Father of Ron Goldman, victim in 1995 O.J. Simpson murder trial, breaks silence about former NFL star's sudden death
As his family confirmed through his account on X (formerly Twitter), O.J. Simpson died on April 10, 2024, at the age of 76, after battling with prostate cancer. The Pro Football Hall of Famer leaves a complicated legacy due to his off-field issues.
No one can take away his dominant football legacy, capped off by becoming the 1973 NFL Most Valuable Player after tallying 2,003 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 14 games.
However, it’s difficult to disregard the legal battles he’s had, especially the murder trial for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman.
Goldman’s father, Fred Goldman, commented about O.J. Simpson’s death. As People Magazine’s Liam Quinn and Christine Pelisek wrote in their April 11 article, Goldman said:
“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. 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. Nothing is more important than that.”
On June 12, 1994, Brown and Goldman were stabbed to death outside her condominium in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood. The trial started on Nov. 9, 1994, and ended on Oct. 3, 1995, when O.J. Simpson was found not guilty for both accounts of murder.
In 1996, the parents of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman filed a civil lawsuit against Simpson. The jury found Simpson liable for the murders and ordered to pay $33.5 million in punitive and compensatory damages.
After the verdict, the five-time First Team All-Pro member and Pro Bowler declared bankruptcy. Simpson also moved to Florida to protect his pension from seizure.
His remaining assets were auctioned, and the Goldman family received the proceeds. However, it was insufficient to cover the entire amount Simpson must pay.
Who was Ron Goldman? What happened to him?
Goldman was a waiter at the Italian restaurant where Nicole Brown Simpson ate during that tragic night.
He went to her house in Brentwood to return a pair of glasses she left behind. Unfortunately, he was stabbed to death together with O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife. Ron Goldman died at 25.
Simpson fled the authorities when they tried to arrest him, leading to a highly publicized low-speed pursuit that interrupted the coverage of the 1994 NBA Finals for some television stations.