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5 months ago
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Kato Kaelin, the houseguest of O.J. and Nicolle Brown Simpson’s whose testimony at the murder trial was among the more riveting and discussed, released a video statement today on O.J. Simpson‘s death.
After expressing condolences to the football star’s children, and “love and compassion” to Ron Goldman’s father Fred and sister Kim, Kaelin then addressed the family of “the beautiful Nicolle Brown Simpson.”
“May we always cherish her memories,” he continued. “Nicolle was a beacon of light. May we never forget her.”
Fred Goldman, the father of murder victim Ron Goldman, told NBC News today that the death of O.J. Simpson is “no great loss to the world.”
Simpson stood trial in the 1994 murders of Ron Goldman and Simpson’s wife Nicolle Brown Simpson but was acquitted. However, he was found liable for the deaths in a later civil suit brought by the families of Brown Simpson and Goldman. After a seven-week trial, the jury awarded the plaintiffs $33.5 million in damages. The families would fail to recover most of that judgment.
In the NBC News interview, Fred Goldman said today, “The only thing I have to say is it’s just further reminder of Ron being gone all these years. It’s no great loss to the world. It’s a further reminder of Ron’s being gone.”‘
In an interview with TMZ, Goldman attorney David Cook said, “O.J. died without penance,” adding that the Goldmans remain interested in discerning what money and assets he may have left behind that they can collect on the judgement.
Caitlyn Jenner, who was previously married to Kris Jenner, the ex-wife of Simpson lawyer Robert Kardashian, and stepparent to Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob Kardashian, tweeted a simple “Good riddance,” followed by the hashtag “O.J. Simpson.”
In an interview today on New York’s ABC7 Eyewitness News, attorney Gloria Allred, who represented the Nicolle Brown Simpson’s family during the trial, said, “O.J. Simpson did kill Nicolle Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, may they rest in peace.” She added that since Simpson was found liable for the murders in the civil case, it’s “fair to call him a killer.”
“I don’t mourn for O.J. Simpson,” she continued. “I do mourn for Nicolle Brown Simpson and her family, and they should be remembered.”
Allred said “the system failed Nicolle Brown Simpson and failed battered women everywhere,” explaining that, prior to her death, Simpson’s wife had been the victim of domestic violence and police had failed to protect her.
On The View today, cohost and legal expert Sunny Hostin said she believes that Simpson’s acquittal at the criminal trial was “an injustice,” and that the trial was one of the reasons why she decided to become a prosecutor. “I ended up becoming close to [Ron Goldman’s sister] Kim Goldman and I can tell you…how palpable even to this day that loss is. These people are terribly missed by their families.”
Football organizations focused on Simpson’s game-playing skills. The Pro Football Hall of Fame posted a lengthy statement on its website, with Hall president Jim Porter saying, “O.J. Simpson was the first player to reach a rushing mark many thought could not be attained in a 14-game season when he topped 2,000 yards. His on-field contributions will be preserved in the Hall’s archives in Canton, Ohio.”
The Heisman Trophy Trust tweeted, “The Heisman Trophy Trust mourns the passing of 1968 Heisman Trophy Winner OJ Simpson. We extend our sympathy to the family.”
