THE ED MYLETT SHOW
THE ED MYLETT SHOW

The Sister of Nicole Brown Simpson Speaks Out

October 6, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Sister of Nicole Brown Simpson Speaks Out

Denise Brown spent 32 years learning what she didn't know about domestic violence. When her sister Nicole Brown Simpson was murdered in 1994, Brown told the New York Times that Nicole was not a battered woman. She believed that because she didn't understand what a battered woman was. The education came later, after her family found Nicole's diaries and journals, and after Brown took them to a shelter in Laguna Beach called Human Options. There, the executive director explained the cycle of domestic violence to her. That education is what finally made this book possible.

What Domestic Violence Actually Looks Like

Brown describes an incident she witnessed years before the murder. After a night of drinking at a Mexican restaurant, the group returned to Nicole's house. Brown made a comment about O.J. Simpson taking Nicole for granted. He ran from behind the bar, up the stairs, and began throwing things into the foyer. Then he came back down, grabbed Nicole by the neck, and lifted her six inches off the ground. Brown ran over and started hitting him. He released Nicole and threw her outside. She landed on her butt with bloodied elbows.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (01:35) **Introduction and Context** - Ed Mylett introduces Denise Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson, 32 years after the murder, and frames the conversation around domestic violence advocacy.
  • 2 (03:01) **Why Now? The Motivation for the Book** - Denise explains why she chose to write the book after 32 years, citing her own lack of education about domestic violence.
  • 3 (05:41) **The Isolated Incident That Wasn't** - Denise describes witnessing O.J. Simpson physically assaulting Nicole, and explains why she initially believed it was an isolated event.
  • 4 (09:09) **The Honeymoon Phase in Action** - Denise explains how O.J. would apologize and reel Nicole back in, using a specific example from the morning after the assault.
  • 5 (10:47) **Education in Congress and the Violence Against Women Act** - Denise shares her first lesson about how politics works when she went to testify for the Violence Against Women Act.
  • 6 (12:41) **Why Victims Don't Speak Up** - Denise explains why Nicole never confided in her about the abuse, and the reasons victims stay silent.
  • 7 (17:09) **How It Changed Her Life** - Ed asks a question designed to convince a victim to come forward, focusing on the impact on family members.

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Show Notes

What would you do if the person you love most was hiding something that could cost them their life?

 

This conversation has been 32 years in the making for me. Early in my career, I shared an office with someone connected to the Brown family, and I was around them during the trial. I saw how kind and loving that family was, and I watched Denise carry the weight of her sister's murder in front of the entire world. I have three sisters and a daughter. This one is personal.

 

Denise Brown lost her best friend, her sister Nicole, in one of the most public tragedies in American history. Instead of disappearing, she testified before Congress, fought for the Violence Against Women Act, and has spent three decades working with shelters across this country so other families never feel what hers did.

 

I asked Denise the hard questions. Why Nicole never told her family. What she would say to her sister today. How she handled the mocking and criticism. And how one sentence from a pastor changed her relationship with God. What came out of it is a masterclass in honoring your family: keep showing up, keep learning, and keep fighting long after everyone else has moved on. Her new book, For My Sister Nicole: Love Shouldn't Hurt, belongs in the hands of anyone with a sister, a daughter, or a friend they would do anything to protect.

 

Here's what you'll gain from this episode:

  • The silence that protects abusers: Why so many victims never tell the people closest to them, and what Nicole may have been protecting her family from.
  • The wrong things to say: Why your first instinct to help a loved one can push them further away.
  • The TRUST approach: A simple framework for supporting someone who isn't ready to leave.
  • Warning signs that start small: Why you don't need a black eye to be in danger.
  • Faith after tragedy: The words that lifted Denise's anger toward God.
  • Courage under criticism: How Denise stood for her sister while the whole world judged her.

 

Nicole never told her family because she was trying to protect them. Be the brother, sister, or friend someone feels safe telling. Learn the signs, ask better questions, and never stop showing up for the people you love.

 

If you or someone you love needs help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org

 

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