More than 31 years after O.J. Simpson was found liable for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, in a wrongful death civil trial, Simpson’s estate finally agrees to pay damages awarded to Goldman’s family in 1997.
While the jury granted the families $33.5 million, Simpson’s estate has agreed to pay Ron’s father, Fred Goldman, $58 million plus interest.
It’s unclear what spurred the change of heart; executor Malcolm Lavergne previously swore to never pay Goldman a dollar.
Although the estate accepts the $58 million claim, the executor says he expects to collect only $500,000 to $1 million total in assets. The estate plans to auction off Simpson’s possessions to raise money. Though Lavergne agrees to the $58 million payout, it’s unclear whether the estate can afford the full amount.
Executor Malcolm Lavergne says the estate plans to pay out as much of the sum as possible as items continue to be auctioned off. However, Lavergne claims several items were stolen, and of those that have been located, legal battles to recover them are still ongoing.
One year after Simpson is acquitted in criminal court, a civil trial begins. The families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman sue Simpson for their wrongful deaths. The civil trial lasts five months, the 12-person jury finding OJ Simpson responsible for the murders of Nicole and Ron.
The jury awards $8.5 million in compensatory damages to Ron Goldman’s parents, and determine Simpson should pay $25 million in punitive damages to both victims’ families.
The Goldman family isn’t the only one Simpson owes money. Simpson’s estate owes federal taxes and state taxes as well. While Lavergne agrees to the Goldman settlement.
He says his priority is paying off the IRS. Lavergne is doubling down on skirting the California taxes, saying the state will have to sue to recover the $637,000 claim they filed with the estate.
Joining Nancy Grace Today:
Additional Guests
- Chris Melcher – Celebrity Lawyer and Partner at Walzer Melcher & Yoda (with deep experience in complex family law litigation)
- Dr. Cheryl Arutt– Licensed Clinical and Forensic Psychologist Specializing in Trauma Recovery, PTSD and EMDR; website: CreativeEMDR.com, IG: @askdrcheryl
- Jon Buehler – Former Detective for Modesto Police Department, California (31 years in Robbery and Homicide), Detective in Scott Peterson Investigation
“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.
[Feature Photo: FILE – In this May 14, 2013, file photo, O.J. Simpson appears at an evidentiary hearing in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas. On Friday, June 18, 2021, Simpson’s lawyer says he’ll keep fighting recent court orders in Nevada that the former football star owes least $60 million in judgments stemming from the 1994 killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman. (Ethan Miller via AP, Pool, File)]
