How’s this for chutzpah?
LOS ANGELES - O.J. Simpson lashed out Tuesday at the family of the late Ronald Goldman, a day after they won the rights to Simpson’s canceled “If I Did It” book about the slayings of Goldman and Simpson’s ex-wife.
In an online interview featuring questions from hostile participants, the former football star criticized Goldman’s family for seeking to profit from the book after they said it promoted criminality and commercialized abuse.
A federal bankruptcy judge in Miami awarded the book rights to Goldman’s family Monday to satisfy a $38 million wrongful death judgment against Simpson.
“I find it sort of hypocritical that they talked everybody in America to boycott the book: it was ‘immoral,’ it was ‘blood money,’” he told interviewer Kate Delaney. “But we now see it wasn’t ‘blood money’ if they got the money.”
Goldman attorney David Cook said his clients were justified in accepting rights to the book as payment for the judgment against Simpson.
“Mr. Simpson himself has placed us in this horrific setting of seeking to liquidate this asset,” he said. “His comments are beyond redemption.”
My heart goes out to the Brown and Goldman families for having to live with not only the murder of a loved one, but also knowing that the man who did it got away with it, and furthermore having to fight to get that murderer to, at the very least, pay the damages he was ordered to in those civil suits.
B-stard.
It would be really nice for those families if they could have closure…but that won’t happen while O.J. remains at large. Sickening…
Comment by camojack @ 8/1/2007 - 1:23 am
First up: OJ’s book was tacky. Period. OJ is an arrogant jerk. Period.
And I agree the OJ case was a slam of the legal system, but there is supposed to be a justice system that operates under rules, one of which is that those not convicted are presumed innocent.
That ugly slap in the face to the Browns and Goldmans prompted the lawsuit, which they won.
So let’s suppose OJ has the book published and the book makes 38 Million+.
OJ’s debt would be settled, and the families would be forced to accept that Justice had spoken and the scales were now balanced.
What then? No amount of cash brings back the dead, nor does it change anything.
They will never NOT hate him. The Goldman father particularly strikes me as someone who has sacrificed his own happiness and life for a cage of hate.
He has cause, but he is poisoning himself in the process, and to me it is just more evil to come out of this ugliness.
So the question is, aside from punishing him, which it does not do as he still lives cushy on a $40,000 a month pension, what is the point?
No closure will be had even if he pays every penny. This all just seems pointless now.
One after thought:
The Jury’s award of money to the families was an after attempt to right the miscarriage of justice, but isn’t it odd that most miscarriages of justice occur when the innocent are convicted, not the other way around.
Just thinking aloud.
Comment by Karl @ 8/1/2007 - 3:35 am
Karl, the Brown and Goldman families will never have complete closure, to be sure. But considering the murderer of their loved ones got away with it in criminal court, their only ‘victory’ in all this was to win in civil court and that’s why they stay on him because they want him to satisfy the judgments against him. If he doesn’t, it would be like getting away with it again.
Comment by Sister Toldjah @ 8/1/2007 - 8:26 am
Great perspective ST.
Comment by Baklava @ 8/1/2007 - 11:51 am
I don’t disagree.
But my question stands. For people like Fred Goldman, what then? Assume OJ pays up. Then what?
He is not motivated by by justice, just hate, and while I cannot blame him, I have to pity him for what that hate is doing to him.
Don’t misunderstand, I don’t have any better solutions ST. The whole situation is just sad.
Comment by Karl @ 8/1/2007 - 11:59 am
O J Simpson won the Heisman Trophy and was the first man to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season; you’ve gotta give a man like that a break!
Comment by Dana @ 8/1/2007 - 12:02 pm
Actually, why should OJ be able to profit from Ron Goldman’s death in any way?? This isn’t about enriching the Goldman’s, it is about keeping the murderer from profiteering from his actions. I don’t believe that these guys should have book deals or should have movie deals for their actions. Look at that gansta who wrote the children’s book, whatever his name is. He should never been allowed to put his name on that book, and he should not get a dime of that money. Any and all profits from these book/movie deals should automatically go to families of the victims. - Lorica
Comment by Lorica @ 8/1/2007 - 1:46 pm
Who cares? The whole OJ-trial media circus was nothing more than a means by which the media distracted the world from Whitewater. Far more newsworthy events before and since have received far less public attention.
Comment by clifto @ 8/1/2007 - 2:49 pm
Your legal system said NOT GUILTY, mainly because of all the screw ups by the police department. Then one court tries to right what they consider a wrong, now all these years later Mr. Goldman is still living in hate, following Mr. Simpsons daily moves. Money’s not going to bring any peace that has to come from within. Losing a loved one is hard and there are days you just don’t think you can go on without that person I know I’ve been living it for 10 years, but if I hated for all these years what would it have done to me and the rest of family, nothing good I can tell you that. Hate hardens a person. Think of the others who have to stand by and watch the hate you are emitting, how hard it must be for them. Mr. Simpson will have his judgement day and it won’t be here on earth. Mr. Goldman go on with your life without hate because it is eatting you up inside, and remember that when it is time for you to go you will be reunited with your son, you don’t want to go to him with hate. I treasure the day I will be with my husband again and so should you with your son.
Comment by Deborah @ 8/5/2007 - 4:01 pm