Pride Cometh Before a Fall: O J Simpson’s Confession?

This is a fascinating turn of events when you think about it.  O J writes a book about how, if he had killed his wife and Ron Goldman, he would have killed them, and tries to make millions off it.  In turn, Ron Goldman’s family wins the rights to the book, changes the title, adds a chapter of their own, and effectively uses Simpson’s own gloating and profiteering against him.

Think about it, can anyone still think OJ Simpson is innocent when he tries to publish a book about his ex-wife, the mother of his children, and how he just might have killed her and her friend, that is, if he had done it?

Pride cometh before a fall, indeed.  Justice has many avenues, even when criminal law does not suffice.

Amid widespread opposition, HarperCollins eventually decided not to publish the ghostwritten and hypothetical book of how Simpson would have murdered his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. Simpson was acquitted of the killings in 1995.

A federal bankruptcy judge awarded the rights of the book to the Goldman family earlier this year because of their US$38-million wrongful death lawsuit against Simpson.

“The whole issue of him making money was disgusting to us and we wanted to see that come to an end,” Fred Goldman said. “At the time we didn’t know the contents of the book and we were concerned at what it might contain and whether it would be a manual for murder.”

Goldman said he changed his mind about the publication of ”If I Did It” when he learned Simpson would not earn money from the book and after he had reviewed its contents.

The Goldman family has retitled the book. “If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer,” maintaining the original manuscript and adding a chapter of their own. The book is being published by Beaufort Books, a small publisher based in New York.

“This book really does turn the killers’ words on himself,” said Ronald Goldman’s sister Kim. “We didn’t really have a choice other than to publish this book. It was going to be published as an asset of the bankruptcy court. We just decided to be a part of it so that we can maintain some dignity and honour and integrity for Ron and Nicole.”