Before Kim Kardashian became a global icon, reality TV star, and aspiring lawyer, she was a teenager navigating some of the most high-profile legal dramas of the 1990s. At just 14 years old, Kim found herself testifying in a murder trial—a surreal experience that would later influence her passion for criminal justice reform.
In the 1990s, Kim Kardashian was dating TJ Jackson, the son of Tito Jackson and nephew of the legendary Michael Jackson. Their teenage romance took a dark turn in 1994 when TJ’s mother, Delores “Dee Dee” Jackson, was found dead in the swimming pool of her boyfriend, Don Bohana. Initially ruled an accident, suspicions grew, leading to a murder trial, per People Magazine.
Kim Kardashian Had to Testify In The Murder Trial of Her Famous Boyfriend’s Mother
“My boyfriend’s mother whom I was really close with was murdered in 1994, and I had to be part of that trial. I had to testify and was there every day with my boyfriend. I was just 14, you know,” she previously told Vogue Italia. She described the ordeal as “insane,” especially given the concurrent media frenzy surrounding the O.J. Simpson trial, in which her father, Robert Kardashian Sr., was a defense attorney.
In the same decade, Kim’s family was entangled in another high-profile case—the O.J. Simpson trial. Her father, Robert Kardashian Sr., was a member of Simpson’s defense team, while her mother, Kris Jenner, was a close friend of OJ’s wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, the victim. This created a tense atmosphere within the family.
The Kardashian Family Was Heavily Involved in The OJ Simpson Trial
“My mom was extremely vocal on her feelings—she believed that her friend was murdered by him and that was really traumatizing for her. And then we’d go to my dad’s house and it was a whole other situation there.”
Her journey from a teenager testifying in a murder trial to a law student and reform advocate underscores a lesser-known part of Kim Kardashian’s life. It may also have impacted her interest in a legal career and prison reform.
Nina Franklin 
Kendra Quinn 
