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O.J. Tests Long Arm of the Law and Loses. Again.

Remember, during the 1994 O.J. Simpson murder trial, when Johnnie Cochran said, "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit"?

Some people might remember that, but most may only remember the recent reasons Simpson has been in the news. The book Simpson wrote called If I Did It, whose rights were signed over to Fred Goldman, Ron Goldman's father, and retitled If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer made a bit of news a few years ago. Then, Simpson wound up in court again last year for allegedly stealing his own memorabilia at gunpoint from someone in Las Vegas. These are the things people probably pay more attention to. If they even pay attention to O.J. anymore; he's more likely under the list of has-been sport stars, and there's that pesky wrongful death suit....

While Simpson may have lost the wrongful death suit filed against him in 1997, it seems it's still newsworthy a decade later. Sure, this has more to do with Simpson's celebrity status and the media circus surrounding his suspected role in the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, his slow moving police chase on the L.A. freeway, and his murder trial. However, this news also has to do with the actual law.

The Money He Owes

Simpson owes the families of his ex-wife and Goldman, but he won't pay. Maybe he can't pay. Maybe he's broke. Maybe he doesn't care that the civil suit he lost requires him to pay $33.5 million (now $40 million with interest). Whatever the reasons, Simpson tried to get out of paying. Fred Goldman filed a renewal in 2006, and then Simpson appealed.

Goldman's Renewal Upheld
Simpson appealed this claiming that since he now lives in Florida, he shouldn't be bound by a judgment rendered in another state. This doesn't seem to be the smartest way to get out of paying, but it's the route Simpson took. The argument that jurisdiction has no teeth in another state didn't work with the 2nd District Court of Appeals, who upheld the renewal of the civil judgment Goldman filed. The renewal will expire in ten years, and then Simpson can try his luck again. But the renewal can be renewed in ten years.

Wrongful death cases don't usually get as much attention as O.J. Simpson's, but that's probably a good thing. It's a constant reminder to the Goldmans and Nicole Brown Simpson's family that their loved ones are not just dead, but a media spectacle. Also, the man whom they believe is responsible won't pay.

If you, or a loved one, are involved in a wrongful death case, and you find the alleged killer won't pay, you need to have an experienced lawyer to help you claim your damages. Please contact an injury lawyer with experience in wrongful death cases.

Full post as published by The Personal Injury Lawyer Directory on February 25, 2008 (boomark / email).