Goldman Family Acquires OJ Book
By Dermot McEvoy -- Publishers Weekly, 7/3/2007 7:20:00 AM
The Goldman family has acquired If I Did It, O.J. Simpson’s book that deals with the murder of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson, according to the Associated Press. The book, originally scheduled to be published by Regan Books last year, may be renamed Confessions of a Double Murderer by the Goldmans. The controversy surrounding the TV special and the publication of If I Did It played a large part in the ouster of Judith Regan and her imprint from HarperCollins in late 2006.
The Goldman family acquired the book from a court-appointed bankruptcy trustee in Miami on Monday. "Ron Goldman LLC will own Simpson’s name, likeness, signature and story," said family attorney David Cook, "and will hawk it to satisfy this terrible judgement. Justice has arrived in Miami." According to court documents the Goldmans own the copyright, media rights and movie rights. They also acquired Simpson’s name, life story, likeness and the right to publicize the book. Ron Goldman LLC must pay 10 percent of the first $4 million in gross proceeds and then a percentage after that to the bankruptcy trustee.
Monday’s settlement was paved by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge A. Jay Cristol when he upheld the Goldmans’ right to their claim. In the same proceeding he also ruled that a company set up by Simpson’s daughter Arnelle was started "to perpetuate fraud."
