# Did Fred Goldman Ever Collect From OJ Simpson? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800 "2010-04-20T22:53:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/21 "2010-04-22T16:07:08Z")
He had thirteen years out of jail after being acquited. Be thankful, Juice. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/22 "2010-04-22T17:46:38Z")
> [@astro](#): > > [Interestingly the Smithsonian has his "acquittal suit](http://blog.taragana.com/law/2010/03/01/oj-simpson-fred-goldman-attorneys-agree-to-donate-acquittal-suit-to-smithsonian-20493/)" No, they were offered it but turned it down. > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > But just think how much happier he could have been. If only OJ had actually shot someone during the incident. Then he’d have faced a murder charge and a possible death sentence. If he’s happy about causing robbery/ kidnapping to happen, just think how he’s feel about causing murder to happen. Nice guy. :rolleyes: Oh, please. Goldman didn’t cause anything to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/23 "2010-04-22T17:58:32Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Oh, please. Goldman didn’t cause anything to happen. See post #6 ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/24 "2010-04-22T19:53:01Z")
Aquittal suit went to the Newseum in DC after the Smithsonian turned it down ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/25 "2010-04-22T20:07:14Z")
I know that Goldman can’t touch O.J.'s pension. If and when O.J. dies can the Goldmans go after anything left in the estate? Will O.J.'s kids be able to establish that the money is from the pension and be able to claim it? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/26 "2010-04-22T20:30:58Z")
> [@](#): > > How did I miss that OJ was in jail? Man, I’m getting really good at ignoring stuff lately. Well, it’s not like Simpson’s legal troubles got a lot of media coverage. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/27 "2010-04-22T21:02:45Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Well, it’s not like Simpson’s legal troubles got a lot of media coverage. But but but, whatever happened to, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”? Both OJ and David Hasselhof have a certain bone to pick. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/28 "2010-04-23T01:20:41Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > See post #6 Well, OK, just a sec… > [@robby](#): > > Goldman also credits his aggressive attempts to collect on the judgment (such as getting the rights to Simpson’s book) as directly leading to Simpson’s need to sell his memorabilia (because his pension was apparently not enough money to support his lifestyle), which led to the robbery/kidnapping incident in Vegas, which led to Simpson’s current 33 year prison sentence. Poetic justice, if you ask me. Goldman may have put pressure on O.J. but he didn’t _cause_ a robbery. O.J. caused a robbery. The robbery may have been the result of a sequence of events that started with Goldman but he didn’t cause it, and certainly didn’t plan for that to happen. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/29 "2010-04-23T02:51:37Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Yes, poor OJ. Way to hold a grudge, Fred! I know that you’re being facetious, but regarding how the Goldmans acted after the murders, something never sat right with me. When Ron Goldman was murdered, he had been estranged from his parents for several years (presumably over religious differences, or possibly being gay…nobody knows the exact reason.) It wasn’t until their son’s untimely death that Fred & Sharon swooped in to file the wrongful death lawsuit. Yes, it’s difficult not to feel sympathy for someone who lost their child in such a horrible manner…but throughout the whole media circus, Fred Goldman’s sorrowful demeanor always appeared to be covering up for his real motive, a means to cash in for several million dollars – at least, it always seemed that way to me. What if Ron had been murdered by some homeless crack addict? Would Fred still be campaigning for justice, setting up foundations, appearing on Larry King Live, etc.? Somehow, I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/30 "2010-04-23T13:20:55Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > What if Ron had been murdered by some homeless crack addict? Would Fred still be campaigning for justice, setting up foundations, appearing on Larry King Live, etc.? > > Somehow, I doubt it. I can’t look into Goldman’s heart but I suspect that if that crack addict had an expensive team of lawyers and had been acquitted in the face of damning evidence that, yes, he would still be campaigning for justice. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/31 "2010-04-23T15:47:05Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Well, OK, just a sec… > Goldman may have put pressure on O.J. but he didn’t _cause_ a robbery. O.J. caused a robbery. The robbery may have been the result of a sequence of events that started with Goldman but he didn’t cause it, and certainly didn’t plan for that to happen. But the point is that he is \*claiming \*to have caused the robbery. You may not agree with the claim, but that is what he is saying. And he seems proud of the claim that armed robbery and kidnapping happened because of him. He probably didn’t do anything illegal, but he’s still an arsehole. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/32 "2010-04-23T16:18:30Z")
> [@Spartydog](#): > > If and when O.J. dies _ **If** _? I know I’m outa the loop, but has it been reported that Simpson may be immortal? ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/33 "2010-04-23T16:23:16Z")
I’m sure Fred Goldman will eventually finish him off with a wooden stake through the heart. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/34 "2010-04-23T18:21:08Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Well, OK, just a sec… > Goldman may have put pressure on O.J. but he didn’t _cause_ a robbery. O.J. caused a robbery. The robbery may have been the result of a sequence of events that started with Goldman but he didn’t cause it, and certainly didn’t plan for that to happen. > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > But the point is that he is \*claiming \*to have caused the robbery. You may not agree with the claim, but that is what he is saying. And he seems proud of the claim that armed robbery and kidnapping happened because of him. > > He probably didn’t do anything illegal, but he’s still an arsehole. I don’t think that Goldman is actually claiming anything of the sort. I think that he is proud of the fact that he has been able to put such financial pressure on O.J. (a man who got away with the murder of his son–in criminal court, anyway) that he was forced into desperate circumstances. Now “desperate circumstances” to a normal person might involve selling his opulent house or actually seeking gainful employment, but to a lowlife “celebrity” like O.J., it ended up being armed robbery. I get the impression that Goldman is pleased with the fact that O.J.'s true character has been exposed, that of a lowlife thug. Goldman is NOT proud that “armed robbery and kidnapping happened because of him.” He is proud that he has exposed O.J.'s true character. A normal, law-abiding person would have simply sued if he thought someone had appropriated property he believed was his. It was O.J.'s decision to break into a hotel room with a gun. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/35 "2010-04-23T18:39:41Z")
> [@robby](#): > > A normal, law-abiding person would have simply sued if he thought someone had appropriated property he believed was his. It was O.J.'s decision to break into a hotel room with a gun. But if you are a murder with a valid judgement to turn over any assets of value… and a lawsuit over such hidden assets would expose them to be turned over… He did the only logical thing a murderer with hidden assets could do. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/36 "2010-04-23T18:55:52Z")
A while back I read that OJ would make money and then quickly buy stuff with it to hide it from Goldman. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/37 "2010-04-23T19:05:37Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Love it. The “If” in the title is tiny, and O.J.'s name appears nowhere on the cover. Not only that - Amazon has “Goldman Family” listed in the “author” field. Which seems to go a bit too far, actually - I mean, OJ (with his ghostwriter) did write the wretched thing. I’ve no problem with denying Simpson the profits from this thing, but denying him the right to claim partial authorship seems a bit much. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/38 "2010-04-23T19:08:31Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > A while back I read that OJ would make money and then quickly buy stuff with it to hide it from Goldman. I read a story about Goldman seeing a tabloid picture of OJ wearing a Rolex and Goldman demanding that it be turned over so he could sell it against the judgment. OJ gave it up and, of course, it ended up being a knockoff. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/39 "2010-04-23T19:35:53Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > But if you are a murder with a valid judgement to turn over any assets of value… and a lawsuit over such hidden assets would expose them to be turned over… > > He did the only logical thing a murderer with hidden assets could do. Goldman’s goal is for Simpson to be punished for murdering his son. With Simpson’s acquittal, his only recourse was to sue him in civil court. He subsequently won a judgement against Simpson for the the wrongful death of and battery against his son. The purpose of this judgement is to compensate Goldman for the loss of his son with money, which is the only thing that a civil case can do. A law-abiding person who felt remorse for his actions would, IMHO, try to satisfy this judgment. Simpson, on the other hand, has done everything possible to avoid satisfying this judgement, including hiding assets. Were Goldman to allow Simpson to do this with impunity would be to allow Simpson to escape consequences for his actions once again. I applaud Goldman’s efforts. The fact that his efforts indirectly led to Simpson’s current incarceration is, as I stated previously, poetic justice. Nevertheless, Goldman did not force Simpson to commit armed robbery and kidnapping–Simpson did this on his own volition. > [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Not only that - Amazon has “Goldman Family” listed in the “author” field. Which seems to go a bit too far, actually - I mean, OJ (with his ghostwriter) did write the wretched thing. I’ve no problem with denying Simpson the profits from this thing, but denying him the right to claim partial authorship seems a bit much. The manuscript was seized from Simpson to partially satisfy the judgment against him. As the new owner of the manuscript, Goldman can do whatever he wants with it. And I don’t think anything is “a bit much” for the scumbag that is O.J. Simpson. I can’t believe people are defending him and castigating Goldman. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800/40 "2010-04-23T20:38:45Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I can’t look into Goldman’s heart but I suspect that if that crack addict had an expensive team of lawyers and had been acquitted in the face of damning evidence that, yes, he would still be campaigning for justice. True, dat. > [@robby](#): > > And I don’t think anything is “a bit much” for the scumbag that is O.J. Simpson. I can’t believe people are defending him and castigating Goldman. I don’t think anybody here is defending O.J. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-fred-goldman-ever-collect-from-oj-simpson/536800.md?page=3)