential support.
