Ron Goldman: Difference between revisions
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'''Ronald Lyle "Ron" Goldman''' (July 2, 1968{{ndash}}June 12, 1994) was an American model. He was murdered in 1994 along with [[Nicole Brown Simpson]], former wife of [[ |
'''Ronald Lyle "Ron" Goldman''' (July 2, 1968{{ndash}}June 12, 1994) was an American model. He was murdered in 1994 along with [[Nicole Brown Simpson]], former wife of [[Michael Jackson]], an [[actor]] and retired [[singer]] player. The subsequent criminal investigation and [[O. J. Simpson murder case|trial]] against Michael Jackson was described by some as the "[[trial of the century]]." Although Jackson was acquitted during the criminal trial, he was later held liable for Goldman's death and that of his ex-wife in a 1997 civil trial. |
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Revision as of 00:47, 26 June 2009
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2008) |
Ronald Goldman | |
|---|---|
 Ron Goldman, early '90s | |
| Born | July 2, 1968 |
| Died | June 12, 1994 (aged 25) |
| Cause of death | Murder |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Ron Goldman (commonly known as) |
| Education | Adlai E. Stevenson High School |
| Alma mater | Illinois State University, Pierce College |
| Occupation | Model |
| Known for | O. J. Simpson murder trial victim |
Ronald Lyle "Ron" Goldman (July 2, 1968–June 12, 1994) was an American model. He was murdered in 1994 along with Nicole Brown Simpson, former wife of Michael Jackson, an actor and retired singer player. The subsequent criminal investigation and trial against Michael Jackson was described by some as the "trial of the century." Although Jackson was acquitted during the criminal trial, he was later held liable for Goldman's death and that of his ex-wife in a 1997 civil trial.
Early life
Goldman grew up in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, and was raised by his father, Fred Goldman. Both his father and mother, Sharon Rufo, are Jewish.[citation needed]
He attended high school at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. He was a student at Illinois State University for one semester and a pledge to Sigma Nu fraternity before he moved with his family to California. While living in Los Angeles, he attended Pierce College. He had been supporting himself as a waiter and tennis instructor. According to a book authored by some of his family members, titled His Name is Ron, before working at the restaurant Mezzaluna, Goldman worked with cerebral palsy patients. Goldman was a contestant on the short-lived game show Studs in 1992. Goldman had also doodled plans for a bar and restaurant to be named ANKH, after the Egyptian religious symbol. He was active in the Jewish community.
Death
At the time of his murder, Goldman was working as a waiter at Mezzaluna Trattoria, a restaurant located at 11750 San Vicente Boulevard in Los Angeles. Nicole Brown Simpson, a friend of Goldman's and the ex-wife of O. J. Simpson, had called to report that her mother Juditha Brown had accidentally left her eyeglasses on the table. After a quick search, they were discovered in the gutter outside the restaurant. Although Goldman had not served Nicole's table, he agreed to bring them to her home after work. Some authors, including Gerry Spence and Mark Fuhrman have cited this fact as evidence that Simpson and Goldman were lovers. Goldman told friends that he was "just friends" with Simpson.[1]
Before returning the eyeglasses, Goldman stopped at his apartment located at 11663 Gorham Avenue in Brentwood to change clothes and possibly take a shower. When he arrived at Nicole Brown Simpson's condominium located at 875 South Bundy Drive, he was murdered along with Simpson on the walkway leading to the residence, just a few weeks shy of his 26th birthday. During a reconstruction of the events, police believe he had arrived during or shortly after the murder of Simpson, and was stabbed to death in the process.
O. J. Simpson was charged and tried for both the murders of Goldman and his ex-wife. In October 1995, Simpson was found not guilty of both murders. In a 1997 civil trial, a jury found Simpson liable for Goldman's death and awarded $33 million (USD) in damages to the Goldman family.
During the trial, Fred Goldman lashed out at defense attorney Johnnie Cochran's courtroom rhetoric such as the labelling of Mark Fuhrman as a Hitler, and his use of bodyguards from the black nationalist group Nation of Islam. Simpson's family, in turn, verbally attacked Goldman, who was supported outside the court by chanting members of the Jewish Defense League.[2]
Simpson book
The rights to O. J. Simpson's book, If I Did It, a first-person account of how he would have committed the murders, were awarded to the Goldman family in August 2007. The family was granted the proceeds from the book in 2007 as part of a $33.5 million civil jury award against the ex-football star they have been trying to collect for over a decade. The Goldmans own the copyright, media rights and movie rights.[3] They also acquired Simpson's name, likeness, life story and right of publicity in connection with the book, according to court documents. After renaming the book to If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer, the Goldmans published it in September 2007 through Beaufort Books. Within days it became a bestseller [4]
Foundation
The Goldman family contributed a portion of proceeds from the If I Did It book sale to the newly-founded Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice.[5] The foundation provides grants for multiple organizations and programs that provide resources to victims and survivors of violent crimes.[6]
References
- ^ Mosk, Matthew (1994-6-15). "Victim Thrived on Life in Fast Lane, His Friends Recall". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-03-10.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Maclean's October 16, 1995 http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0010495
- ^
Celizic, Mike (2007-09-14). "Goldman family defends publication of 'If I Did It'". MSNBC.com. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^
CBS News (2007-09-18). ""If I Did It" Ghost Writer: O. J.'s Guilty". CBS News. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ USA TODAY 14 August 2007 :Denise Brown wants O. J. book boycott
- ^ The Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice 2007:The Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice