The family of murdered Ronald Goldman has launched a legal bid to relieve OJ Simpson of any money he makes from giving interviews following his release last week, DailyMail.com can reveal.
Lawyers acting for the Goldmans filed a motion in Santa Monica, California, on Monday demanding the former NFL star, 70, disclose any attempts ‘to monetize himself’.
But the motion, which provoked a strong reaction from Simpson and his legal team, was withdrawn on Wednesday – although the Goldman’s team have asked for a discovery hearing on November 7.
It had previously been reported that Simpson had been hoping for a payday of up to $5m for the first interview with him as a free man.
Court papers seen by DailyMail.com show the Goldman family is ‘concerned that Mr. Simpson or others on his behalf are shopping a potential entertainment, interview, or similar platform through the media’.
Ron Goldman’s father Fred Goldman (pictured with daughter Kim Goldman on Friday) filed a motion on behalf of his murdered son’s estate seeking to block OJ Simpson from profiting off his prison release
Parolee on the prowl: Simpson was released from prison on Sunday after serving nine years for armed robbery and has since been ensconced in a $1.8m mansion in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was rumored to be ‘shopping’ news outlets to give a multimillion dollar interview
While OJ’s attorneys have denied the claims, Goldman’s family said: ‘We take issue with this statement. Our prior experience with Mr Simpson over many years indicates the contrary, that in fact he or his advisors, agents, attorneys, family members, or surrogates, are “shopping” one or more entertainment, documentary, reality TV, or interview vehicles at this time.’
The legal filing adds: ‘Such an asset would be subject to enforcement, which would include any revenues arising therefrom or any asset constituting a business opportunity or the like.’
Simpson was found liable for the deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Goldman in a civil trial in 1997.
The tragic pair were brutally murdered at her Brentwood, California, home in June 1994, with Simpson, who had previously been accused of physically abusing Brown, sensationally cleared of the murders the following year.
After being found liable at the civil trial, Simpson was ordered to pay punitive damages totaling $25m to the families of Goldman and Brown.
The Goldman family was also awarded separate compensatory damages of $8.5m.
Including interest accrued in California at 10 per cent per annum, Simpson now owes an estimated $66 million to the Goldmans and another $40m to the family of Brown.
Neither family has yet received the cash, with lawyers for both chasing the sportsman, nicknamed ‘the Juice’, through the courts for payment ever since.
Simpson was found liable for the deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in a civil trial in 1997. He was ordered to to pay $25M in damages to both families (Above Ron Goldman’s father Fred, sister Kim, and stepmother Patty are pictured during OJ’s trial)
Simpson now owes an estimated $66 million to the Goldmans and another $40m to the family of Brown
The tragic pair were brutally murdered at her Brentwood, California, home in June 1994
Simpson was also forced to hand over the rights to his memoir, If I Did It: Confessions of a Killer, to the Goldman family upon its release in 2007.
The 70-year-old claims to have no income other than an NFL pension of up to $100,000 a year and the funds held in a retirement program operated by the Screen Actors Guild – none of which can be seized to pay outstanding court debts.
The Goldmans withdrew their motion two days later, but are now seeking discovery of Simpson next month.
At the hearing, lawyers acting for Simpson, who is currently ensconced in a $1.8m mansion in Las Vegas, Nevada, will be expected to disclose full details of ‘any financial transaction by which he would monetize himself.’
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Simpson’s lawyer Malcolm LaVergne, 44, dismissed the new filing as ‘frivolous’ and claimed it is the Goldmans who are seeking publicity.
Free at last: OJ has been seen enjoying his first few days of freedom as he was spotted playing rounds of poolside golf in a $1.8m mansion in Las Vegas’ upscale Summerlin district
He said: ‘They filed some frivolous motion first thing on Monday. First thing. They filed a frivolous motion in a California court and it got denied yesterday.
‘I’m here grieving after what happened [the Mandalay Bay shooting] and the inconsiderate Goldmans are stirring me with more paperwork.
‘But you know, it’s more publicity for them to do. There’ll be another hearing on this November 7 so they’re doing their thing.’
LaVergne added: ‘They’ve been saying the same things about him for 27 years, so nothing that the Goldmans say upsets him. We’ve talked about it.’
The former football star was released from Lovelock Correctional Center in northern Nevada in the early hours of October 1 after serving almost 10 years of a 33-year sentence for robbery and kidnapping.
Although he ultimately plans to live in Florida, he is currently living in a $1.8m mansion in Las Vegas’ upscale Summerlin district.