SM COURTHOUSE — O.J. Simpson’s name and likeness have popped up in court again. This time, his “right of publicity” was on the line.
Superior Court Judge Linda K. Lefkowitz rejected Fred Goldman’s request earlier this week to have Simpson’s right of publicity transferred to him. The father of Ronald Goldman, who was stabbed to death along with Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson 12 years ago, hopes that by having Simpson’s right of publicity, he would be able to get some of the money awarded him in a civil wrongful death case.
Simpson was acquitted of the criminal charges against him in 1995, but he lost the civil case and was ordered to pay nearly $20 million to the Goldman family. Including interest, that amount has grown to somewhere between $30 and $40 million, according to Goldman’s attorney, Jonathan Polak.
Simpson has not paid any money to the Goldman family, according to Polak.
What the Goldman family wants is to have the right to negotiate compensation when it comes to using Simpson’s celebrity for commercial gain. Judge Lefkowitz ruled that Simpson’s right to privacy could be violated should she grant Goldman’s motion. She also ruled that Simpson’s right of publicity would not be available to the Goldman family while Simpson is still alive.
While Lefkowitz ruled that Simpson’s right to privacy is tied to his right of publicity, the Goldman camp disagrees.
“We view those rights as two completely different rights,” Polak said. “Especially for someone who has already put himself out on the public stage (like Simpson has). He has made himself a public figure in ways designed to make him money.”
Simpson has argued that since he is no longer a resident of California — he now lives in Florida, where some of his assets cannot be used to fulfill the civil judgment against him — he is no longer under California courts’ jurisdiction. However, the Santa Monica court concluded that once a judgment has been entered against someone, that court can continue to have jurisdiction over that person.
Polak said that the Goldmans will be appealing the decision within the next month. Simpson’s attorney could not be reached for comment.
