Brown and Goldmans Feud Over Simpson Book

Sept. 14, 2007 — -- The controversial O.J. Simpson book "If I Did It," a so-called hypothetical account of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman ghostwritten by Pablo Fenjves, was finally released in stores Thursday, after public outcry forced publisher HarperCollins to cancel its release.

In a new twist, the family of Ron Goldman now owns the rights to the book, allowing them to reap the lion's share of the profits from a book they initially called "disgusting" and "despicable."For Nicole's sister Denise Brown and her family, the Goldmans' decision to support the book's publication is an outrage and an affront to the memory of Nicole.

On "The Oprah Winfrey" show Thursday, Fred and Kim Goldman defended their decision to accept profits from Simpson's book, which will be published by Beaufort Books.

"Every penny we can take away from this monster is a piece of justice," Fred Goldman said.

The Goldmans have been unable to collect any money from the $38 million wrongful death civil judgment they won against Simpson.

Simpson, in fact, has said, "If I have to work pay them, I won't work. It's that simple. So I'll just play golf every day."

Goldman added that he hopes the book's publication could actually help victims of domestic violence.

"I hope that one single woman in an abusive relationship reads this book and says, 'God, that could be me. I have to get out and save my own life,'" Goldman said. "One single woman will be worth it."

Denise Brown said today on "Good Morning America" she doesn't see it that way, calling any profits from "If I Did It" "blood money."

"To me it's going to promote more killings instead of helping victims of domestic violence, who already know they're living a nightmare," Brown told Diane Sawyer.

"We don't need to promote O.J. Simpson. We don't need to sensationalize him," she continued. "He's a psychopathic, narcissistic killer."

'Nicole Was a Real Person'

Brown said the book sullies the memory of her sister, who she said loved her family first and foremost, especially her children, Justin, now 19, and Sydney, 22.

The book portrays Nicole as a drug addict and a "slut," and claims she was abusive to Simpson. "Nicole was a real person," said Brown. "She was a mother. She was a sister. She was a daughter."

Born in Germany and raised in Orange County, Calif., Nicole loved to dance as a child, even the hula. She and her sisters were so close they got their tonsils removed together.

Everything became a family affair for Nicole, a spirit she passed along to her own children. But later, Nicole would not tell her kids about the problems in her marriage to Simpson -- the abuse she suffered and the calls she made to 911.

Before the book came out, Simpson told Justin and Sydney that it was a fictionalized account, so they gave him the OK to go ahead with it, Brown said.

"Well, it's their father," Brown said. "They have a relationship with him. What kind of relationship, good, bad or indifferent? That's not for me to say. That's for them to figure out on their own."

Brown has called for a boycott of "If I Did It," encouraging large book stores not to carry it and people not to buy it.

Brown said the support her family has received is encouraging, and she's now looking to a "bigger picture" to make communities safer.

"This is a global picture," she said. "We need to change our society. We need to focus on reshaping our society. It's bigger than the book, it's bigger than the Goldmans, it's bigger than Simpson."