The Goldman Family Finally Speaks Out About O.J. Simpson's Death
Up until his death, O.J. Simpson faced relentless pursuit by Ron Goldman's family, who were determined to hold him accountable for Goldman's murder. With the news of Simpson's passing, the Goldmans openly expressed their unchanging condemnation of the disgraced NFL star.
In 1994, Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman, were discovered dead outside her residence. Simpson was charged with their murders, but in the so-called "trial of the century," in which he was represented by his "dream team," including F. Lee Bailey, Robert Shapiro, Johnnie Cochran, and Robert Kardashian, he was found not guilty and set free. Goldman's family proceeded to fight for justice, eventually teaming up with Brown's parents in 1997 to sue Simpson in civil court. The jury found Simpson liable for the wrongful deaths of both Brown and Goldman, awarding the families $33.5 million in damages. However, Simpson "never paid one single penny," Fred Goldman, Ron's father, told The Hollywood Reporter. "Anything that we were able to take was through our own efforts of taking things away from him.
However, Fred made it clear that their fight was not about money but justice. "If he [Simpson] wanted to sign a confession with all the details of his crime and broadcast it all over the country and publish it all over the nation, I would drop the judgment," he said in an interview (via The New York Times). Simpson, maintaining his innocence, declined. "I would never confess to a crime which I did not commit," he said through his lawyer. Following Simpson's death, the Goldman family felt that their last-ditch effort to achieve justice had closed, and Fred bid good riddance to the man who he believed took his son away from him.
Ron Goldman's dad says O.J.'s death is 'no great loss'
While some saw O.J. Simpson's death as a tragedy, Ron Goldman's father, Fred Goldman, said that it only brought painful memories and the harsh realization of the time stolen from his son and Nicole Brown. In a statement to People, Fred continued to lament the loss of the two.
"This is just a reminder for us of how long Ron has been gone, how long we have missed him and nothing more than that," he said. "That is the only thing that is important today. It is the pain from then until now. There is nothing today that is more important than the loss of my son and the loss of Nicole." In a separate statement to NBC News, he also dismissed Simpson's death as "no great loss to the world," and in an interview with The Daily Beast, he stressed that it did not bring "closure" to their family. "There is no such thing," he said.
In 2017, Fred expressed ongoing frustration with the outcome of the criminal trial against Simpson. "I still, to this day, have a hard time with the fact that he wasn't found guilty," he told "Good Morning America." The civil court victory, though legally satisfying, left them "very empty," yet he hoped it would inspire others to take action. "I think it set an upward path for other victims and survivors," he said. "And I think it gave a lot of room for people to start rebuilding and healing when you get to be in the driver's seat."
His sister felt defeated over the loss of 'true accountability'
Meanwhile, Ron Goldman's sister, Kim Goldman, echoes her father's sentiments that O.J. Simpson's death has only intensified their mourning. Kim has consistently avoided using Simpson's name, referring to him instead as "the killer" and "the murdering liar," previously telling The Los Angeles Times that Simpson wasn't worthy of being called anything else.
Her joint statement with Fred posted on social media explained their thought process behind dealing with the Simpson's death. "The news of Ron's killer passing away is a mixed bag of complicated emotions and reminds us that the journey through grief is not linear. For three decades we tirelessly pursued justice for Ron and Nicole, and despite a civil judgment and his confession in 'If I Did It,' the hope for true accountability has ended," it read. While Simpson died without giving the justice the Goldmans sought, the family's commitment to advocating for victims and survivors remains unwavering, especially when it comes to preventing others from losing their lives due to senseless violence.
Like Fred, Kim also dismisses the notion of closure, especially when it comes to Ron. "Closure isn't a word that resonates with me. I don't think it's applicable when it comes to tragedy and trauma and loss of life," she told the Associated Press in 2019. "I don't get to choose to just 'move on.'"