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Goldman family acquires the rights to O.J. Simpson book

The family of Ron Goldman has acquired the rights to the controversial O.J . Simpson book about the murders of his wife, Nicole Brown-Simpson and Goldman, The Guardian reports. The book, which was titled If I Did It, Here’s How It Happened, was cancelled by its first publisher, the now-defunct HarperCollins imprint Regan Books, amid a storm of criticism.

Now, however, the new purchase means that the Goldman family will be looking for a publisher.

“Ron Goldman LLC will own Simpson’s name, likeness, signature and story and will hawk it to satisfy this terrible judgment. Justice has arrived in Miami,” the family’s lawyer, David Cook, told the Associated Press.

“The contract and the rights are going to be circulated among every major publisher, literary agent, movie and TV producer and entertainment lawyer in the United States,” Mr Cook added.

A bankruptcy court last month awarded the Goldman family ownership of the copyright to the manuscript to prevent Simpson profiting from its sale. Goldman’s family argued that any proceeds from the book should go towards a $33.5 [million] (£16.5 [million]) court award against the former actor and American football star. The award was granted by a jury which found he was responsible for both killings in a civil case brought after his acquittal for the 1994 murders. Simpson has avoided paying the award by declaring bankruptcy.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get uglier.