Malcolm LaVergne didn’t mean what he said. Or perhaps he meant it, but he has since realized he shouldn’t have said it.
Either way, the executor of O.J. Simpson’s estate has abandoned the position that he’ll fight to keep Ron Goldman’s family from pursuing a massive civil verdict entered against Simpson for killing Goldman and Nicole Brown.
“I can tell you in advance, Fred Goldman’s claim will be accepted,” LaVergne told Kevin Dolak of the Hollywood Reporter. “And his claim will be handled in accordance with Nevada law.”
Previously, LaVergne said this: “It’s my hope that the Goldmans get zero, nothing. Them specifically. And I will do everything in my capacity as the executor or personal representative to try and ensure that they get nothing.”
LaVergne said his previous remarks were aimed not at Fred Goldman, Ron’s father, but the lawyer representing Ron Goldman’s estate.
“Within an hour of knowing that O.J. died, he started talking shit,” LaVergne said. “My advocate instinct . . . was, ‘Oh, you’re gonna keep shitting on him even after he’s dead? Fine, you know? You get nothing.’ And so, those were my remarks then. But I backtracked, and they were pretty harsh remarks. And now I’m going in the other direction.”
LaVergne now says he plans to be “hypertransparent” with the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown. Regardless, LaVergne represented Simpson for years. Fortunately, it won’t be for him to make the final decision as to whether and to what extent Simpson’s estate goes to a $33.5 million judgment that has grown, with interest, to more than $100 million.