OJ Simpson's Lawyer Reverses Course, Says He Will Pay Out $33.5 Million to Families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman
An attorney for football star, actor and accused (but not convicted) double murderer O.J. Simpson backtracked Monday after he said last week he wanted to ensure the family of Ron Goldman got “nothing” from Simpson’s estate.
Attorney Malcolm LaVergne was named the executor of Simpson’s property and holdings when the former Buffalo Bills running back died last week from prostate cancer.
He said Monday he overreacted when he told a newspaper he hoped the father of one of two people his client was accused of killing got “zero.”
Upon hearing the news he had been put in command of his client’s estate, LaVergne was peeved about a comment from Goldman’s father.
“It’s no great loss to the world,” Fred Goldman told NBC News when he learned of Simpson’s death at the age of 76.
While the Hall of Famer was found not guilty of the 1994 murders of Goldman and ex-wife Nicole Brown Smith, a civil jury later awarded the estate of both victims a huge payout from Simpson — most of which was never paid.
While speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, LaVergne said he would work to deny the Goldman family any of his client’s assets.
“It’s my hope that the Goldmans get zero, nothing,” the attorney said.
“Them specifically,” he added. “And I will do everything in my capacity as the executor or personal representative to try and ensure that they get nothing.”
LaVergne, who had represented Simpson since 2009, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter on Monday and said he had changed his mind and had previously spoken out of emotion.
“I can tell you in advance, Fred Goldman’s claim will be accepted. And his claim will be handled in accordance with Nevada law,” LaVergne said.
The attorney added he made the comments out of instinct and out of a desire to defend his client.
But Fred Goldman’s comments did set him off, he said.
“Within an hour of knowing that O.J. died, he started talking s***. My advocate instinct was, ‘Oh, you’re gonna keep s***ing on him even after he’s dead? Fine, you know? You get nothing,'” LaVergne said.
He further explained, “And so, those were my remarks then. But I backtracked, and they were pretty harsh remarks. And now I’m going in the other direction.”
The attorney vowed to be “hypertransparent” with not only the Goldman family but also the family of Brown.
“I’m going to show my homework before I even have to give it to the courts and see what we can do in terms of getting this estate in order,” LaVergne said.
While Simpson walked away from his criminal trial having been found not guilty of the murders of Brown and Goldman, the families later sued him.
A civil jury in 1998 found the former football star responsible for the murders and ordered him to pay out $33.5 million, The Orange County Register noted.
The New York Post’s Page Six reported Simpson avoided paying the judgment late in his life by operating cash-only businesses.
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