Changed everything. His exwife and friend ron goldman brutally killed, the order to surrender leading to the slow speed bronco chase and then the trial of the century. If it doesnt fit, you must acquit. George simpson acquitted. We the jury find the defendant not guilty of the crime of murder. George the case cast a shadow over the rest of his life. This morning the reaction and a look back at the trial that was a flash point in race relations, changed the course of tv coverage and the country. Michael major storm system sweeping from texas into the northeast. At least a dozen reported tornados across six states. Plus heavy rains and flash floods. Gingers tracking it all as we head into the weekend. George spy royal battle. Weve seen a rogue gallery of foreign agencies calling for attacks on us. George the fbi director on capitol hill, urging congress to reauthorize a key surveillance tool in the fight against terror. The crucial vote this morning. Rebecca stay put. The u. S. Embassy in israel is warning amid the imminent threat from iran that could mark a serious escalation in the region. Michael abortion rights fight. Vice president heading to arizona. This morning how the ruling reinstating a 160yearold law has left women and Health Care Providers scrambling. Rebecca golden slit. You may kiss your bride. Rebecca the golden bachelor and his wife teresa. Getting divorced . Three months after getting married . Yes. Rebecca jujus interview only on gma this morning. George castaways. Three fishermen stranded for a more than a week surviving on coconuts and water remarkably rescued thanks to their tom hanks inspired call for help. Announcer live in times square, this is Good Morning America. Michael Good Morning America. Thank you for joining us on this friday morning. We want to get right to our top story. The reaction to the death of o. J. Simpson. Rebecca michael, its a complicated legacy. He first made a name for himself on the football field with a hall of fail career. And turned that success into a hollywood career. George then the killing of his exwife, nicole brown, her friend, ron goldman. 150 million americans tuned in to watch the trial, the verdict. He was acquitted. O. J. Simpson was acquitted. The controversy did not go away. This morning we will hear from a key witness in the trial. Chief National Correspondent matt gutman starts us off. Good morning, matt. Reporter good morning, george. Right behind me is the 405 freeway where that infamous slow speed chase began watched by 95 million americans live. It was a moment that o. J. s image changed from lovable sports icon to a man accused of a grisly double murder. Almost exactly 30 years after that public spectacle, his family saying o. J. Lost a very private battle with cancer surrounded by his grandchildren and children. We, the jury, in the above entitled action find the defendant not guilty of the crime of murder. Reporter this morning, nearly 30 years after that murder acquittal watched around the world, football legend o. J. Simpson and his legacy again at the center of furious debate following the sudden news of his death wednesday at the age of 76. Simpson family sharing a statement saying, he succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. 80 yards, o. J. Simpson reporter nicknamed the juice, he galloped to stardom with the Heisman Trophy at usc then a record breaking career in the nfl starting in 1969. Then effortlessly going to tv commercials. Coming or going on a business trip youve got no time to waste. Reporter and stealing scenes on the big screen. Hi, buddy. Doc says i should be on my feet in a week. Reporter and all that adoration came crashing down with the brutal stabbing murders of his exwife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend ron goldman outside nicoles town house in june 1994. I think i just saw o. J. Simpson on the 405 freeway. Reporter o. J. Simpson took police on a low speed chase through los angeles in that white ford bronco. 95 Million People tuning in live. That incident setting the tone for a highly publicized trial. Prosecutors painting o. J. As a serial abuser, playing 911 calls made by nicole. O. J. Simpson. I think you know his record. What is he doing . Is he threatening you . Hes going nuts. Reporter the brown family sitting down with diane sawyer before the trial. When you said insanely jealous, what did you mean . Possessive. He was possessive. He just she was his. Reporter the states case seemingly unravelled when bloody gloves found at the crime scene did not fit o. J. s hands. Know these words. If it doesnt fit, you must acquit. Reporter though he was acquitted in the criminal trial, he was found liable in a civil suit, ordered to pay 33. 5 million to the victims families who have not seen much of that setment. The family of ron goldman speaking with me in 2017. When you hear the name o. J. What goes through your mind . Disgust. I struggle because i dont think theres an actual adjective. I know that seems weird. Hes in a compartment in here and when i need to go to it, i go to it. Reporter simpson understood he could never outrun the long shadow of their murders. This is something that will be attached to me for the rest of my life no matter where i am. Truly to this day i feel pleased that the truth will come out. Reporter although simpson maintained his innocence, he couldnt manage to stay out of the headlines. In 2007 he tried to sell if i did it. Following backlash a federal bankruptcy judge awarded the book rights to the Goldman Family. The goldmans telling abc news the hope for true accountability has ended. In 2007 simpson had another runin with the law, ultimately receiving a 33 year sentence for kidnapping and Armed Robbery following an attempt to steal his own memorabilia. He was released after serving nine years. Once on parole simpson embraced a visible platform online sharing details about his life, sports and his Health Promising just two months ago that he was on the mend. My health is good. Obviously, im dealing with some issues, but, hey, i think im just about over it. O. J. Simpson was an american super star and an American Icon whose fall from grace was just extraordinary. And it truly went from being one of the Great American success stories, sports or cultural, to one of the Great American night mares. Reporter a lawyer for the goldmans saying they are investigating ways to try to recover some of the funds possibly from o. J. s estate. The goldmans have told us they have received less than 1 of the 33 million owed to them from that civil case. They say they did not get much accountability from o. J. In life and they dont expect much from his death. George . George okay, matt. Thank you very much. Our next half hour well hear from dan abrams who was in the courtroom for that trial. Michael . Michael thank you very much, george. Going to turn now to the storms slamming the east coast, bringing rain, flooding and strong floods from the midwest to northeast after leaving a trail of destruction in the south. Ginger is tracking all the dangerous weather for us. Good morning, ginger. Ginger good morning, michael. Yes, nearly 400 severe storm reports. This morning from the great lakes to northeast were seeing 30 to 50 mile per hour winds just slice through the area. Overnight torrential rain and powerful winds battering the northeast. Parts of western pennsylvania under flash flood emergency where there were several water rescues. This car stalling in the middle of the road. Not too far behind this driver also had to be rescued. Pittsburgh got 4 inches in just a few hours. Welcome to oakdale. Reporter the mayor of oakdale told abc news that the creek swelled and feet of water flooded some parts of their town. Buildings submerged. Streets flowing like rivers. The same system raking the south thursday. In South Carolina firefighters responding to this hotel after high winds tore the roof off the building in myrtle beach. Looked out the window and seen pieces of the roof flying through. Then i seen the roof hanging down. Reporter while in florida we have a confirmed tornado. Ginger an ef1 tornado, winds up to 100 Miles Per Hour tore through near st. Augustine. Leaving a path of destruction more than two miles long. The radar clearly shows that classic counter clock wise rotation. You can see where michigan over to the northeast including maine and massachusetts have got heavy bands of rain. But also the wind. We have wind advisories in new hampshire, rhode island, north georgia and back into the Upper Peninsula of michigan. Those will stick today. As it twists through, gonna take its time, 36 hours or so, with different showers. Some places even getting a few snow showers in canada there. Look at the wind gusts. Well see 30 to 50 mile per hour winds all the way through saturday afternoon. Michael . Michael windy and wet weekend ginger. Thank you very much for that. Rebecca . Rebecca we go overseas to the middle east and growing concerns that iran is preparing to attack israel with some sort of military action. Our Foreign CorrespondentBritt Clennett is on the scene. Good morning, britt. Reporter good morning, rebecca. The u. S. Embassy in israel is telling staff to stay put in cities amid a threat from iran that it will retaliate for a Deadly Strike on its consulate in syria. Embassy staff and their families are restricted from leaving greater jerusalem, tel aviv out of an abundance of caution, the embassy said. U. S. Officials have been working to deter iran from a strike on israel but u. S. Central commands general in the region to coordinate on this threat. And secretary lloyd austin assuring his counter part that israel can counted on full u. S. Support to defend israel against attacks from iran. Israel making it clear it will hit back if there is a strike. It would be irans first ever direct attack on israeli soil. George . George okay, britt thanks. Now to washington and a battle over a key law against terrorism. The fbi director went to capitol hill to urge lawmakers to renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act after donald trump called on them to kill it. Weve seen a rogues gallery of foreign terrorist organizations calling for attacks on us. Now is not the time to take away tools that we need to punch back. Would be dangerous and put americans lives at risk. George chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas has the latest. Good morning, pierre. Reporter the clock is running out. Fbi director chris wray warning of dire consequences if its not removed. The so called fisa law allows u. S. Intelligence agencies to spy on communications of foreign nationals without a warning. Wray said the warning cannot be allowed to lapse, describing the most dangerous threat environment since 911 sparked by the war between israel and hamas and the resurgence of isis. It was put in jeopardy after President Trump said to kill it under mining House Speaker mike johnson. This morning congress is working on a compromise. A vote is expected later this morning. Its hard to know whats going to happen given how divide congress is. Michael . Michael pierre, thank you for that. Were going to turn to the battle over abortion rights. Vice president harris is heading to arizona after Court Decisions sent shock waves through the country up holding an 1864 law banning abortions with almost no exceptions. Our chief White House Correspondent mary bruce has more for us. Good morning, mary. Reporter good morning, michael. Biden campaign this morning trying to seize the political momentum here as we see outrage and turmoil over arizonas near total abortion ban. Now the white house today is dispatching their chief messenger on this issue, Vice President harris. This morning president bidens Reelection Campaign leaning into the political fight over abortion after arizona upheld a 160yearold law banning abortion in all cases except to protect the life of the mother. The Biden Campaign relying on a simple message, arguing this is all Donald Trumps fault. Democrats already putting up these bill boards saying abortion is banned in arizona thanks to donald trump. He wont stop until its banned nationwide. It does not have to be this way. Reporter during a visit to the critical battleground state today, the Vice President will flatly say that trump is to blame, calling him the architect of this health care crisis. For bragging about appointing the justices who overturned roe v. Wade. Harris saying a second trump term would mean more bans, more suffering, less freedom. With the vast majority of americans saying abortion should be legal in almost all cases, the Biden Campaign is hoping the issue will drive voters to the polls in november. But in the mean time, women and Health Care Providers across arizona are left scrambling. Were talking about asking doctors to send women out to the parking lots and wait until theyre almost dead before the doctor can provide care . That is insane. That is the very definition of insanity. Reporter our rachel scott speaking to their democratic attorney general who urged the legislature to swiftly reveal the civil war era law, but republicans blocked the effort. Her message now . I i would urge arizonans who are pregnant to make a plan. I cant believe im having to say that. Its time to make plan for 60 days from now if something goes wrong, if you need an abortion, if you want an abortion, start thinking about california and nevada and new mexico or colorado. Reporter ultimately voters could decide this issue in november when arizona and as many as 13 other states could have abortion measures on the ballot. In fact, just this morning abc confirming organizers in colorado think they have enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot there. In the mean time, this ban in arizona is set to take effect in the coming weeks unless republicans there change course and agree to repeal it. Rebecca . Rebecca mary, thank you, mary. We turn to the rescue of three fishermen stranded on a tiny Pacific Island and saved thanks to their help sign made of palm leafs. Trevor ault is here with the story. This is kind of a real life cast away. Yes. Rebecca good morning. And even more successful than the movie. First thing you would think of if youre stranded on a Desert Island you make a giant help sign then eat coconuts until they find you. In this amazing case, that plan actually worked. Hey anybody . Reporter this morning the remarkable rescue straight out of the movies. Three castaways discovered on a Remote Island in the pacific after using palm fronds to spell out the word help. The help sign was pretty visible. We could see it from a couple thousand feet in the air. Reporter the men are all in their 40s. They were stranded for more than a week after their boat sustained damage. They survived on coconuts and water from a small well on the island. While they were fishing they ran their boat into a coral reef and put a hole in the bottom of their vessel and started taking on water. They werent going to be able to make their return home. Reporter saturday the coast guard received a distress call from a family member. The next day the coast guard spotted them on a tiny island. Rescuers covered an area of more than 100,000 square miles before spotting their sign on one of the 600 islands that make up micronesia. They were able to salvage communications via hand held radio. Reporter they eventually sent a team of rescuers on this cutter boat to shore. The relatives cant thank the coast guard enough. Without their help, i dont know what it would turn out to be. And the coast guard was able to drop survival packages while those rescue crews made their way to the island. Now all three men are back home safely. Did not even have time to become best friends with a volleyball. [ laughter ] rebecca so happy to hear it, trevor. Michael thank you, trevor. Way to close it out. Coming up we have more on o. J. Simpson and the trial that changed americas racial divide. Dan abrams and shawna lloyd are standing by. George the nationwide drug shortage has hit a record high. Doctors and pharmacists sounding the alarm, with more than 320 medications in short supply. Rebecca and the golden bachelor couple are calling it quits. Juju chang spoke to them about their decision. Well hear more from that. First back to ginger. Hey, ginge. Ginger hey. Yes, weve got this windy morning here. Before it got here it was in charleston, west virginia, bringing 3 to 4 inches of rain. That caused some flash flooding on the roads there. As anticipated we were warning about the Tornado Warning and flash flood warning. Boy did it verify, unfortunately. Well see a new storm coming in for the weekend from the west. What thats going to do is bring severe storms. A pretty decent tornado threat shaping up in the plain, Oklahoma City down to wichita fall, texas. And then on tuesday, just a heads up, anybody from chicago down through little rock, beware. Weve got a big week ahead. Local weather in 30 seconds. Rebecca coming up, this is ou i get street cred with my kids. We have a very special bluey event. Were so excited. We have a sneak peek at the new episode. Well be right back. My grandchildren, theyre sixth generation of dancers. Its what my family is all about. I thought i knew a lot about our irish roots. I was surprised to learn so many more things from ancestry. 1892. Oh and heres the boat they came over on. There was a julie healy, a mary healy, this is all their names . Yes, yes. Wow. [ baby, im a star by prince ] one, two, three yes baby, im a star yeah. Oh im on the clock and ready to rock. Its target circle week. good feeling by flo rida feat. Atr this is a hot flash. This is a hot flash. But this is a