June 12, 2024 • 71 mins
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What if we could shift the focus from the infamous O.J. Simpson to the real heart of the case—Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman? Join me as we paint a vivid portrait of who Nicole and Ron were in life before they became victims of a national tragedy. You'll meet Nicole, whose charisma and charm captivated O.J., and Ron, an aspiring young man whose friendship with Nicole led him to a tragic end. This episode promises to honor their memories by telling their stories in depth, from Nicole's early years to Ron's journey to Los Angeles.
Imagine the harrowing events of June 12, 1994, unfolding before your eyes. Nicole's loyal dog Kato, the brutal crime scene, and the immediate actions of the police are recounted to provide a comprehensive understanding of that fateful night. We’ll explore Ron's heroic attempt to save Nicole and the crucial evidence gathered that night, leading to Simpson's arrest. The intense police investigation and dramatic moments from the trial, like Detective Furman's controversial plea and the notorious glove demonstration, are dissected to reveal the complexities behind the headlines.
But the story doesn't end with the trial. We delve into the aftermath, spotlighting the relentless pursuit of justice by the Goldman and Brown families. From the civil lawsuit that followed Simpson's acquittal to his controversial book, "If I Did It," we trace the ongoing impact of this case on American society. Join me in this deep exploration as we remember Nicole and Ron with dignity and respect, ensuring their stories remain central to this tragic narrative. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram at Crime Connoisseurs and check out Kim Goldman's powerful podcast, "Confronting OJ Simpson," for more insights.
Source Material: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N-Q2j_mDFE__PgHDmrATyq7xZElV4j6MXTS9Q2GjhBs/edit
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey, hey, crime Connoisseurs, I'm your host,
grace D, and today we're goingto dive into one of the most
infamous cases in Americanhistory, one that many of you
are probably so familiar with.
But it's often correlated withthe man accused of the crimes
and not the victims themselves.
We're going to be covering thetragic murders of Nicole Brown
(00:26):
Simpson and Ron Goldman.
On one fateful night in 1994,the lives of Nicole and Ron were
brutally cut short, sendingshockwaves through the nation
and forever etching their namesinto the chronicles of true
crime.
Join me as we unravel theintricate web of events
(00:47):
surrounding this haunting case,exploring the investigation, the
trial and the enduring legacythat still resonates today.
However, as so often in thetelling of this case, nicole and
Ron become backgroundcharacters, if not forgotten
altogether, in the OJ Simpsonstory.
(01:08):
So that must be different forthe case with us.
The telling of OJ, the trialthat became a media circus, and
the aftermath of everything areinevitable, but I'm going to do
my damnedest to showcase Nicoleand Ron as the main characters,
like they rightfully deserve tobe.
So crime connoisseurs, prepareto be captivated as we embark on
(01:32):
this journey into the heart ofdarkness 30 years to the day.
This is the case of NicoleBrown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
On June 13, 1994, at 1210 am,the bodies of a man and a woman
(02:24):
were discovered brutallymurdered at 875 South Bundy
Drive in Brentwood, los Angeles,california.
It was determined that thewoman was the homeowner, nicole
Brown Simpson, and the man wasRonald, who goes by Ron L
Goldman.
Who were Nicole and Ron?
(02:46):
For that we need to go back tothe beginning.
Nicole Brown Simpson was born onMay 19, 1959, in Frankfurt,
west Germany, to parents Juditha, judy and Louis Lou Brown.
Her mother was German and herfather was an American who
(03:07):
served in the Air Force.
She was the second of fourdaughters, denise, dominique and
Tanya being the other threeFrom her father's previous
marriage.
She also had two olderhalf-sisters, wendy and Margaret
, and one older half-brother,tracy.
(03:27):
When Denise and Nicole weretoddlers, the family moved to
Garden Grove, california, beforeDominique and Tanya were born.
Judy and Lou brought their kidsup Catholic.
Nicole's early life wascharacterized by happiness and
ease.
Transitioning to an Americanlifestyle was seamless for her.
(03:49):
She enjoyed the proximity tothe beach and when Nicole and
Denise were in high school, thefamily moved to Monarch Beach in
the coastal city of Dana Point.
Nicole was crowned homecomingprincess at Dana Hills High
School.
The year after her sister,denise, was also crowned
homecoming princess.
(04:10):
She excelled both academicallyand socially.
In an interview with the Times,her former teacher, bill
Prestridge, said, quote Nicolewas bubbly, always happy and
smiling.
She was more mature than otherstudents.
You almost got the idea thatshe was ready to get out of high
(04:34):
school and go on to bigger andbetter things.
End quote.
When Nicole was 18, she startedworking at the Daisy, an upscale
Beverly Hills club.
Her radiant personality andcaptivating charm made her a
beloved figure among her peers,and it wasn't long before she
(04:57):
caught the eye of OJ Simpson.
In 1977, simpson went to theDaisy Daisy where Nicole was his
waitress.
He was instantly enchanted byher gorgeous looks.
By the time she enrolled atSaddleback College in 1977, she
had already begun dating Simpson.
(05:17):
A few months later, nicolemoved in with him and dropped
out of school because OJrequired that she'd be with him.
Despite being married, oj begana relationship with Nicole.
He told Nicole that hismarriage was over and that he
and Marguerite were in theprocess of getting a divorce.
(05:39):
At that time, oj had twochildren with Marguerite,
arnelle and Jason, and anotherwas on the way.
Their third child was a littlegirl named Erin, who was born on
September 24, 1977.
Nicole and OJ Simpson'ssignificant 12-year age gap
(06:03):
posed no obstacle as their lovedeepened Eventually.
Simpson finalized his divorcefrom Marguerite in March 1979.
Sadly, five months after thedivorce was finalized, little
Erin, just shy of her secondbirthday, drowned in the family
pool at Rockingham, whereMarguerite at first remained,
(06:26):
while Simpson rented a housewith Nicole in Beverly Hills.
As Simpson's fame soared, nicolewas thrust into the spotlight,
becoming a prominent figure inthe celebrity world.
Nicole and Simpson were marriedon February 2, 1985, five years
(06:47):
after he retired fromprofessional football.
The couple had two childrenSydney Brooke Simpson, born on
October 17, 1985, and JustinRyan Simpson, born on August 6,
1988.
Nicole loved being a mom.
Not long after trouble beganfor Nicole and OJ Simpson's
(07:12):
relationship In 1985, it wasreported that LAPD Detective
Mark Furman responded to a callat the Rockingham House.
He arrived to find a womancrying and a Mercedes Benz with
a windshield smashed in.
Nicole told Furman that Simpsonhad smashed it with a bat.
(07:35):
In an interview with People in2019, nicole's sister, tanya
Brown, described how importantmotherhood was to her.
She said quote Tanya Browndescribed how important
motherhood was to her.
She said quote Nicole was a momfirst and foremost.
Her kids were her life.
She always wanted to make surethat they were having fun and
being kids.
End quote.
(07:58):
Nicole's love for her childrenwas evident in how she
prioritized their well-being andhappiness.
As a mother, nicole was knownfor her nurturing and caring
nature.
She created a warm and lovinghome environment for Sydney and
Justin, ensuring they felt safeand supported.
(08:23):
Nicole's friends and familyoften spoke of her dedication to
her children and her desire toprovide them with a stable
upbringing.
Nicole actively participated inher children's lives, attending
their school events andextracurricular activities and
cheering them on from thesidelines.
She encouraged their interestsand passions, fostering an
(08:47):
environment where they couldexplore their talents and grow
as individuals.
Despite the challenges shefaced in her personal life,
nicole remained a steadfastpresence in her children's lives
.
She strived to shield them fromthe difficulties she
experienced, always puttingtheir needs first, them from the
difficulties she experienced,always putting their needs first
(09:08):
.
Nicole's love for Sidney andJustin was unwavering and she
cherished the time they spenttogether.
Let's talk about Ron before wego on.
Who was Ron Goldman?
Ronald Lyle Goldman was born tothe parents Fred and Sharon
Goldman on July 2, 1968, inBuffalo Grove, illinois.
(09:29):
Growing up, ron was known forhis outgoing and friendly nature
, which endeared him to thosearound him.
He had a close-knitrelationship with his family,
including his sister Kim and hisstepbrother Michael, with his
family, including his sister Kimand his stepbrother Michael.
Ron attended Adelaide EStevenson High School in
(09:50):
Lincolnshire, illinois, where heexcelled both academically and
athletically.
He actively participated invarious sports, including
wrestling and track and field,showcasing his determination and
competitive spirit.
After graduating from highschool, ron pursued his passion
(10:11):
for helping others by enrollingin culinary school.
He developed a love for cookingand dreamed of opening his own
restaurant someday.
Ron's dedication and talent inthe kitchen earned him a
reputation as a skilled chef.
In training, ron Goldman wasknown for his active involvement
(10:33):
in volunteer activities.
He had a strong sense ofcommunity and desire to make a
positive impact on the lives ofothers.
Ron was a mentor in the BigBrothers Big Sisters program,
providing guidance and supportto a young boy needing a
positive role model.
He dedicated his time tobuilding a meaningful
(10:53):
relationship and helping hismentee navigate life's
challenges.
Ron also had a deep love foranimals and often volunteered at
local animal shelters.
He would assist with tasks suchas feeding, grooming and
walking the shelter dogs.
Ron's compassion for animalswas evident in his dedication to
(11:17):
their well-being.
Ron recognized the strugglesfaced by the homeless and
actively volunteered at homelessshelters.
He helped serve meals,distribute clothing and hygiene
products and engaged inconversations to offer support
and encouragement.
He also participated incommunity cleanup initiatives,
(11:40):
where he joined others inpicking up litter, beautifying
public spaces and promotingenvironmental awareness.
He believed in the importanceof caring for the community and
positively impacting futuregenerations.
Ron Goldman's volunteeractivities reflected his
kind-hearted nature and hiscommitment to making a
(12:02):
difference in the lives ofothers.
And his commitment to making adifference in the lives of
others.
His selflessness and dedicationto various causes, continue to
inspire others to this day.
I've seen in various sourcesthat Ron Goldman had a passion
for martial arts, particularlykarate, that he was dedicated to
(12:26):
his practice and found joy inthe discipline, physical fitness
and mental focus that karateprovided.
Supposedly, ron trained inkarate for several years,
consistently attending classesand honing his skills,
progressing through the ranks,earning various belt levels
based on his proficiency andknowledge of martial arts levels
(12:47):
based on his proficiency andknowledge of martial arts.
It's been said that Ronparticipated in karate
competitions, showcasing hisskills and competing against
other practitioners.
However, I have searched andsearched and could not find any
photos or records of Ron Goldmancompeting in any karate
competitions.
In fact, ron's sister, kim,stated on her podcast,
(13:08):
confronting OJ Simpson, that Rondid not practice karate.
No first-hand accounts fromthose who knew Ron Goldman knew
of him doing any form of martialarts.
In 1992, seeking newopportunities and a change of
scenery, ron made the decisionto move to Los Angeles,
(13:30):
california.
He found work at a trendyrestaurant called Mezzaluna,
where he quickly became abeloved member of the staff.
Ron's warm personality andexceptional customer service
skills made him a favorite amongpatrons.
During his time at Mezzaluna,ron met Nicole Brown Simpson.
(13:52):
They struck up a friendship andhe often went above and beyond
to ensure her safety andwell-being.
They quickly discovered sharedinterests and a genuine
connection that went beyondtheir professional interactions.
Nicole and Ron were known tospend time together outside of
the restaurant, often engagingin activities such as going to
(14:15):
the gym, grabbing coffee orsimply enjoying each other's
company.
Their friendship grew strongerover time as they confided in
one another and provided supportduring challenging moments in
their lives.
Despite their 10-year agedifference Nicole was 35 and Ron
was 25 at the time.
(14:35):
Their friendship wascharacterized by mutual respect
and camaraderie.
They found solace in eachother's presence and shared a
bond that transcended theirindividual circumstances.
Now let's jump back to Nicole.
Nicole and Simpson's marriagewas a rocky one.
Simpson built a greatrelationship with the cops in
(14:58):
Brentwood where he lived withNicole.
That relationship with thepolice would come to benefit him
when Nicole started making 911calls about him beating her.
In one instance in 1989,detective John Edwards, who was
a patrolman at the time,responded to a domestic violence
(15:19):
call at Rockingham to findNicole huddling in the bushes.
Rockingham.
To find Nicole huddling in thebushes barely clothed, wearing
sweatpants and a bra, and beaten, telling him quote he's going
to kill me, end quote.
As she collapsed into his arms,he asked who's going to kill
(15:46):
you?
And she said OJ.
Detective Edwards said OJ, who?
You mean the football player?
And she said yes, oj Simpson,the football player.
Nicole had a black left eye, acut lip and a bruised forehead
and there was a handprint on herneck.
Detective Edwards asked Nicoleif she wanted to press charges
and she said yes.
Edwards asked Nicole if shewanted to press charges and she
(16:07):
said yes.
Detective Edwards informed OJSimpson that he was being placed
under arrest.
Then OJ drove off in his blueBentley to avoid being arrested.
It wasn't the first time.
In fact it was the eighth timeofficers had responded to
Nicole's calls to come to thehouse.
(16:28):
Nicole went to the policedepartment the next day and told
them that she didn't reallywant to press charges.
But since she had signed thepolice report, they were
obligated to kick it up to theLA City Attorney's Office.
They were obligated to kick itup to the LA City Attorney's
(16:54):
Office, which filed domesticviolence charges against OJ
Simpson, who had just co-starredin the Naked Gun and was
working as a broadcaster for NBCSports at the time.
He ended up pleading no contestto misdemeanor spousal battery.
He was sentenced to 120 hoursof community service, two years
of probation and twice a weekcounseling, as well as ordered
to pay $500 in restitution to abattered woman shelter.
(17:15):
Nicole even spoke directly tothe CEO of Hertz to let him know
that all the stories aboutSimpson being a wife beater were
false.
Things only got worse.
Simpson's infidelity was lesshidden Once he even said that he
was with another woman becauseNicole had gotten too fat from
(17:36):
her pregnancy.
Nicole finally separated fromSimpson and filed for divorce on
February 25, 1992.
In her affidavit petitioningfor spousal and child support,
nicole stated I only attendedjunior college for a very short
time because he wanted me to beavailable to travel with him
(18:00):
whenever his career required himto go to a new location.
End quote.
Young children end quote.
(18:27):
During a court-ordered meetingwith a career counselor, she
said that her only goal at thetime was to raise her kids.
Well, quote.
Beyond that I haven't thoughtabout me.
I'm sure I will get a goalsomeday.
End quote.
They settled their divorce inOctober 1992, with OJ Simpson
agreeing to pay Nicole a lumpsum of $433,750 plus $10,000 a
(18:53):
month in child support.
Nicole also retained the deedon a rental property in San
Francisco.
On a rental property in SanFrancisco.
Nicole's strength andresilience shone through as she
sought to rebuild her life afterher divorce from Simpson.
She focused on raising theirtwo children, sydney and Justin,
and embraced a newfoundindependence, determined to
(19:16):
create a brighter future forherself and her family.
Nicole had a supposed on-and-offrelationship with another great
football player, marcus Allen,who was also OJ's friend.
Marcus Allen denied theirrelationship during a deposition
, but others who knew the pairsaid otherwise.
The rumors were first publiclypresented in the 1994 book
(19:42):
Nicole Brown Simpson the PrivateDiary of a Life Interrupted,
written by Faye Resnick, afriend of Nicole Brown Simpson's
.
In the five-part documentary OJMade in America, mike Gilbert,
who represented both Simpson andAllen, also said quote Mike
Gilbert, who represented bothSimpson and Allen, also said,
quote Do we all believe thatright toward the very end, when
(20:07):
they had split up after Mother'sDay, that Nicole was not seeing
Marcus again?
I absolutely believe that shewas.
And OJ told Nicole you ever seeMarcus again, I will kill you.
End quote.
Faye Resnick described howSimpson once showed up at
Nicole's house and revealed thathe spied on Nicole and a man
(20:30):
having relations the nightbefore.
That man was Keith Zlomcewicz,manager of Mezzaluna.
They were together for a whilebefore eventually parting ways.
Mezzaluna.
They were together for a whilebefore eventually parting ways.
Despite all they had beenthrough, nicole wanted to
reconcile with Simpson.
She wanted to make things workand put their family back
(20:52):
together.
The two gave it another go forthe sake of their family.
Unfortunately, the good timesdidn't last long.
On October 25, 1993, nicolecalled 911, telling the
(21:16):
dispatcher with an audibly shakyvoice that Simpson had just
broken into her home.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I'm going to play part of that call for you guys
here.
Take a listen.
911, emergency 518.
Can you get someone over herenow to 325, gretna Green.
(21:42):
He's back here.
Take a minute.
What's your name?
Nicole Simpson, okay, is he thesportscaster, or whatever?
Yeah, okay, thank you.
Wait a minute.
We're sending this to Lisa.
What is he doing?
Is he threatening you?
I'm going nuts, okay, has hethreatened you in anyway, or or
(22:07):
is he just harassing you?
You're gonna hear him in aminute.
He's about to come.
Hey, just stay on the line.
I don't want to stay on theline.
You're gonna beat the shit waita minute.
Wait, just stay on the line sowe can know what's going on till
the police get there, okay.
Okay, nicole, just a moment.
Does he have any weapons?
I, I don't know.
Okay, he went home and now he'sback.
My kids are up there sleepingand I don't want anything to
happen.
Okay, has he hit you today orno?
(22:28):
No, okay, you don't need anyparamedics or anything, uh-uh.
Okay, you just want him toleave.
He broke my door, he broke thewhole back door and then he left
and he came back.
He came and he knocked myofficer's door down, but he
pounded it and then he screamedand hollered and I tried to get
him out of the bedroom becausethe kids were sleeping in there,
okay.
(22:48):
And then he wanted somebody'sphone number and I gave him my
phone book, or I put my phonebook down to the right to write
down the phone number that hewanted.
And then he took my phone bookwith all my stuff in it the
dispatch, the dispatch.
What is he saying?
The suspect is now entering the.
(23:13):
I just now entered into thechamber.
I'm in the chamber.
I'm in the chamber, code2-9-422-138-2525.
If you're gonna spit about thechamber, then start spitting on
the room.
Stay where you are.
If you're gonna spit about thechamber, then spit.
Oh, spit or not, I'm all in.
You're doing fine Now.
(23:36):
You know shit, so you're gonnaget you doing fine, so stay on
the line.
Okay, I feel upset.
Is he upset with something thatyou did A long time ago?
It always comes back.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
For the next several months Nicole lived in her
Brentwood home, trying torebuild her life after the
divorce.
She was known for herinvolvement in charity work and
was well liked by her friendsand community.
It's important to note that theevents leading up to Nicole's
murder are complex and involvepersonal and sensitive details.
(24:13):
The tragedy of her death servesas a reminder of the
devastating consequences ofdomestic violence and the
importance of addressing suchissues in society.
Nicole was rebuilding her newlysingle life.
On June 10, 1994, she wentlooking for houses in Malibu to
(24:36):
put distance between her andSimpson.
Two days later, the Simpson andBrown family attended Sidney's
dance recital.
After the recital, the familywent to the Mezzaluna Restaurant
in Brentwood, los Angeles, tocelebrate Sidney's dance recital
.
Oj Simpson was not invited tojoin them.
(24:56):
Between 8.30 and 9 pm, nicoleand the kids left the restaurant
and returned to her Brentwoodresidence at 875 South Bundy
Drive.
At 9.37 pm Nicole's mothercalled and asked if she had left
her glasses at Mezzaluna.
The manager found her glassesoutside and informed her that
(25:20):
they would be in an envelope andin their lost and found.
Judy said that she lived toofar away but that her daughter,
nicole, would get them for her.
Judy then called Nicole andtold her that the restaurant was
holding them in an envelopewith Nicole's name on it.
Nicole called the restaurantand identified herself by saying
(25:40):
that her mother had just talkedto them.
The manager asked her when shewould be picking up the glasses.
Nicole then asked if Ron wasstill working.
So the manager put her on holdand told Ron that he had a phone
(26:00):
call.
Ron worked that night butdidn't wait on Nicole and her
family.
He had clocked out at 9.30 pmbut was still hanging around
mingling with co-workers at thebar.
Ron spoke with Nicole for a bitwhen he hung up with Nicole.
He hung around for a little bitlonger and then asked the
manager for the glasses.
He told the manager that hewould be dropping off the
glasses to Nicole before headingto Baja Cantina to meet with
(26:23):
friends.
Around 9.50 pm Ron leftMezzaluna to return the glasses
that Judy had left behind.
He arrived at Nicole'sresidence to drop off the
glasses Between 10.15 pm and10.40 pm.
It is believed that during thistime Nicole and Ron were
(26:45):
attacked and brutally murderedoutside of Nicole's home.
It is speculated that Nicolemay have heard a noise or
disturbance outside and went toinvestigate.
Upon coming outside she cameface-to-face with her attacker.
Nicole sustained multiple sharpforce injuries.
Her attacker stabbed her seventimes in the scalp and neck.
(27:09):
Cuts on her hands indicatedthat she had fought back against
her killer.
Nicole was also stabbed fourtimes on the left side of her
neck, stabbed four times on theleft side of her neck.
She also had defensive woundson her hands, indicating that
(27:32):
she had fought back against herattacker.
It is believed that Ronapproached Nicole's home in the
middle of the attack and hetried to defend his friend and
help save her.
Ron was entrapped in a smallenclosed corner of Nicole's yard
where he was quickly andsavagely murdered while she laid
unconscious nearby.
The murderer trapped himagainst an iron fence and the
(27:54):
two had a quick and viciousstruggle before Ron Goldman's
body was left just a few feetaway from Nicole Simpson body
was left just a few feet awayfrom Nicole Simpson.
The assailant then returned toNicole placing a foot on her
back, pulling her head back byher hair and slashing her throat
to the bone literally.
(28:19):
The most extensive wound on herbody was the gruesome slash
across her throat that was overfive inches long.
The cut severed the carotidarteries on both sides of her
neck as well as her jugularveins.
It was so deep that the knifeleft a mark on one of her
vertebrae.
Nicole was also stabbed fourtimes to the left side of the
neck, four times to the leftside of the neck.
(28:41):
Nicole's face was smashed intoa wall when she was attacked.
She ended up face down on theground and her killer likely
delivered the fatal neck woundby grabbing her hair and
slashing her throat.
In the Chicago Tribune medicalexaminer, dr Lakshamanana and
(29:02):
I'm gonna butcher this last name, so I do apologize.
I tried so hard finding thecorrect pronunciation
SathyavagiswaranS-A-T-H-Y-A-V-A-G-I-S-W-A-R-A-N.
(29:22):
I apologize for butchering that, but they said quote she was
alive at least a minute or morebefore that last wound was
inflicted.
End quote.
He revealed that Nicole likelydied in a matter of minutes
afterward, saying quote shewould have gone into rapid shock
(29:43):
.
End quote.
Ron Goldman sacrificed his lifein an attempt to save another.
At 10.54 pm, a neighbor, hearinga dog's constant barking,
discovered Nicole's lifelessbody lying near the entrance of
her residence.
The neighbor immediately called911 to report the incident.
(30:04):
Discovered Nicole's lifelessbody lying near the entrance of
her residence.
The neighbor immediately called911 to report the incident.
Nicole's dog, an Akita namedKato, named after family friend
Kato Kaelin was present at thecrime scene.
Kato was found outside thetownhouse where the crime
(30:25):
occurred covered in blood.
The presence of the Akita andits blood-stained appearance
raised suspicions and initiallyled investigators to believe
that Cato may have been involvedin the attack or witnessed the
crime.
However, further investigationrevealed that Cato had not been
directly involved in the assault.
Further investigation revealedthat Cato had not been directly
involved in the assault.
Instead, it was determined thatCato had likely been injured
(30:47):
while attempting to protect ordefend Nicole during the attack.
His injuries were consistentwith defensive wounds indicating
that he had tried to interveneor fend off the assailant.
Cato's presence and injurieswere significant in the
investigation as they providedadditional evidence of a violent
(31:07):
struggle taking place at thecrime scene.
However, cato's role as awitness or potential source of
information was limited, sinceanimals can't provide verbal
testimony or detailed accountsof events.
Provide verbal testimony ordetailed accounts of events.
The Los Angeles PoliceDepartment responded to the
scene and discovered the bodiesof Nicole and Ron At the
(31:29):
gruesome scene.
Police found Nicole lying inthe fetal position at the base
of the stairs to her home,surrounded by a pool of her
blood.
She was barefoot and wearingher nightgown, never realizing a
predator awaited just outsideher home.
Not only did police happen uponsuch a tragic and brutal double
(31:52):
murder, but they quicklylearned that Nicole's children,
sydney and Justin, were asleepupstairs.
Police gathered the kids andtook them out the back of the
home and took them to the policestation.
After arriving at the scene,the police secured the area to
preserve any potential evidence.
(32:12):
They established a perimeterand restricted access to
authorized personnel only.
At about 5 am, detectives MarkFurman and Philip Van Adder
arrived at Nicole's house.
When investigating the scene,the detectives found Nicole lit
candles and had a bowl of icecream that was out and melted.
(32:36):
Crime scene investigatorsdocumented the scene, taking
photographs and making detailednotes of the surroundings, the
position of the bodies and anypotential evidence.
They collected physicalevidence such as blood samples,
fingerprints and DNA samples,which were later analyzed in the
lab.
Investigators also interviewedwitnesses, neighbors and anyone
(33:02):
who might have had relevantinformation about the crime.
Detectives worked closely withforensic experts to analyze the
evidence collected from thecrime scene.
They examined the bloodstains,footprints and other physical
evidence to reconstruct thesequence of events and determine
the possible weapon used in thecrime.
(33:24):
The investigation spannedseveral months, involving
multiple law enforcementagencies and experts.
It included extensivebackground checks on potential
suspects, including Nicole'sex-husband, oj Simpson.
The evidence gathered duringthe investigation ultimately led
(33:45):
to Simpson's arrest andsubsequent trial for the murders
of Nicole Simpson and RonGoldman.
After investigating the crimescene, detectives Van Adder and
Furman decided that they neededto go tell OJ Simpson about the
death of his ex-wife, nicoleSimpson, and to let them know
(34:06):
that they had their children.
At the police station At 5.15to 5.30 am, the detectives
examined an apparent bloodstainon Simpson's Ford Bronco.
Between 5.40 amm to 550 am,detective Furman decided to jump
the wall so the police couldenter the estate, since they had
(34:29):
unsuccessfully been able tocontact OJ Simpson through the
intercom and the blood wasgiving them probable cause.
Once on the grounds, thedetectives awakened Simpson's
daughter Arnelle, who wasstaying in a guest house.
She took the police to thehouse and called Kathy Randa,
her father's longtime assistant.
(34:50):
It was then that they learnedthat OJ Simpson had taken off to
Chicago for an event.
The bodies of Nicole BrownSimpson and Ron Goldman were
found at around 12.20 am on June13, about 20 minutes after
Simpson's plane took off forChicago.
(35:11):
Simpson arrived in Chicagoaround 5.30 am on American
Airlines Flight 390.
While on the flight, anattendant told investigators
that Simpson kept his handinside a duffel bag as if he was
concealing something.
Simpson checked into the O'HarePlaza Hotel at 6.15 am and was
(35:33):
given the keys to room 915.
30 minutes later a man pumpinggasoline at a nearby Amoco
station told investigators henoticed somebody who looked like
Simpson digging in a woodedfield near the hotel.
Detective Ronald Phillipscalled Simpson to tell him the
(35:56):
news that his ex-wife had beenkilled.
He seemed deeply upset whenDetective Phillips told him
about Nicole's death, butSimpson never asked how, where
or when she had been killed.
Between 7 to 7.30 am, detectiveVan Natter declared the area a
(36:17):
crime scene and went to get awarrant to search the house.
The investigation quicklyfocused on Nicole's ex-husband,
oj Simpson, as a suspect.
Simpson was arrested on June 17,1994 after a widely televised
low-speed car chase in a whiteFord Bronco.
(36:39):
Simpson was supposed tosurrender himself to police on
June 17, but instead he fled ina white Ford Bronco driven by
his friend Al Cowlings.
The chase unfolded on livetelevision, captivating viewers
across the nation.
The slow speed pursuit traveledalong several Los Angeles
(37:02):
freeways with police vehiclesfollowing closely behind the
Bronco.
During the chase, simpson wasreportedly holding a gun to his
head and threatening to harmhimself.
The chase finally came to anend at Simpson's home in
Brentwood, where he surrenderedto the authorities.
The Bronco chase is rememberedas a significant moment in
(37:25):
American television history andis often cited as one of the
most watched events intelevision history.
Oj Simpson's trial, famouslyknown as the Trial of the
Century, began on January 24,1995.
The trial gained immense mediaattention and became a cultural
(37:49):
phenomenon, captivatingaudiences worldwide.
The prosecution presented awealth of evidence against
Simpson, including DNA evidence,witness testimonies and a
controversial glove found at thecrime scene.
The defense team, led byrenowned attorneys Johnny
(38:09):
Cochran, Robert Shapiro and FLee Bailey, employed various
strategies, including raisingdoubts about the evidence and
focusing on alleged policemisconduct.
Simpson verbally andemotionally and physically
abused Nicole throughout theirrelationship and continued after
(38:31):
their divorce.
In total, prosecutors forSimpson's murder trial found 62
incidences of abusive behaviorby Simpson towards Nicole.
Nicole had a lockbox withletters of OJ threatening her
and photos of previous beatings.
(38:51):
The trial was a media circus.
Testimonies were given byforensic experts, family members
, friends, law enforcementofficials and more.
Everyone who knows about thiscase knows that during the trial
, nicole and Ron becamefootnotes in their own murders.
It all became about OJ Simpson,and Nicole and Ron were often
(39:15):
forgot about by the media andpractically everyone.
Throughout the trial it wasrevealed that Mark Furman
perjured himself when asked ifhe ever used the n-word.
He was recalled to the stand bythe defense when recordings of
him using the N-word and talkingabout awful things towards the
(39:36):
Black community surfaced Whileback on the stand.
His time was very short.
Take a listen.
Speaker 4 (39:43):
Good afternoon, detective.
Good afternoon your Honor.
You're reminded, sir, that youare still under oath.
Mr Ullman, you may proceed.
You're reminded, sir, that youwere still under oath.
Mr Ullman, you may proceed.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
Detective Furman was the testimony that you gave at
the preliminary hearing, in thiscase, completely truthful.
I wish to assert my FifthAmendment privilege.
Have you ever falsified apolice report?
I wish to assert my Fifth.
Speaker 4 (40:13):
Amendment privilege.
Is it your intention to assertyour Fifth Amendment privilege?
With respect to all questionsthat I ask you?
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Yes, Detective Furman , did you plant or manufacture
any evidence in this case?
I assert my Fifth Amendmentprivilege.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
In those moments where you just hear silence and
dead air, it's because the micis muted, since Furman's
attorney is standing next to himwhile he's on the stand
pleading the Fifth.
This baffled people, especiallymembers of law enforcement, who
felt that he should haveanswered no instead of pleading
the fifth when asked aboutplanting evidence.
(41:02):
It was something that mostpeople feel sealed the fate of
the jury, ruining evidence forthe prosecution because he just
pled the fifth and did not denyplanting any evidence.
So it's tainted, it's fruit ofthe poisonous tree and that is
(41:25):
something that was very damagingin their case.
That was very damaging in theircase.
The trial lasted for months andfeatured dramatic moments such
as the famous glovedemonstration and the
testimonies of key witnesses.
Ultimately, on October 3rd 1995, oj Simpson was acquitted of
(41:47):
all charges, sparking widespreaddebate and controversy.
Fred and Kim Goldman, ron'sfather and sister, filed a civil
lawsuit against OJ Simpson forthe deaths of Ron and Nicole.
Exactly one year and 20 daysfrom the date of OJ Simpson's
exoneration, opening statementsbegan in the civil trial against
(42:12):
Simpson.
Throughout the trial, jurorsheard from 101 witnesses over 41
days of testimony.
On February 4, 1997, the juryfound Simpson liable and awarded
the Brown and Goldman families$33 million in damages.
(42:32):
On March 26, 1997, the courtordered Simpson to turn over his
assets, including his 1968Heisman Trophy, a Warhol
painting and golf clubs.
Four months later, on July 14,1997, the Brentwood estate was
(42:53):
auctioned off and the new ownersoon demolished it.
On June 30, 1998, simpson'sattorney appealed the wrongful
death award against him, callingthe award quote excessive and
the clear result of passion andprejudice on the part of the
jury.
End quote On November 2nd 1998,the Brown and Goldman families
(43:20):
split proceeds from an auctionof OJ Simpson's belongings.
In 1999, oj Simpson and theBrown family negotiated a
custody arrangement for Sidneyand Justin.
The following year, in August2000, simpson moved from
California to Florida, wherehomes and pensions cannot be
(43:43):
seized to pay for civilliabilities in other states.
In November 2006, it wasformally announced that Simpson
would be part of a book titledIf I Did it, which would be
released on November 30th 2006.
A special exclusive interviewwith Judith Regan about the book
(44:03):
would air on Fox.
The first version's cover, asreleased by HarperCollins, shows
a photograph of Simpson withthe words I did it in red and
the word if in white.
The Beaufort version had thewords I did it in large type and
the word if written in a tinyfont and placed at the top of
(44:27):
the I.
Neither version of the book hasSimpson's name on the front
cover.
If I Did, it ignited a storm ofpre-publication controversy,
mainly due to the perceptionthat Simpson was trying to
profit from the two deaths whichhis civil suit verdict had
found him liable of.
(44:47):
Sarah Nelson, editor-in-chiefof Publishers Weekly, said quote
this is not about being heard.
This is about trying to cash inin a pathetic way on some
notoriety.
End quote.
Patricia Schroeder, presidentand chief executive of the
(45:07):
Association of AmericanPublishers, hope that the
publisher would take fullaccountability for promoting the
(45:30):
wrongdoing of criminals andleveraging this forum and the
actions of Simpson tocommercialize abuse.
End quote.
She went on to say thatSimpson's two children would be
quote exposed to hisinexplicable behavior and we
will provide them with our loveand support during this time.
(45:51):
It's unfortunate that OJSimpson has decided to awaken a
nightmare that we have painfullyendured and worked so hard to
move beyond.
End quote.
The proposed book also outragedthe family of Ron Goldman, who
criticized the publisher forquote helping a murderer get his
(46:12):
voice out there.
End quote.
According to lawyers for thefamily.
They plan to attempt to garnishany earnings Simpson might get
from the book.
Remember Fred Goldman?
Ron's father was awarded $33.5million by a jury in 1997 for
the wrongful death of his son.
(46:32):
However, simpson never paidthis judgment due to a
California law that preventspensions from being used to
satisfy judgments and the factthat the bulk of his income
comes from his NFL pension.
Fred described the book andtelevision interview as quote an
all-time low and morallyreprehensible to me To think you
(46:55):
were willing to give somebodyairtime about how they murdered
two people.
End quote.
On November 16, 2006, judithRegan issued a statement
claiming that her reason forrecording the interview and
releasing the book was anattempt to find closure after
having been a battered womanherself.
(47:16):
She said quote the men who liedand cheated and beat me, they
were all there in the room, andthe people who denied it, they
were there too, and, though itmight sound a little strange,
nicole and Ron were in my heartand for them I wanted him to
(47:37):
confess his sins, do penance andto amend his life.
Amen.
End quote.
Over a dozen Fox affiliatesrefused to carry the special or
decided to air it, but devotedlocal advertising time to public
service announcements.
Fox affiliates, kcpq in Seattle, owned by Tribune Company, and
(48:05):
XETV in San Diego, tijuanaijuanawere both reportedly undecided.
Each indicated that if theyaired the special, they would
not sell local ad time, insteadgiving that time to local
domestic violence groups to airpublic service announcements.
(48:25):
The rights to the book were heldby Lorraine Brooke Associates,
a shell corporation set up inthe name of Simpson's children.
Fred Goldman, ron's father,sued the corporation for the
book rights to help satisfy the$33.5 million wrongful civil
death judgment against Simpson.
After a California judgeordered the rights to be
(48:59):
auctioned off and the proceedsto go to Goldman, lorraine
Brooke Associates filed forbankruptcy in April 2007.
Fred Goldman then pursued thematter in bankruptcy court.
In June 2007, a federal judgeruled that Goldman could pursue
the publishing rights toSimpson's book.
In July of 2007, a federalbankruptcy judge awarded the
rights to the book to theGoldman family.
As part of the agreement, theGoldmans must pay 10% of the
(49:22):
first $4 million in grossproceeds to a court-appointed
trustee, with most of that moneygoing to the Brown family.
The Brown family had opposedthe deal, asking for a larger
share of the proceeds.
After Goldman had won the rightsto the book, he arranged to
publish it under the new titleIf I Did it, confessions of the
(49:45):
Killer.
The Goldman family's lawyersalso announced intentions to
pursue new publishing film or TVdeals in order to receive some
of $33.5 million awarded to themin the civil case.
On August 14, 2007, it wasreported that Charlene Martin, a
(50:07):
literary agent for the Goldmanfamily, had made a deal to
publish the book under the newsubtitle Confessions of the
Killer.
The original text was to remainintact, with the addition of
key commentary.
This version of the book waspublished by Beaufort Books, a
New York City publishing houseowned by parent company Campman
(50:33):
Company Midpoint Trade Books,and was released about a month
later, on September 13, 2007.
Coincidentally, the same day,simpson participated in an armed
robbery.
Some of the proceeds benefitthe Ronald Lyle Goldman Justice
Foundation, which was planned in1995 to fund the civil legal
(50:57):
action against Simpson.
Denise Brown, sister of NicoleBrown, simpson opposed the
publication of the book andcalled for a boycott.
Since the interview existed ontape, executives at Fox said it
was likely to turn up somewhereor be leaked, and nearly 12
years later, fox announced thatit would air a special titled OJ
(51:21):
Simpson the Lost Confession onMarch 11, 2018.
It featured footage from theinterview, as well as analysis
and discussion by host SoldadO'Brien and experts.
It aired with limitedcommercial time, which was used
to broadcast public serviceannouncements addressing
(51:44):
domestic violence.
In one portion of the interview, regan said to Simpson, quote
you wrote I have never seen somuch blood in my life, end quote
.
Simpson responded quote I don'tthink any two people could be
murdered without everybody beingcovered in blood.
End quote.
(52:05):
Simpson initially used phraseslike I would and I'd think in
his hypothetical description ofthe event, but later shifted to
using first-person phrasing withsentences like quote I remember
(52:25):
I grabbed the knife.
End quote.
Due to the change in phrasing,these comments were interpreted
by many as being a form ofconfession which stirred strong
reactions in print media and theinternet.
Take a listen to OJ Simpson inthe interview talking about the
murders.
Speaker 2 (52:46):
This is about seven minutes long, but I promise it's
worth it.
Speaker 5 (52:53):
Six uninterrupted minutes.
Oj puts himself hypotheticallyat the scene of the crime um the
chapter.
Chapter six is called the nightin question, uh, and you write
in the book now picture this andkeep in mind that this is
hypothetical, hypothetical.
Why don't you tell me whatmight have happened on the night
of juneth 1994.
And let's just walk through thenight.
Speaker 6 (53:11):
Well, first of all, this is very difficult for me to
do this.
It was very difficult for mebecause it's hypothetical.
I know, and I accept the factthat people are going to feel
whatever way they're going tofeel.
You know they're going to, youknow, whatever, whatever they
want to feel.
In the book, the hypotheticalis uh, charlie, charlie, uh,
(53:36):
this guy, charlie, shows up, theguy where I recently become
friends with and uh, I don'tknow why, you had been buying
the cole's house, but it told meyou wouldn't believe what's
going on over there.
And uh, and I remember thinking, whatever's going on over there
has got to stop right.
So we kind of hooked uptogether and I'm kind of
(53:59):
broad-stroking this we go over,get into Bronco and go over.
Speaker 5 (54:04):
Let's just go back and do the details.
Where did you park?
I'm going to do the details.
In the hypothetical in thealley right you park in the
alley and you put on a wool capand gloves uh, in the
hypothetical, I'll put on a cap,and gloves, right?
And um.
(54:25):
You reached under the seat forum a knife.
Speaker 6 (54:30):
I I always kept a knife, not car for the crazies
and stuff, because you can'ttravel with a gun and I remember
Charlie saying you ain'tbringing that.
I didn't right, but I believehe took it.
Charlie took the knife, yeah.
Speaker 5 (54:43):
In the book.
Yeah, yes, so the back gate,you go through the back gate.
Yes, and it was open or broken,or I don't recall.
Speaker 6 (54:54):
Okay, I go to the front and I'm looking to see
what's going on and I can seethat it appears like Nicole had
candles all the time she reallydid to keep her overhead down, I
think, and music was on.
And while I was there, a guyshows up knows all the time she
really did to keep her overheaddown, I think, and music was on
and, uh, while I was there, aguy shows up so ron goldman
(55:15):
comes in the back gate yeah, aguy I really didn't recognize.
I may have seen him around, butI really didn't recognize him to
be anyone.
And uh, and I, in the mood Iwas in, I started having words
with him he says to you I justcame by to return a pair of
glasses.
Speaker 5 (55:31):
Judy left them at the restaurant.
Speaker 6 (55:33):
Yeah, words to that effect.
Yes, and he was.
I don't know if I believed itor didn't believe it.
It was pretty much immaterialbecause, you know, I was more
concerned about everything thatwas going on, you know, and was
fed up with it I guess, and uh,you get into a fight.
Nicole comes out verbal, averbal, a verbal fight got a
(55:57):
little loud and by that time, uh, nicole had come out and we
started having words about whois this guy, why is he here,
what's going on, and she saysthis is my house, get the F out
of here.
Yes, and which I didn't likebecause once again, this is the
same person and if you read thebook, you'll see some things
(56:18):
that happened in the two weeksleading up to this that were
very, very irritating.
And I think Charlie hadfollowed this guy in, wanted to
make sure it was no problem andhe brought the knife as things
got heated.
I just remember Nicole fell andhurt herself and this guy kind
(56:43):
of got into a karate thing and Isaid well, you think you can
kick my ass?
And I remember I grabbed theknife.
I do remember that portiontaking a knife from Charlie and
to be honest, after that I don'tremember, except I'm standing
there and there's all kind ofstuff around.
What kind of stuff?
(57:04):
Blood and stuff around.
I hate to say this, but this isnot even that local.
I'm sorry, I know we got toback up.
Is not even that local?
I'm sorry, I know we've got toback up again.
That's okay, I'm going to backup.
Speaker 5 (57:14):
This is hard.
This is hard, I'm going to backup to.
Speaker 6 (57:17):
It's hard to try to make people think that I'm a.
I know, I know.
Speaker 5 (57:22):
You wrote in the book I had never seen so much blood
in my life.
Yes, covered, you're covered.
The scene Can you describe?
Speaker 6 (57:32):
it.
It's hard for me to describe it.
I'm telling you, I don't thinkany two people could be murdered
the way they were withouteverybody being covered in blood
, and of course, I think we'veall seen the grisly pictures
after.
So, yeah, I think everythingwas covered Would have been
covered in blood and what goesthrough your mind at a time like
(57:57):
that I don't know.
It's like what happened youwrite about removing a glove
before taking the knife fromcharlie uh, you know, I had no
conscious memory of doing that,but obviously I must have
because they found a glove thereand blacking out.
Speaker 5 (58:20):
Have you ever blacked out before?
Speaker 6 (58:21):
not to my knowledge.
No, no, of course, uh, ofcourse.
If something like this wouldtake place in anybody's life if
it were to happen, I wouldimagine it's something that this
would take place in anybody'slife.
If it were to happen, I wouldimagine it's something that you
would probably automaticallyhave trouble wrapping your mind
around it.
It was horrible, it wasabsolutely horrible.
Speaker 5 (58:42):
You see bloody footprints and you decide to
take off.
Speaker 6 (58:45):
Yes, Actually, I believe Charlie kept saying we
got to get out of here.
Speaker 5 (58:50):
And in the book you describe taking off your shoes,
your pants and your shirt anddropping it in a bundle.
Do you remember that?
Yes, and do you remember what?
Speaker 6 (59:03):
happened next?
Because what are you going todo with it?
Somebody's got to get rid of.
As you may have called duringthe trial and said where are the
bloody clothes?
So somebody had to get rid of.
Uh, as you may have calledduring the trial and said where
are the bloody clothes?
Speaker 5 (59:12):
so somebody had to get rid of the bloody clothes
right and you had left your keysand wallet in your pants pocket
and you had to go back and getit.
Speaker 6 (59:18):
I think you know to be honest.
Uh, I think I know that to betrue.
Speaker 5 (59:22):
Yes, yes, um, and charlie is hysterical screaming
jesus christ, rj, jesus christ,can you tell him to shut up?
Speaker 6 (59:30):
Yeah, he's in a panic .
He was in a panic and I'mtelling him to shut up.
Let's get out of here.
Speaker 5 (59:35):
So you get back in the car.
Speaker 6 (59:37):
You've taken your clothes Put them in the bundle
and drove back and parked ablock away because I knew the
limo would be there, and cameacross the backyard, through the
two courts and, you know, camethrough the house.
Speaker 5 (59:50):
So you went through the neighbor's.
Speaker 6 (59:52):
Neighbor's.
Yeah, he had a tennis court,then I had a tennis court and
you go into the house and whathappens in the house?
I ran upstairs to take a shower.
I actually ran upstairs andtook some of my bags and came
back downstairs and put them outfront and came back downstairs
and put him out front.
Speaker 1 (01:00:13):
Many people believe this was Simpson confessing to
the double murders of NicoleBrown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
His demeanor and actions duringthis interview were unsettling
to watch and listen to.
There are so many red flags,but he states it is all
hypothetical.
Some people believe thatSimpson's oldest son, jason,
committed the murders and thathe helped his son cover up the
(01:00:37):
crime.
Others say that it had to beSimpson, given the blood
evidence found at the scene inthe home and in the Bronco.
Some say if it wasn't Simpson,then it was someone who knew the
family well enough that Catotrusted, since Akitas are known
to be fiercely protective andloyal to their owners.
(01:00:57):
Sadly, this is a case that willforever be debated about who
was responsible for the deathsof Ron and Nicole.
Everyone is entitled to theirown opinions and theories, but
we need to be respectful of oneanother, especially because
there is just so much hate andanger in this world.
(01:01:17):
So let's try to be better anddebate respectfully, because, at
the end of the day, twopeople's lives were brutally
stolen from them with so muchhatred and anger inflicted on
them.
Let's not continue that hatredand anger amongst each other.
The murders of Nicole BrownSimpson and Ronald Goldman
(01:01:40):
remain a significant and tragicevent in American history,
sparking intense media coverageand raising crucial discussions
about domestic violence, racialtensions and the criminal
justice system.
The loss of Nicole and Rondevastated their families,
friends and all those who knewthem.
(01:02:02):
Their untimely deaths sparked ahighly publicized trial that
captivated the nation, forever,changing the lives of those
involved.
Despite the immense grief andturmoil they endured, sidney and
Justin have shown remarkableresilience and strength.
They have honored theirmother's memory by advocating
(01:02:24):
for victims of domestic violenceand raising awareness about the
issue.
Nicole Brown Simpson's legacyas a mother lives on through her
children, who continue to carryher love and spirit with them.
Her devotion to Sidney andJustin reminds us of the
profound impact a mother's lovecan have on her children's lives
(01:02:46):
.
Ron Goldman's family andfriends remember him as a
kind-hearted and compassionateindividual whose life was filled
with promise and potential.
His tragic death served as acatalyst for change, shedding
light on issues of domesticviolence and inspiring countless
individuals to seek justice forvictims, and that's the case of
(01:03:12):
Nicole Brown Simpson and RonGoldman.
I hope it really showed throughtrying to tell a different side
of their case for these guysand not make it all about OJ
Simpson and everything thathappened with the trial, but to
really highlight and showcasethe victims in this.
(01:03:35):
If you haven't done so already,I cannot recommend enough going
and listening to Ron's sisterKim's podcast called Confronting
OJ Simpson.
She also has another podcastcalled Media Circus, which is so
fitting considering how thiscase became such a media circus.
(01:03:57):
As always, I appreciate youguys and everything that you do
with listening in anddownloading the episodes.
Be sure to like and subscribeto Crime Connoisseurs wherever
you get your podcasts and shareit with your friends.
You can follow us on Instagramat Crime Connoisseurs and if you
(01:04:20):
have a case suggestion, feelfree to click on the link and
fill out the form in theInstagram bio, or send me an
email at crimeconnoisseurs atgmailcom and in the subject line
put case suggestion.
In the meantime, keep it classy, connoisseurs, and I'll catch
you on the next case.
Thank you, I'm out.
Hey, hey, crime Connoisseurs, I'm your host,
grace D, and today we're goingto dive into one of the most
infamous cases in Americanhistory, one that many of you
are probably so familiar with.
But it's often correlated withthe man accused of the crimes
and not the victims themselves.
We're going to be covering thetragic murders of Nicole Brown
(00:26):
Simpson and Ron Goldman.
On one fateful night in 1994,the lives of Nicole and Ron were
brutally cut short, sendingshockwaves through the nation
and forever etching their namesinto the chronicles of true
crime.
Join me as we unravel theintricate web of events
(00:47):
surrounding this haunting case,exploring the investigation, the
trial and the enduring legacythat still resonates today.
However, as so often in thetelling of this case, nicole and
Ron become backgroundcharacters, if not forgotten
altogether, in the OJ Simpsonstory.
(01:08):
So that must be different forthe case with us.
The telling of OJ, the trialthat became a media circus, and
the aftermath of everything areinevitable, but I'm going to do
my damnedest to showcase Nicoleand Ron as the main characters,
like they rightfully deserve tobe.
So crime connoisseurs, prepareto be captivated as we embark on
(01:32):
this journey into the heart ofdarkness 30 years to the day.
This is the case of NicoleBrown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
On June 13, 1994, at 1210 am,the bodies of a man and a woman
(02:24):
were discovered brutallymurdered at 875 South Bundy
Drive in Brentwood, los Angeles,california.
It was determined that thewoman was the homeowner, nicole
Brown Simpson, and the man wasRonald, who goes by Ron L
Goldman.
Who were Nicole and Ron?
(02:46):
For that we need to go back tothe beginning.
Nicole Brown Simpson was born onMay 19, 1959, in Frankfurt,
west Germany, to parents Juditha, judy and Louis Lou Brown.
Her mother was German and herfather was an American who
(03:07):
served in the Air Force.
She was the second of fourdaughters, denise, dominique and
Tanya being the other threeFrom her father's previous
marriage.
She also had two olderhalf-sisters, wendy and Margaret
, and one older half-brother,tracy.
(03:27):
When Denise and Nicole weretoddlers, the family moved to
Garden Grove, california, beforeDominique and Tanya were born.
Judy and Lou brought their kidsup Catholic.
Nicole's early life wascharacterized by happiness and
ease.
Transitioning to an Americanlifestyle was seamless for her.
(03:49):
She enjoyed the proximity tothe beach and when Nicole and
Denise were in high school, thefamily moved to Monarch Beach in
the coastal city of Dana Point.
Nicole was crowned homecomingprincess at Dana Hills High
School.
The year after her sister,denise, was also crowned
homecoming princess.
(04:10):
She excelled both academicallyand socially.
In an interview with the Times,her former teacher, bill
Prestridge, said, quote Nicolewas bubbly, always happy and
smiling.
She was more mature than otherstudents.
You almost got the idea thatshe was ready to get out of high
(04:34):
school and go on to bigger andbetter things.
End quote.
When Nicole was 18, she startedworking at the Daisy, an upscale
Beverly Hills club.
Her radiant personality andcaptivating charm made her a
beloved figure among her peers,and it wasn't long before she
(04:57):
caught the eye of OJ Simpson.
In 1977, simpson went to theDaisy Daisy where Nicole was his
waitress.
He was instantly enchanted byher gorgeous looks.
By the time she enrolled atSaddleback College in 1977, she
had already begun dating Simpson.
(05:17):
A few months later, nicolemoved in with him and dropped
out of school because OJrequired that she'd be with him.
Despite being married, oj begana relationship with Nicole.
He told Nicole that hismarriage was over and that he
and Marguerite were in theprocess of getting a divorce.
(05:39):
At that time, oj had twochildren with Marguerite,
arnelle and Jason, and anotherwas on the way.
Their third child was a littlegirl named Erin, who was born on
September 24, 1977.
Nicole and OJ Simpson'ssignificant 12-year age gap
(06:03):
posed no obstacle as their lovedeepened Eventually.
Simpson finalized his divorcefrom Marguerite in March 1979.
Sadly, five months after thedivorce was finalized, little
Erin, just shy of her secondbirthday, drowned in the family
pool at Rockingham, whereMarguerite at first remained,
(06:26):
while Simpson rented a housewith Nicole in Beverly Hills.
As Simpson's fame soared, nicolewas thrust into the spotlight,
becoming a prominent figure inthe celebrity world.
Nicole and Simpson were marriedon February 2, 1985, five years
(06:47):
after he retired fromprofessional football.
The couple had two childrenSydney Brooke Simpson, born on
October 17, 1985, and JustinRyan Simpson, born on August 6,
1988.
Nicole loved being a mom.
Not long after trouble beganfor Nicole and OJ Simpson's
(07:12):
relationship In 1985, it wasreported that LAPD Detective
Mark Furman responded to a callat the Rockingham House.
He arrived to find a womancrying and a Mercedes Benz with
a windshield smashed in.
Nicole told Furman that Simpsonhad smashed it with a bat.
(07:35):
In an interview with People in2019, nicole's sister, tanya
Brown, described how importantmotherhood was to her.
She said quote Tanya Browndescribed how important
motherhood was to her.
She said quote Nicole was a momfirst and foremost.
Her kids were her life.
She always wanted to make surethat they were having fun and
being kids.
End quote.
(07:58):
Nicole's love for her childrenwas evident in how she
prioritized their well-being andhappiness.
As a mother, nicole was knownfor her nurturing and caring
nature.
She created a warm and lovinghome environment for Sydney and
Justin, ensuring they felt safeand supported.
(08:23):
Nicole's friends and familyoften spoke of her dedication to
her children and her desire toprovide them with a stable
upbringing.
Nicole actively participated inher children's lives, attending
their school events andextracurricular activities and
cheering them on from thesidelines.
She encouraged their interestsand passions, fostering an
(08:47):
environment where they couldexplore their talents and grow
as individuals.
Despite the challenges shefaced in her personal life,
nicole remained a steadfastpresence in her children's lives
.
She strived to shield them fromthe difficulties she
experienced, always puttingtheir needs first, them from the
difficulties she experienced,always putting their needs first
(09:08):
.
Nicole's love for Sidney andJustin was unwavering and she
cherished the time they spenttogether.
Let's talk about Ron before wego on.
Who was Ron Goldman?
Ronald Lyle Goldman was born tothe parents Fred and Sharon
Goldman on July 2, 1968, inBuffalo Grove, illinois.
(09:29):
Growing up, ron was known forhis outgoing and friendly nature
, which endeared him to thosearound him.
He had a close-knitrelationship with his family,
including his sister Kim and hisstepbrother Michael, with his
family, including his sister Kimand his stepbrother Michael.
Ron attended Adelaide EStevenson High School in
(09:50):
Lincolnshire, illinois, where heexcelled both academically and
athletically.
He actively participated invarious sports, including
wrestling and track and field,showcasing his determination and
competitive spirit.
After graduating from highschool, ron pursued his passion
(10:11):
for helping others by enrollingin culinary school.
He developed a love for cookingand dreamed of opening his own
restaurant someday.
Ron's dedication and talent inthe kitchen earned him a
reputation as a skilled chef.
In training, ron Goldman wasknown for his active involvement
(10:33):
in volunteer activities.
He had a strong sense ofcommunity and desire to make a
positive impact on the lives ofothers.
Ron was a mentor in the BigBrothers Big Sisters program,
providing guidance and supportto a young boy needing a
positive role model.
He dedicated his time tobuilding a meaningful
(10:53):
relationship and helping hismentee navigate life's
challenges.
Ron also had a deep love foranimals and often volunteered at
local animal shelters.
He would assist with tasks suchas feeding, grooming and
walking the shelter dogs.
Ron's compassion for animalswas evident in his dedication to
(11:17):
their well-being.
Ron recognized the strugglesfaced by the homeless and
actively volunteered at homelessshelters.
He helped serve meals,distribute clothing and hygiene
products and engaged inconversations to offer support
and encouragement.
He also participated incommunity cleanup initiatives,
(11:40):
where he joined others inpicking up litter, beautifying
public spaces and promotingenvironmental awareness.
He believed in the importanceof caring for the community and
positively impacting futuregenerations.
Ron Goldman's volunteeractivities reflected his
kind-hearted nature and hiscommitment to making a
(12:02):
difference in the lives ofothers.
And his commitment to making adifference in the lives of
others.
His selflessness and dedicationto various causes, continue to
inspire others to this day.
I've seen in various sourcesthat Ron Goldman had a passion
for martial arts, particularlykarate, that he was dedicated to
(12:26):
his practice and found joy inthe discipline, physical fitness
and mental focus that karateprovided.
Supposedly, ron trained inkarate for several years,
consistently attending classesand honing his skills,
progressing through the ranks,earning various belt levels
based on his proficiency andknowledge of martial arts levels
(12:47):
based on his proficiency andknowledge of martial arts.
It's been said that Ronparticipated in karate
competitions, showcasing hisskills and competing against
other practitioners.
However, I have searched andsearched and could not find any
photos or records of Ron Goldmancompeting in any karate
competitions.
In fact, ron's sister, kim,stated on her podcast,
(13:08):
confronting OJ Simpson, that Rondid not practice karate.
No first-hand accounts fromthose who knew Ron Goldman knew
of him doing any form of martialarts.
In 1992, seeking newopportunities and a change of
scenery, ron made the decisionto move to Los Angeles,
(13:30):
california.
He found work at a trendyrestaurant called Mezzaluna,
where he quickly became abeloved member of the staff.
Ron's warm personality andexceptional customer service
skills made him a favorite amongpatrons.
During his time at Mezzaluna,ron met Nicole Brown Simpson.
(13:52):
They struck up a friendship andhe often went above and beyond
to ensure her safety andwell-being.
They quickly discovered sharedinterests and a genuine
connection that went beyondtheir professional interactions.
Nicole and Ron were known tospend time together outside of
the restaurant, often engagingin activities such as going to
(14:15):
the gym, grabbing coffee orsimply enjoying each other's
company.
Their friendship grew strongerover time as they confided in
one another and provided supportduring challenging moments in
their lives.
Despite their 10-year agedifference Nicole was 35 and Ron
was 25 at the time.
(14:35):
Their friendship wascharacterized by mutual respect
and camaraderie.
They found solace in eachother's presence and shared a
bond that transcended theirindividual circumstances.
Now let's jump back to Nicole.
Nicole and Simpson's marriagewas a rocky one.
Simpson built a greatrelationship with the cops in
(14:58):
Brentwood where he lived withNicole.
That relationship with thepolice would come to benefit him
when Nicole started making 911calls about him beating her.
In one instance in 1989,detective John Edwards, who was
a patrolman at the time,responded to a domestic violence
(15:19):
call at Rockingham to findNicole huddling in the bushes.
Rockingham.
To find Nicole huddling in thebushes barely clothed, wearing
sweatpants and a bra, and beaten, telling him quote he's going
to kill me, end quote.
As she collapsed into his arms,he asked who's going to kill
(15:46):
you?
And she said OJ.
Detective Edwards said OJ, who?
You mean the football player?
And she said yes, oj Simpson,the football player.
Nicole had a black left eye, acut lip and a bruised forehead
and there was a handprint on herneck.
Detective Edwards asked Nicoleif she wanted to press charges
and she said yes.
Edwards asked Nicole if shewanted to press charges and she
(16:07):
said yes.
Detective Edwards informed OJSimpson that he was being placed
under arrest.
Then OJ drove off in his blueBentley to avoid being arrested.
It wasn't the first time.
In fact it was the eighth timeofficers had responded to
Nicole's calls to come to thehouse.
(16:28):
Nicole went to the policedepartment the next day and told
them that she didn't reallywant to press charges.
But since she had signed thepolice report, they were
obligated to kick it up to theLA City Attorney's Office.
They were obligated to kick itup to the LA City Attorney's
(16:54):
Office, which filed domesticviolence charges against OJ
Simpson, who had just co-starredin the Naked Gun and was
working as a broadcaster for NBCSports at the time.
He ended up pleading no contestto misdemeanor spousal battery.
He was sentenced to 120 hoursof community service, two years
of probation and twice a weekcounseling, as well as ordered
to pay $500 in restitution to abattered woman shelter.
(17:15):
Nicole even spoke directly tothe CEO of Hertz to let him know
that all the stories aboutSimpson being a wife beater were
false.
Things only got worse.
Simpson's infidelity was lesshidden Once he even said that he
was with another woman becauseNicole had gotten too fat from
(17:36):
her pregnancy.
Nicole finally separated fromSimpson and filed for divorce on
February 25, 1992.
In her affidavit petitioningfor spousal and child support,
nicole stated I only attendedjunior college for a very short
time because he wanted me to beavailable to travel with him
(18:00):
whenever his career required himto go to a new location.
End quote.
Young children end quote.
(18:27):
During a court-ordered meetingwith a career counselor, she
said that her only goal at thetime was to raise her kids.
Well, quote.
Beyond that I haven't thoughtabout me.
I'm sure I will get a goalsomeday.
End quote.
They settled their divorce inOctober 1992, with OJ Simpson
agreeing to pay Nicole a lumpsum of $433,750 plus $10,000 a
(18:53):
month in child support.
Nicole also retained the deedon a rental property in San
Francisco.
On a rental property in SanFrancisco.
Nicole's strength andresilience shone through as she
sought to rebuild her life afterher divorce from Simpson.
She focused on raising theirtwo children, sydney and Justin,
and embraced a newfoundindependence, determined to
(19:16):
create a brighter future forherself and her family.
Nicole had a supposed on-and-offrelationship with another great
football player, marcus Allen,who was also OJ's friend.
Marcus Allen denied theirrelationship during a deposition
, but others who knew the pairsaid otherwise.
The rumors were first publiclypresented in the 1994 book
(19:42):
Nicole Brown Simpson the PrivateDiary of a Life Interrupted,
written by Faye Resnick, afriend of Nicole Brown Simpson's
.
In the five-part documentary OJMade in America, mike Gilbert,
who represented both Simpson andAllen, also said quote Mike
Gilbert, who represented bothSimpson and Allen, also said,
quote Do we all believe thatright toward the very end, when
(20:07):
they had split up after Mother'sDay, that Nicole was not seeing
Marcus again?
I absolutely believe that shewas.
And OJ told Nicole you ever seeMarcus again, I will kill you.
End quote.
Faye Resnick described howSimpson once showed up at
Nicole's house and revealed thathe spied on Nicole and a man
(20:30):
having relations the nightbefore.
That man was Keith Zlomcewicz,manager of Mezzaluna.
They were together for a whilebefore eventually parting ways.
Mezzaluna.
They were together for a whilebefore eventually parting ways.
Despite all they had beenthrough, nicole wanted to
reconcile with Simpson.
She wanted to make things workand put their family back
(20:52):
together.
The two gave it another go forthe sake of their family.
Unfortunately, the good timesdidn't last long.
On October 25, 1993, nicolecalled 911, telling the
(21:16):
dispatcher with an audibly shakyvoice that Simpson had just
broken into her home.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I'm going to play part of that call for you guys
here.
Take a listen.
911, emergency 518.
Can you get someone over herenow to 325, gretna Green.
(21:42):
He's back here.
Take a minute.
What's your name?
Nicole Simpson, okay, is he thesportscaster, or whatever?
Yeah, okay, thank you.
Wait a minute.
We're sending this to Lisa.
What is he doing?
Is he threatening you?
I'm going nuts, okay, has hethreatened you in anyway, or or
(22:07):
is he just harassing you?
You're gonna hear him in aminute.
He's about to come.
Hey, just stay on the line.
I don't want to stay on theline.
You're gonna beat the shit waita minute.
Wait, just stay on the line sowe can know what's going on till
the police get there, okay.
Okay, nicole, just a moment.
Does he have any weapons?
I, I don't know.
Okay, he went home and now he'sback.
My kids are up there sleepingand I don't want anything to
happen.
Okay, has he hit you today orno?
(22:28):
No, okay, you don't need anyparamedics or anything, uh-uh.
Okay, you just want him toleave.
He broke my door, he broke thewhole back door and then he left
and he came back.
He came and he knocked myofficer's door down, but he
pounded it and then he screamedand hollered and I tried to get
him out of the bedroom becausethe kids were sleeping in there,
okay.
(22:48):
And then he wanted somebody'sphone number and I gave him my
phone book, or I put my phonebook down to the right to write
down the phone number that hewanted.
And then he took my phone bookwith all my stuff in it the
dispatch, the dispatch.
What is he saying?
The suspect is now entering the.
(23:13):
I just now entered into thechamber.
I'm in the chamber.
I'm in the chamber, code2-9-422-138-2525.
If you're gonna spit about thechamber, then start spitting on
the room.
Stay where you are.
If you're gonna spit about thechamber, then spit.
Oh, spit or not, I'm all in.
You're doing fine Now.
(23:36):
You know shit, so you're gonnaget you doing fine, so stay on
the line.
Okay, I feel upset.
Is he upset with something thatyou did A long time ago?
It always comes back.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
For the next several months Nicole lived in her
Brentwood home, trying torebuild her life after the
divorce.
She was known for herinvolvement in charity work and
was well liked by her friendsand community.
It's important to note that theevents leading up to Nicole's
murder are complex and involvepersonal and sensitive details.
(24:13):
The tragedy of her death servesas a reminder of the
devastating consequences ofdomestic violence and the
importance of addressing suchissues in society.
Nicole was rebuilding her newlysingle life.
On June 10, 1994, she wentlooking for houses in Malibu to
(24:36):
put distance between her andSimpson.
Two days later, the Simpson andBrown family attended Sidney's
dance recital.
After the recital, the familywent to the Mezzaluna Restaurant
in Brentwood, los Angeles, tocelebrate Sidney's dance recital
.
Oj Simpson was not invited tojoin them.
(24:56):
Between 8.30 and 9 pm, nicoleand the kids left the restaurant
and returned to her Brentwoodresidence at 875 South Bundy
Drive.
At 9.37 pm Nicole's mothercalled and asked if she had left
her glasses at Mezzaluna.
The manager found her glassesoutside and informed her that
(25:20):
they would be in an envelope andin their lost and found.
Judy said that she lived toofar away but that her daughter,
nicole, would get them for her.
Judy then called Nicole andtold her that the restaurant was
holding them in an envelopewith Nicole's name on it.
Nicole called the restaurantand identified herself by saying
(25:40):
that her mother had just talkedto them.
The manager asked her when shewould be picking up the glasses.
Nicole then asked if Ron wasstill working.
So the manager put her on holdand told Ron that he had a phone
(26:00):
call.
Ron worked that night butdidn't wait on Nicole and her
family.
He had clocked out at 9.30 pmbut was still hanging around
mingling with co-workers at thebar.
Ron spoke with Nicole for a bitwhen he hung up with Nicole.
He hung around for a little bitlonger and then asked the
manager for the glasses.
He told the manager that hewould be dropping off the
glasses to Nicole before headingto Baja Cantina to meet with
(26:23):
friends.
Around 9.50 pm Ron leftMezzaluna to return the glasses
that Judy had left behind.
He arrived at Nicole'sresidence to drop off the
glasses Between 10.15 pm and10.40 pm.
It is believed that during thistime Nicole and Ron were
(26:45):
attacked and brutally murderedoutside of Nicole's home.
It is speculated that Nicolemay have heard a noise or
disturbance outside and went toinvestigate.
Upon coming outside she cameface-to-face with her attacker.
Nicole sustained multiple sharpforce injuries.
Her attacker stabbed her seventimes in the scalp and neck.
(27:09):
Cuts on her hands indicatedthat she had fought back against
her killer.
Nicole was also stabbed fourtimes on the left side of her
neck, stabbed four times on theleft side of her neck.
She also had defensive woundson her hands, indicating that
(27:32):
she had fought back against herattacker.
It is believed that Ronapproached Nicole's home in the
middle of the attack and hetried to defend his friend and
help save her.
Ron was entrapped in a smallenclosed corner of Nicole's yard
where he was quickly andsavagely murdered while she laid
unconscious nearby.
The murderer trapped himagainst an iron fence and the
(27:54):
two had a quick and viciousstruggle before Ron Goldman's
body was left just a few feetaway from Nicole Simpson body
was left just a few feet awayfrom Nicole Simpson.
The assailant then returned toNicole placing a foot on her
back, pulling her head back byher hair and slashing her throat
to the bone literally.
(28:19):
The most extensive wound on herbody was the gruesome slash
across her throat that was overfive inches long.
The cut severed the carotidarteries on both sides of her
neck as well as her jugularveins.
It was so deep that the knifeleft a mark on one of her
vertebrae.
Nicole was also stabbed fourtimes to the left side of the
neck, four times to the leftside of the neck.
(28:41):
Nicole's face was smashed intoa wall when she was attacked.
She ended up face down on theground and her killer likely
delivered the fatal neck woundby grabbing her hair and
slashing her throat.
In the Chicago Tribune medicalexaminer, dr Lakshamanana and
(29:02):
I'm gonna butcher this last name, so I do apologize.
I tried so hard finding thecorrect pronunciation
SathyavagiswaranS-A-T-H-Y-A-V-A-G-I-S-W-A-R-A-N.
(29:22):
I apologize for butchering that, but they said quote she was
alive at least a minute or morebefore that last wound was
inflicted.
End quote.
He revealed that Nicole likelydied in a matter of minutes
afterward, saying quote shewould have gone into rapid shock
(29:43):
.
End quote.
Ron Goldman sacrificed his lifein an attempt to save another.
At 10.54 pm, a neighbor, hearinga dog's constant barking,
discovered Nicole's lifelessbody lying near the entrance of
her residence.
The neighbor immediately called911 to report the incident.
(30:04):
Discovered Nicole's lifelessbody lying near the entrance of
her residence.
The neighbor immediately called911 to report the incident.
Nicole's dog, an Akita namedKato, named after family friend
Kato Kaelin was present at thecrime scene.
Kato was found outside thetownhouse where the crime
(30:25):
occurred covered in blood.
The presence of the Akita andits blood-stained appearance
raised suspicions and initiallyled investigators to believe
that Cato may have been involvedin the attack or witnessed the
crime.
However, further investigationrevealed that Cato had not been
directly involved in the assault.
Further investigation revealedthat Cato had not been directly
involved in the assault.
Instead, it was determined thatCato had likely been injured
(30:47):
while attempting to protect ordefend Nicole during the attack.
His injuries were consistentwith defensive wounds indicating
that he had tried to interveneor fend off the assailant.
Cato's presence and injurieswere significant in the
investigation as they providedadditional evidence of a violent
(31:07):
struggle taking place at thecrime scene.
However, cato's role as awitness or potential source of
information was limited, sinceanimals can't provide verbal
testimony or detailed accountsof events.
Provide verbal testimony ordetailed accounts of events.
The Los Angeles PoliceDepartment responded to the
scene and discovered the bodiesof Nicole and Ron At the
(31:29):
gruesome scene.
Police found Nicole lying inthe fetal position at the base
of the stairs to her home,surrounded by a pool of her
blood.
She was barefoot and wearingher nightgown, never realizing a
predator awaited just outsideher home.
Not only did police happen uponsuch a tragic and brutal double
(31:52):
murder, but they quicklylearned that Nicole's children,
sydney and Justin, were asleepupstairs.
Police gathered the kids andtook them out the back of the
home and took them to the policestation.
After arriving at the scene,the police secured the area to
preserve any potential evidence.
(32:12):
They established a perimeterand restricted access to
authorized personnel only.
At about 5 am, detectives MarkFurman and Philip Van Adder
arrived at Nicole's house.
When investigating the scene,the detectives found Nicole lit
candles and had a bowl of icecream that was out and melted.
(32:36):
Crime scene investigatorsdocumented the scene, taking
photographs and making detailednotes of the surroundings, the
position of the bodies and anypotential evidence.
They collected physicalevidence such as blood samples,
fingerprints and DNA samples,which were later analyzed in the
lab.
Investigators also interviewedwitnesses, neighbors and anyone
(33:02):
who might have had relevantinformation about the crime.
Detectives worked closely withforensic experts to analyze the
evidence collected from thecrime scene.
They examined the bloodstains,footprints and other physical
evidence to reconstruct thesequence of events and determine
the possible weapon used in thecrime.
(33:24):
The investigation spannedseveral months, involving
multiple law enforcementagencies and experts.
It included extensivebackground checks on potential
suspects, including Nicole'sex-husband, oj Simpson.
The evidence gathered duringthe investigation ultimately led
(33:45):
to Simpson's arrest andsubsequent trial for the murders
of Nicole Simpson and RonGoldman.
After investigating the crimescene, detectives Van Adder and
Furman decided that they neededto go tell OJ Simpson about the
death of his ex-wife, nicoleSimpson, and to let them know
(34:06):
that they had their children.
At the police station At 5.15to 5.30 am, the detectives
examined an apparent bloodstainon Simpson's Ford Bronco.
Between 5.40 amm to 550 am,detective Furman decided to jump
the wall so the police couldenter the estate, since they had
(34:29):
unsuccessfully been able tocontact OJ Simpson through the
intercom and the blood wasgiving them probable cause.
Once on the grounds, thedetectives awakened Simpson's
daughter Arnelle, who wasstaying in a guest house.
She took the police to thehouse and called Kathy Randa,
her father's longtime assistant.
(34:50):
It was then that they learnedthat OJ Simpson had taken off to
Chicago for an event.
The bodies of Nicole BrownSimpson and Ron Goldman were
found at around 12.20 am on June13, about 20 minutes after
Simpson's plane took off forChicago.
(35:11):
Simpson arrived in Chicagoaround 5.30 am on American
Airlines Flight 390.
While on the flight, anattendant told investigators
that Simpson kept his handinside a duffel bag as if he was
concealing something.
Simpson checked into the O'HarePlaza Hotel at 6.15 am and was
(35:33):
given the keys to room 915.
30 minutes later a man pumpinggasoline at a nearby Amoco
station told investigators henoticed somebody who looked like
Simpson digging in a woodedfield near the hotel.
Detective Ronald Phillipscalled Simpson to tell him the
(35:56):
news that his ex-wife had beenkilled.
He seemed deeply upset whenDetective Phillips told him
about Nicole's death, butSimpson never asked how, where
or when she had been killed.
Between 7 to 7.30 am, detectiveVan Natter declared the area a
(36:17):
crime scene and went to get awarrant to search the house.
The investigation quicklyfocused on Nicole's ex-husband,
oj Simpson, as a suspect.
Simpson was arrested on June 17,1994 after a widely televised
low-speed car chase in a whiteFord Bronco.
(36:39):
Simpson was supposed tosurrender himself to police on
June 17, but instead he fled ina white Ford Bronco driven by
his friend Al Cowlings.
The chase unfolded on livetelevision, captivating viewers
across the nation.
The slow speed pursuit traveledalong several Los Angeles
(37:02):
freeways with police vehiclesfollowing closely behind the
Bronco.
During the chase, simpson wasreportedly holding a gun to his
head and threatening to harmhimself.
The chase finally came to anend at Simpson's home in
Brentwood, where he surrenderedto the authorities.
The Bronco chase is rememberedas a significant moment in
(37:25):
American television history andis often cited as one of the
most watched events intelevision history.
Oj Simpson's trial, famouslyknown as the Trial of the
Century, began on January 24,1995.
The trial gained immense mediaattention and became a cultural
(37:49):
phenomenon, captivatingaudiences worldwide.
The prosecution presented awealth of evidence against
Simpson, including DNA evidence,witness testimonies and a
controversial glove found at thecrime scene.
The defense team, led byrenowned attorneys Johnny
(38:09):
Cochran, Robert Shapiro and FLee Bailey, employed various
strategies, including raisingdoubts about the evidence and
focusing on alleged policemisconduct.
Simpson verbally andemotionally and physically
abused Nicole throughout theirrelationship and continued after
(38:31):
their divorce.
In total, prosecutors forSimpson's murder trial found 62
incidences of abusive behaviorby Simpson towards Nicole.
Nicole had a lockbox withletters of OJ threatening her
and photos of previous beatings.
(38:51):
The trial was a media circus.
Testimonies were given byforensic experts, family members
, friends, law enforcementofficials and more.
Everyone who knows about thiscase knows that during the trial
, nicole and Ron becamefootnotes in their own murders.
It all became about OJ Simpson,and Nicole and Ron were often
(39:15):
forgot about by the media andpractically everyone.
Throughout the trial it wasrevealed that Mark Furman
perjured himself when asked ifhe ever used the n-word.
He was recalled to the stand bythe defense when recordings of
him using the N-word and talkingabout awful things towards the
(39:36):
Black community surfaced Whileback on the stand.
His time was very short.
Take a listen.
Speaker 4 (39:43):
Good afternoon, detective.
Good afternoon your Honor.
You're reminded, sir, that youare still under oath.
Mr Ullman, you may proceed.
You're reminded, sir, that youwere still under oath.
Mr Ullman, you may proceed.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
Detective Furman was the testimony that you gave at
the preliminary hearing, in thiscase, completely truthful.
I wish to assert my FifthAmendment privilege.
Have you ever falsified apolice report?
I wish to assert my Fifth.
Speaker 4 (40:13):
Amendment privilege.
Is it your intention to assertyour Fifth Amendment privilege?
With respect to all questionsthat I ask you?
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Yes, Detective Furman , did you plant or manufacture
any evidence in this case?
I assert my Fifth Amendmentprivilege.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
In those moments where you just hear silence and
dead air, it's because the micis muted, since Furman's
attorney is standing next to himwhile he's on the stand
pleading the Fifth.
This baffled people, especiallymembers of law enforcement, who
felt that he should haveanswered no instead of pleading
the fifth when asked aboutplanting evidence.
(41:02):
It was something that mostpeople feel sealed the fate of
the jury, ruining evidence forthe prosecution because he just
pled the fifth and did not denyplanting any evidence.
So it's tainted, it's fruit ofthe poisonous tree and that is
(41:25):
something that was very damagingin their case.
That was very damaging in theircase.
The trial lasted for months andfeatured dramatic moments such
as the famous glovedemonstration and the
testimonies of key witnesses.
Ultimately, on October 3rd 1995, oj Simpson was acquitted of
(41:47):
all charges, sparking widespreaddebate and controversy.
Fred and Kim Goldman, ron'sfather and sister, filed a civil
lawsuit against OJ Simpson forthe deaths of Ron and Nicole.
Exactly one year and 20 daysfrom the date of OJ Simpson's
exoneration, opening statementsbegan in the civil trial against
(42:12):
Simpson.
Throughout the trial, jurorsheard from 101 witnesses over 41
days of testimony.
On February 4, 1997, the juryfound Simpson liable and awarded
the Brown and Goldman families$33 million in damages.
(42:32):
On March 26, 1997, the courtordered Simpson to turn over his
assets, including his 1968Heisman Trophy, a Warhol
painting and golf clubs.
Four months later, on July 14,1997, the Brentwood estate was
(42:53):
auctioned off and the new ownersoon demolished it.
On June 30, 1998, simpson'sattorney appealed the wrongful
death award against him, callingthe award quote excessive and
the clear result of passion andprejudice on the part of the
jury.
End quote On November 2nd 1998,the Brown and Goldman families
(43:20):
split proceeds from an auctionof OJ Simpson's belongings.
In 1999, oj Simpson and theBrown family negotiated a
custody arrangement for Sidneyand Justin.
The following year, in August2000, simpson moved from
California to Florida, wherehomes and pensions cannot be
(43:43):
seized to pay for civilliabilities in other states.
In November 2006, it wasformally announced that Simpson
would be part of a book titledIf I Did it, which would be
released on November 30th 2006.
A special exclusive interviewwith Judith Regan about the book
(44:03):
would air on Fox.
The first version's cover, asreleased by HarperCollins, shows
a photograph of Simpson withthe words I did it in red and
the word if in white.
The Beaufort version had thewords I did it in large type and
the word if written in a tinyfont and placed at the top of
(44:27):
the I.
Neither version of the book hasSimpson's name on the front
cover.
If I Did, it ignited a storm ofpre-publication controversy,
mainly due to the perceptionthat Simpson was trying to
profit from the two deaths whichhis civil suit verdict had
found him liable of.
(44:47):
Sarah Nelson, editor-in-chiefof Publishers Weekly, said quote
this is not about being heard.
This is about trying to cash inin a pathetic way on some
notoriety.
End quote.
Patricia Schroeder, presidentand chief executive of the
(45:07):
Association of AmericanPublishers, hope that the
publisher would take fullaccountability for promoting the
(45:30):
wrongdoing of criminals andleveraging this forum and the
actions of Simpson tocommercialize abuse.
End quote.
She went on to say thatSimpson's two children would be
quote exposed to hisinexplicable behavior and we
will provide them with our loveand support during this time.
(45:51):
It's unfortunate that OJSimpson has decided to awaken a
nightmare that we have painfullyendured and worked so hard to
move beyond.
End quote.
The proposed book also outragedthe family of Ron Goldman, who
criticized the publisher forquote helping a murderer get his
(46:12):
voice out there.
End quote.
According to lawyers for thefamily.
They plan to attempt to garnishany earnings Simpson might get
from the book.
Remember Fred Goldman?
Ron's father was awarded $33.5million by a jury in 1997 for
the wrongful death of his son.
(46:32):
However, simpson never paidthis judgment due to a
California law that preventspensions from being used to
satisfy judgments and the factthat the bulk of his income
comes from his NFL pension.
Fred described the book andtelevision interview as quote an
all-time low and morallyreprehensible to me To think you
(46:55):
were willing to give somebodyairtime about how they murdered
two people.
End quote.
On November 16, 2006, judithRegan issued a statement
claiming that her reason forrecording the interview and
releasing the book was anattempt to find closure after
having been a battered womanherself.
(47:16):
She said quote the men who liedand cheated and beat me, they
were all there in the room, andthe people who denied it, they
were there too, and, though itmight sound a little strange,
nicole and Ron were in my heartand for them I wanted him to
(47:37):
confess his sins, do penance andto amend his life.
Amen.
End quote.
Over a dozen Fox affiliatesrefused to carry the special or
decided to air it, but devotedlocal advertising time to public
service announcements.
Fox affiliates, kcpq in Seattle, owned by Tribune Company, and
(48:05):
XETV in San Diego, tijuanaijuanawere both reportedly undecided.
Each indicated that if theyaired the special, they would
not sell local ad time, insteadgiving that time to local
domestic violence groups to airpublic service announcements.
(48:25):
The rights to the book were heldby Lorraine Brooke Associates,
a shell corporation set up inthe name of Simpson's children.
Fred Goldman, ron's father,sued the corporation for the
book rights to help satisfy the$33.5 million wrongful civil
death judgment against Simpson.
After a California judgeordered the rights to be
(48:59):
auctioned off and the proceedsto go to Goldman, lorraine
Brooke Associates filed forbankruptcy in April 2007.
Fred Goldman then pursued thematter in bankruptcy court.
In June 2007, a federal judgeruled that Goldman could pursue
the publishing rights toSimpson's book.
In July of 2007, a federalbankruptcy judge awarded the
rights to the book to theGoldman family.
As part of the agreement, theGoldmans must pay 10% of the
(49:22):
first $4 million in grossproceeds to a court-appointed
trustee, with most of that moneygoing to the Brown family.
The Brown family had opposedthe deal, asking for a larger
share of the proceeds.
After Goldman had won the rightsto the book, he arranged to
publish it under the new titleIf I Did it, confessions of the
(49:45):
Killer.
The Goldman family's lawyersalso announced intentions to
pursue new publishing film or TVdeals in order to receive some
of $33.5 million awarded to themin the civil case.
On August 14, 2007, it wasreported that Charlene Martin, a
(50:07):
literary agent for the Goldmanfamily, had made a deal to
publish the book under the newsubtitle Confessions of the
Killer.
The original text was to remainintact, with the addition of
key commentary.
This version of the book waspublished by Beaufort Books, a
New York City publishing houseowned by parent company Campman
(50:33):
Company Midpoint Trade Books,and was released about a month
later, on September 13, 2007.
Coincidentally, the same day,simpson participated in an armed
robbery.
Some of the proceeds benefitthe Ronald Lyle Goldman Justice
Foundation, which was planned in1995 to fund the civil legal
(50:57):
action against Simpson.
Denise Brown, sister of NicoleBrown, simpson opposed the
publication of the book andcalled for a boycott.
Since the interview existed ontape, executives at Fox said it
was likely to turn up somewhereor be leaked, and nearly 12
years later, fox announced thatit would air a special titled OJ
(51:21):
Simpson the Lost Confession onMarch 11, 2018.
It featured footage from theinterview, as well as analysis
and discussion by host SoldadO'Brien and experts.
It aired with limitedcommercial time, which was used
to broadcast public serviceannouncements addressing
(51:44):
domestic violence.
In one portion of the interview, regan said to Simpson, quote
you wrote I have never seen somuch blood in my life, end quote
.
Simpson responded quote I don'tthink any two people could be
murdered without everybody beingcovered in blood.
End quote.
(52:05):
Simpson initially used phraseslike I would and I'd think in
his hypothetical description ofthe event, but later shifted to
using first-person phrasing withsentences like quote I remember
(52:25):
I grabbed the knife.
End quote.
Due to the change in phrasing,these comments were interpreted
by many as being a form ofconfession which stirred strong
reactions in print media and theinternet.
Take a listen to OJ Simpson inthe interview talking about the
murders.
Speaker 2 (52:46):
This is about seven minutes long, but I promise it's
worth it.
Speaker 5 (52:53):
Six uninterrupted minutes.
Oj puts himself hypotheticallyat the scene of the crime um the
chapter.
Chapter six is called the nightin question, uh, and you write
in the book now picture this andkeep in mind that this is
hypothetical, hypothetical.
Why don't you tell me whatmight have happened on the night
of juneth 1994.
And let's just walk through thenight.
Speaker 6 (53:11):
Well, first of all, this is very difficult for me to
do this.
It was very difficult for mebecause it's hypothetical.
I know, and I accept the factthat people are going to feel
whatever way they're going tofeel.
You know they're going to, youknow, whatever, whatever they
want to feel.
In the book, the hypotheticalis uh, charlie, charlie, uh,
(53:36):
this guy, charlie, shows up, theguy where I recently become
friends with and uh, I don'tknow why, you had been buying
the cole's house, but it told meyou wouldn't believe what's
going on over there.
And uh, and I remember thinking, whatever's going on over there
has got to stop right.
So we kind of hooked uptogether and I'm kind of
(53:59):
broad-stroking this we go over,get into Bronco and go over.
Speaker 5 (54:04):
Let's just go back and do the details.
Where did you park?
I'm going to do the details.
In the hypothetical in thealley right you park in the
alley and you put on a wool capand gloves uh, in the
hypothetical, I'll put on a cap,and gloves, right?
And um.
(54:25):
You reached under the seat forum a knife.
Speaker 6 (54:30):
I I always kept a knife, not car for the crazies
and stuff, because you can'ttravel with a gun and I remember
Charlie saying you ain'tbringing that.
I didn't right, but I believehe took it.
Charlie took the knife, yeah.
Speaker 5 (54:43):
In the book.
Yeah, yes, so the back gate,you go through the back gate.
Yes, and it was open or broken,or I don't recall.
Speaker 6 (54:54):
Okay, I go to the front and I'm looking to see
what's going on and I can seethat it appears like Nicole had
candles all the time she reallydid to keep her overhead down, I
think, and music was on.
And while I was there, a guyshows up knows all the time she
really did to keep her overheaddown, I think, and music was on
and, uh, while I was there, aguy shows up so ron goldman
(55:15):
comes in the back gate yeah, aguy I really didn't recognize.
I may have seen him around, butI really didn't recognize him to
be anyone.
And uh, and I, in the mood Iwas in, I started having words
with him he says to you I justcame by to return a pair of
glasses.
Speaker 5 (55:31):
Judy left them at the restaurant.
Speaker 6 (55:33):
Yeah, words to that effect.
Yes, and he was.
I don't know if I believed itor didn't believe it.
It was pretty much immaterialbecause, you know, I was more
concerned about everything thatwas going on, you know, and was
fed up with it I guess, and uh,you get into a fight.
Nicole comes out verbal, averbal, a verbal fight got a
(55:57):
little loud and by that time, uh, nicole had come out and we
started having words about whois this guy, why is he here,
what's going on, and she saysthis is my house, get the F out
of here.
Yes, and which I didn't likebecause once again, this is the
same person and if you read thebook, you'll see some things
(56:18):
that happened in the two weeksleading up to this that were
very, very irritating.
And I think Charlie hadfollowed this guy in, wanted to
make sure it was no problem andhe brought the knife as things
got heated.
I just remember Nicole fell andhurt herself and this guy kind
(56:43):
of got into a karate thing and Isaid well, you think you can
kick my ass?
And I remember I grabbed theknife.
I do remember that portiontaking a knife from Charlie and
to be honest, after that I don'tremember, except I'm standing
there and there's all kind ofstuff around.
What kind of stuff?
(57:04):
Blood and stuff around.
I hate to say this, but this isnot even that local.
I'm sorry, I know we got toback up.
Is not even that local?
I'm sorry, I know we've got toback up again.
That's okay, I'm going to backup.
Speaker 5 (57:14):
This is hard.
This is hard, I'm going to backup to.
Speaker 6 (57:17):
It's hard to try to make people think that I'm a.
I know, I know.
Speaker 5 (57:22):
You wrote in the book I had never seen so much blood
in my life.
Yes, covered, you're covered.
The scene Can you describe?
Speaker 6 (57:32):
it.
It's hard for me to describe it.
I'm telling you, I don't thinkany two people could be murdered
the way they were withouteverybody being covered in blood
, and of course, I think we'veall seen the grisly pictures
after.
So, yeah, I think everythingwas covered Would have been
covered in blood and what goesthrough your mind at a time like
(57:57):
that I don't know.
It's like what happened youwrite about removing a glove
before taking the knife fromcharlie uh, you know, I had no
conscious memory of doing that,but obviously I must have
because they found a glove thereand blacking out.
Speaker 5 (58:20):
Have you ever blacked out before?
Speaker 6 (58:21):
not to my knowledge.
No, no, of course, uh, ofcourse.
If something like this wouldtake place in anybody's life if
it were to happen, I wouldimagine it's something that this
would take place in anybody'slife.
If it were to happen, I wouldimagine it's something that you
would probably automaticallyhave trouble wrapping your mind
around it.
It was horrible, it wasabsolutely horrible.
Speaker 5 (58:42):
You see bloody footprints and you decide to
take off.
Speaker 6 (58:45):
Yes, Actually, I believe Charlie kept saying we
got to get out of here.
Speaker 5 (58:50):
And in the book you describe taking off your shoes,
your pants and your shirt anddropping it in a bundle.
Do you remember that?
Yes, and do you remember what?
Speaker 6 (59:03):
happened next?
Because what are you going todo with it?
Somebody's got to get rid of.
As you may have called duringthe trial and said where are the
bloody clothes?
So somebody had to get rid of.
Uh, as you may have calledduring the trial and said where
are the bloody clothes?
Speaker 5 (59:12):
so somebody had to get rid of the bloody clothes
right and you had left your keysand wallet in your pants pocket
and you had to go back and getit.
Speaker 6 (59:18):
I think you know to be honest.
Uh, I think I know that to betrue.
Speaker 5 (59:22):
Yes, yes, um, and charlie is hysterical screaming
jesus christ, rj, jesus christ,can you tell him to shut up?
Speaker 6 (59:30):
Yeah, he's in a panic .
He was in a panic and I'mtelling him to shut up.
Let's get out of here.
Speaker 5 (59:35):
So you get back in the car.
Speaker 6 (59:37):
You've taken your clothes Put them in the bundle
and drove back and parked ablock away because I knew the
limo would be there, and cameacross the backyard, through the
two courts and, you know, camethrough the house.
Speaker 5 (59:50):
So you went through the neighbor's.
Speaker 6 (59:52):
Neighbor's.
Yeah, he had a tennis court,then I had a tennis court and
you go into the house and whathappens in the house?
I ran upstairs to take a shower.
I actually ran upstairs andtook some of my bags and came
back downstairs and put them outfront and came back downstairs
and put him out front.
Speaker 1 (01:00:13):
Many people believe this was Simpson confessing to
the double murders of NicoleBrown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
His demeanor and actions duringthis interview were unsettling
to watch and listen to.
There are so many red flags,but he states it is all
hypothetical.
Some people believe thatSimpson's oldest son, jason,
committed the murders and thathe helped his son cover up the
(01:00:37):
crime.
Others say that it had to beSimpson, given the blood
evidence found at the scene inthe home and in the Bronco.
Some say if it wasn't Simpson,then it was someone who knew the
family well enough that Catotrusted, since Akitas are known
to be fiercely protective andloyal to their owners.
(01:00:57):
Sadly, this is a case that willforever be debated about who
was responsible for the deathsof Ron and Nicole.
Everyone is entitled to theirown opinions and theories, but
we need to be respectful of oneanother, especially because
there is just so much hate andanger in this world.
(01:01:17):
So let's try to be better anddebate respectfully, because, at
the end of the day, twopeople's lives were brutally
stolen from them with so muchhatred and anger inflicted on
them.
Let's not continue that hatredand anger amongst each other.
The murders of Nicole BrownSimpson and Ronald Goldman
(01:01:40):
remain a significant and tragicevent in American history,
sparking intense media coverageand raising crucial discussions
about domestic violence, racialtensions and the criminal
justice system.
The loss of Nicole and Rondevastated their families,
friends and all those who knewthem.
(01:02:02):
Their untimely deaths sparked ahighly publicized trial that
captivated the nation, forever,changing the lives of those
involved.
Despite the immense grief andturmoil they endured, sidney and
Justin have shown remarkableresilience and strength.
They have honored theirmother's memory by advocating
(01:02:24):
for victims of domestic violenceand raising awareness about the
issue.
Nicole Brown Simpson's legacyas a mother lives on through her
children, who continue to carryher love and spirit with them.
Her devotion to Sidney andJustin reminds us of the
profound impact a mother's lovecan have on her children's lives
(01:02:46):
.
Ron Goldman's family andfriends remember him as a
kind-hearted and compassionateindividual whose life was filled
with promise and potential.
His tragic death served as acatalyst for change, shedding
light on issues of domesticviolence and inspiring countless
individuals to seek justice forvictims, and that's the case of
(01:03:12):
Nicole Brown Simpson and RonGoldman.
I hope it really showed throughtrying to tell a different side
of their case for these guysand not make it all about OJ
Simpson and everything thathappened with the trial, but to
really highlight and showcasethe victims in this.
(01:03:35):
If you haven't done so already,I cannot recommend enough going
and listening to Ron's sisterKim's podcast called Confronting
OJ Simpson.
She also has another podcastcalled Media Circus, which is so
fitting considering how thiscase became such a media circus.
(01:03:57):
As always, I appreciate youguys and everything that you do
with listening in anddownloading the episodes.
Be sure to like and subscribeto Crime Connoisseurs wherever
you get your podcasts and shareit with your friends.
You can follow us on Instagramat Crime Connoisseurs and if you
(01:04:20):
have a case suggestion, feelfree to click on the link and
fill out the form in theInstagram bio, or send me an
email at crimeconnoisseurs atgmailcom and in the subject line
put case suggestion.
In the meantime, keep it classy, connoisseurs, and I'll catch
you on the next case.
Thank you, I'm out.
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