OJ Simpson: "IF I did it..."

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/1....ap/index.html

Quote:

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- O.J. Simpson created an uproar Wednesday with plans for a TV interview and book titled "If I Did It" -- an account the publisher pronounced "his confession" and media executives condemned as revolting and exploitive.

Fox, which plans to air an interview with Simpson Nov. 27 and 29, said Simpson describes how he would have committed the 1994 slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman, "if he were the one responsible."

Denise Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson, lashed out at publisher Judith Regan of ReganBooks for "promoting the wrongdoing of criminals" and commercializing abuse. The book goes on sale Nov. 30.

She added: "It's unfortunate that Simpson has decided to awaken a nightmare that we have painfully endured and worked so hard to move beyond."

Regan refused to say what Simpson is being paid for the book but said he came to her with the idea.

"This is an historic case, and I consider this his confession," Regan told The Associated Press.

Simpson was acquitted in 1995 of murder after a trial that became an instant cultural flashpoint and a source of racial tension. The former football star was later found liable for the deaths in a wrongful-death suit filed by the Goldman family. In the years since, he has been mocked relentlessly by late-night comedians, particularly for his vow to hunt down the real killers.

"He's willing to tell the world how he 'would' murder his children's mother and Ron. Sick," Goldman's father, Fred Goldman, said on CNN's "Larry King Live" Wednesday night. (Watch what the Goldmans told Larry King -- 10:53 Video)

Simpson has failed to pay the $33.5 million judgment against him in the civil case. His NFL pension and his Florida home cannot legally be seized. He and the families of the victims have wrangled over the money in court for years.

The victim' families could go after the proceeds from the book's sales to pay off the judgment. But one legal analyst said there are ways to get around that requirement -- such as having proceeds not go directly to Simpson.

"Clever lawyering can get you a long way," said Laurie Levenson, a Loyola University law school professor and former federal prosecutor who has followed the case closely.

Levenson noted that the criminal justice system's protection against double jeopardy means Simpson's book, explosive as it may be, should not expose him to any new legal danger. She added that Simpson could create an extra layer of insulation from any legal worries by presenting the story hypothetically.

"He can write pretty much whatever he wants," Levenson said. "Unless he's confessing to killing somebody else, he can probably do this with impunity."

Goldman's sister, Kim Goldman, told CNN: "He's snubbing his finger to the system, to the community again. He's telling us one more time, 'I'm gonna continue to get away with killing your family members and I'm not gonna honor the judgment and look at me, ha, ha, ha."'

Simpson did not return numerous calls for comment. Simpson's own attorney Yale Galanter said he did not know about the book or the interview until this week.

"The book was not done through our office," Galanter said. "I did not have anything to do with the negotiations of the book. This was strictly done between O.J. and others."

He said there is "only one chapter that deals with their deaths and that chapter, in my understanding, has a disclaimer that it's complete fiction."

On Amazon.com on Wednesday, the 240-page book was being offered for $16.47. An image of the cover featured Simpson's face and the title "If I Did It," with "If" highlighted in white and the other letters in red.

Other publishers and publishing industry observers practically fell over each other to criticize ReganBooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, and Simpson.

Otto Penzler, who runs Otto Penzler Books, a crime imprint of Harcourt, said he would have a moral problem with "carrying a book like that and enriching this lowlife in any way."

"If I were betting, I would say the book won't sell," he said. "I think people are so disgusted with this guy that they're having the same feeling I do."

ReganBooks has gained a reputation for publishing some less-than-highbrow material, including Jose Canseco's "Juiced," billed as a tell-all on steroids in baseball, and books about the slaying of Laci Peterson.

Patricia Schroeder, president and chief executive of the American Association of Publishers, described the developments as sickening.

"But I think it's going to stir an awful lot of debate and make the culture take a real look at itself, and that may not be unhealthy," she said.

Indeed, one thing that seemed certain was that the book and interview -- which Fox will air at the end of the crucial sweeps month -- were bound to generate a torrent of publicity.

Shari Anne Brill, a television analyst for the Madison Avenue firm Carat USA, predicted public interest would rival that of the 2003 interview with Michael Jackson, seen by 27 million people in 2003.

At least one other network, NBC, said it had been approached to air the special but declined the offer.

"This is not a project appropriate for our network," said Rebecca Marks, a spokeswoman for the entertainment division of NBC, a network that once employed Simpson as a football analyst.

CBS said it was unaware of any pitch for the project. ABC did not immediately return a call for comment.

.....


THE FUCK?!??!?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

This is why I'm convinced that black football players are the dumbest motherfuckers on this planet. It was all fun and games when it was confined to them buying Hummers and putting big fuck wheels and DVD players in the mirrors but now the niggas are spilling insignificant frijoles to the media like it's their own public confessionary.

SURELY YOU PEOPLE SEE HOW STUPID THIS IS.

I'll tell you one thing though... You won't see that cracka-ass Robert Blake writing a book about HIS little secret.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Heh. I'll enjoy watching people flip over this. The irony of knowing that the millions of people starving and killing each other around the world carries less weight than some cocky black guy ATTN whoring is amusing enough.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Quote:

Goldman's sister, Kim Goldman, told CNN: "He's snubbing his finger to the system, to the community again. He's telling us one more time, 'I'm gonna continue to get away with killing your family members and I'm not gonna honor the judgment and look at me, ha, ha, ha."'

I don't remember Orange Juice Simpson ever saying he'd kill my family, but good luck. It'd be worth it though, just to hear that 'ha, ha, ha' laugh. I bet it's like the Shredder's.

How ya doing, buddy?

all I have to say is this:

talk about arrogance, hm?

I was speaking idiomatically.

He might be an idiot, but hes got some balls. Dodging a bullet just to jump back into the firefight.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

There's no "balls" to speak of. He's only doing this since he can't be prosecuted a second time, and this book is guaranteed to make big bucks because consumerist whores etc, etc. Plus, plenty of people are already convinced that he's the culprit anyway, so he might as well milk his notoriety for what it's worth before it fizzles out.

And regarding this:

Originally Posted by Tuxedo-Templar

The irony of knowing that the millions of people starving and killing each other around the world carries less weight than some cocky black guy ATTN whoring is amusing enough.

You sure are easily amused.

FELIPE NO

The Boondock Saints are gonna put a cap in his ass.

Seriously, though, I think he's just trying to make some money the only way he knows how. Because this is the only thing he's known for, practically - I didn't even know he was a football player until after the controversy had faded. He sure isn't going to be making that $33.5 million by selling Amway products. Doesn't mean I think it's right... but it's probably his only option, in his eyes.

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I wonder what his children think of him. I can't imagine that daddy writing a "fictional" tell-all book about brutally killing mommy and her undercover lover does much for ones self esteem. =\

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Is it in debatable taste? Yes.
The problem, in my opinion, is that people have lost track of an important distinction: he was not found guilty. The civil suit should've been thrown out due to double jeopardy - logically, how can someone be 'not guilty of' and 'liable for' the same offense?

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Firefly

Is it in debatable taste? Yes.
The problem, in my opinion, is that people have lost track of an important distinction: he was not found guilty. The civil suit should've been thrown out due to double jeopardy - logically, how can someone be 'not guilty of' and 'liable for' the same offense?

Because the criminal and civil systems are separate?

Also, the fact that the families were drawn through this super painful and very, very public court hearing.

I'm not intimately familiar with the civil case. I'll ask a lawyer friend and get back to you

Edit: OK, he was found liable for wrongful death.. "it means that is 50%+ that he was a cause of the wrongful death of nicole and her boy toy. So he needs to pay up."

Anyway, it seems to me that the real culprits in this case are the LAPD. They bungled the criminal investigation very, very badly.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

You know, after reading enough of this If I did it stuff, I am beginning to think he had really done it.

Well, I guess he can get away with it if he wants too. Any way to make money.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Well the book and the special has officially been cancelled after Fox agreed to take the special for their network. The statement was made that the project was "ill-concieved." Simpson wouldn't say much in an interview, he just said he was "I would like nothing better than to straighten out some things that have been mischaracterized. But I think I'm legally muzzled at this point."

I think it was a good decision. As much as it sounded like a full-out confession, it was just stupid of OJ to even grant any shred of cooperation from himself. He didn't look too innocent to begin with, now he just looks even more guilty. Whatever though, he's obviously scrounging up his last bits of fame and money. I kind of wonder how much money he has left compared to how much he had and made off of the publicity from the trial.

And an interesting fact. The book was on the top 20s of the amazon best-sellers, though not really at the top. It dropped to 51 before it was cancelled. I think it shows that people have the least bit of shame left and decided that it was just too much. I dunno though, I think this was good news.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Well according to the Goldman's lawyer, they are going to fight everyone who had a hand in the dealings of this book and special to try and make sure he doesn't get that money. It will probably be unsuccessful, but OJ doesn't deserve a dime for trying this crap.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I remembered seeing the OJ stuff on TV back in the days; however, I didn't know about the whole civil suit.

Quote:

The former football star was later found liable for the deaths in a wrongful-death suit filed by the Goldman family.

Can someone explain what this means and why he was sentenced to pay the Goldman family those millions of dollars? If the verdict was that he wasn't guilty of the killings, what does this liability for the deaths mean? It was his fault they died in his house or something? Law is too verbose.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Firefly

Is it in debatable taste? Yes.
The problem, in my opinion, is that people have lost track of an important distinction: he was not found guilty. The civil suit should've been thrown out due to double jeopardy - logically, how can someone be 'not guilty of' and 'liable for' the same offense?

Legal language have very precise definitions. It's obvious due to reality (that is, that the civil suit was not thrown out of court) that you don't know what you're talking about.

I don't know what's debatable about the taste of murder what-ifs, personally.

Double Post:

Originally Posted by Tuxedo-Templar

Heh. I'll enjoy watching people flip over this. The irony of knowing that the millions of people starving and killing each other around the world carries less weight than some cocky black guy ATTN whoring is amusing enough.

Are you trying to feel superior than everyone else by being amused that inhuman conditions are going ignored?

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After scathing criticism, threats from resellers to outright refuse to sell the book, and threats from broadcasters to refuse to carry an interview about the book with O.J. Simpson, ReaganBooks has pulled the plug on the controversial book, "If I Did It".

Its sad that it took them this long to finally realize that putting additional millions of dollars into the pocket O.J. Simpson for a "fictionalized" account of the murder of Nicole Simpson by a man that just about anyone on the street will tell you is guilty would be a bad idea. Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of the News Corporation, announced, "I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project [...] We are sorry for any pain this has caused for the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson."†

Personally, I think the whole prospect of the book is disgusting. In my understanding there already exists legislations barring convicted felons from profiting from descriptions of their crime, either through book or interview. However, since O.J. was acquitted of the murder, such legislation wouldn't bar him from writing a detailed account of the crime under the guise of "If I had done it...". Even if O.J. were actually innocent of the crime, it is no less disgusting and tiwsted that the husband of a brutally murdered wife would attempt to profit from a story supposing that he had commited the crime himself.

Its about time that publishers came to their senses.

† Carter, Bill and Edward Wyatt. (2006, 21 November) Under Pressuer, News Corp. Pulls Simpson Project, pp. A1, A23

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Dubble

I wonder what his children think of him. I can't imagine that daddy writing a "fictional" tell-all book about brutally killing mommy and her undercover lover does much for ones self esteem. =\

My guess would be that those children's self esteem is pretty much dead in the water anywho.

I couldn't care less that he's writing the book. The way I see it, the worst it could do is remind everyone how our system is overly slanted toward anybody with money, as if anyone needed reminding.

One thing is for sure though, I can't wait to see everyone go ape shit over this.

There's nowhere I can't reach.