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O.J. Simpson's acquittal in his 1994 murder trial remains one of the most controversial verdicts to date, but a member of his defense -- the so-called Dream Team -- stands by the strategies they used to get him off.

Perhaps the most controversial of their strategies was playing the "race card" during the trial ... a decision attorney Carl Douglas defends, claiming both sides knew race would play a factor in the case.

He tells TMZ ... "The prosecution played the race card as well when they brought on a Black prosecutor (Christopher Darden) for the first time when the jury was all assembled on the first day of trial."

O.J. Simpson's death raises the question -- what's his legacy? And, Morgan Wallen's in big trouble after throwing a chair off a rooftop bar. So we gotta ask ...

Sales of O.J. Simpson's "If I Did It" book have exploded since the infamous star's death, with the publication skyrocketing to the top of the charts.

76-year-old O.J. died on Wednesday -- a day before the public found out -- when the Simpson family announced the news ... and reignited interest in the grizzly, 1994 double murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

According to Amazon.com, the world's largest bookseller, "If I Did It" sits in the number 1, 2, and 4 spots (different versions of the book -- audio, abridged, unabridged) in the entire Criminology section. It's also number 8 in the Murder/True Crime section.

Tina Turner's getting a huge honor in the place where she was born, as local leaders have approved a bronze Tina statue -- about a year after the mayor first promised to erect one.

Bill Rawls, Jr. the mayor of Brownsville, Tennessee tells TMZ ... the city has decided to fund a six-foot-tall bronze statue that will be placed in the city's Heritage Park, which is located right near the high school Turner attended.

We're told the statue's gonna cost around $150k with the city making the initial deposit before public/private funds cover the rest. The fundraising is starting ASAP, but Rawls says he's not worried about puttin' together the cash.

For real though, who doesn't wanna step up to Chantel Jeffries's DJ booth?! But first, there are some minor switch-ups in the way, which you must clear out! Keep your eyes and ears open, and see if you've got what it takes to find the differences!

Spinning right into Coachella earlier this week, Chantel jumpstarted the tunes with her set during Darren Dzienciol's Pre-Coachella Soiree -- lookin' SO hot in SoCal. However, some of her equipment ain't lookin' right!

Can you locate the changes? Hey DJ, spin it!

It's finally the weekend, and TMZ covered a whole lotta wild stories this week. Check out the best of the past week below.

On "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles discuss Caitlyn Jenner slamming social media users for comparing the tragic car crash she was a part of to O.J. Simpson's alleged crimes.

The world-renowned Coachella Valley Music Festival kicked off in the desert this weekend, and you can bet your bottom dollar on these Hollywood Hotties to turn up with their sidekicks for music's trendiest festival!

Riding into the desert HOT, David Dobrik and Noah Beck stopped for a classic Coachella Ferris Wheel selfie, Lele Pons and Hannah Stocking brought their Bestie Game in matching metallic drip crop tops, and "Vanderpump Rules" star Ariana Madix planted a friendly smooch on her sidekick Dayna Kathan!

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's new Netflix venture's already poppin' with star power ... 'cause early filming saw Serena Williams hangin' with the duo!

The Sussexes were down in Miami shooting their new show for Netflix all about the polo world ... attending the Royal Salute Polo Challenge Friday.

Check out the pics ... Harry's all decked out in his polo gear -- ready to hop on a horse and score a few points with cameras ready to cover it all.

JoJo Siwa has addressed the rumors she stole her new song from Miley Cyrus and Brit Smith ... telling TMZ she in no way swiped the single from anyone.

We caught up with the 20-year-old outside Studio Siwa in Burbank, where she told us how she came into possession of her viral track, "Karma." As JoJo put it ... she was pitched the song -- which she defended as a very normal thing in the music industry.

She added ... "What happens is, people write songs and then they just don't do anything with them. And then, a few years later, it makes more sense for another artist."

Eleanor Coppola -- the filmmaker and wife of famed director Francis Ford Coppola -- has died ... according to a statement made by her family.

The matriarch of the famous film family passed away Friday at her home in Rutherford, CA ... a small town in Napa Valley. They did not give a cause of death.

Eleanor met Francis in 1962 while working as an assistant art director on his first movie, "Dementia 13" ... and the couple started dating.

Eleanor got pregnant shortly thereafter, married Coppola in Las Vegas and gave birth to their first son, Gian-Carlo.

"The Golden Bachelor" star Theresa Nist's job played a big factor in the ending of her and Gerry Turner's marriage ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... since Theresa has an established career as a compliance officer in New Jersey, she grappled with the idea of leaving her job behind to move to Indiana or South Carolina with Gerry.

We're told Gerry understood Theresa's dilemma and offered up an idea -- splitting their time where they would spend six weeks in Jersey and six weeks in Indiana ... but they couldn't imagine a world where they could do that and Theresa could keep her job.

Kris Jenner's sister, Karen Houghton, passed away due to heart issues ... according to her death certificate.

TMZ obtained a copy of the document which lists Karen's official cause of death as cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac arrhythmia. It also notes Type 2 diabetes as a secondary underlying cause.

The docs also say Karen had bipolar disorder, and was cremated following her death on March 19. She was 65.

The world's oldest conjoined twins Lori & George Schappell have died -- according to online obituaries.

The twins passed at a hospital in Pennsylvania ... though the exact cause of their death, reportedly last Sunday, has not been disclosed.

Lori & George were born in 1961 ... fused partially at the skull, and sharing 30% of their brains, the parietal and frontal lobes.

Michael Strahan's daughter Isabella shared a disappointing setback amid her brain tumor battle ... revealing her next round of chemotherapy has been delayed.

The teen opened up in a YouTube video about her ongoing treatment ... explaining to her followers why she had to recently return to the hospital.

As Isabella put it ... a fever was to blame -- which is why she had to get an IV and have scans taken.

K-pop star Park Boram is dead, and multiple media outlets in Korea are reporting her death came after a night of heavy drinking with friends.

According to the Korea Herald, Park died Thursday at a hospital, but she had first collapsed while at a friend's house ... and might have suffered a cardiac arrest -- but the exact cause of death is still under investigation.

Another report, from AllKPop, says one of Park's friends found her unconscious and slouched over a bathroom sink -- and one of her friends then performed CPR, attempting to revive her.

O.J. Simpson spoke to many close friends and family members in his last days, but he did not make any confessions about the murders before succumbing to cancer.

Of course, almost as soon as news broke of his death, people wondered if he'd spoken at all about the slayings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. It does play like the perfect movie scene, which clearly helped fuel the rumor -- but a source with direct knowledge tells us it's just that ... a rumor.

We asked if anything like that happened, and one source called it "totally false."