The only story here is that of (yawn)money. Poor David Cook (Goldman’s lawyer) got caught with his pants down when he let the “If I Did It” money slip away. It varies by State, but basically, in a Civil Case (Goldman) where the Court awards damages, you (Goldman) the victim, have the often dubious duty to go collect your money. There is nobody from the Court, in this case California, that is assigned to follow the perp(OJ) around and collect for the victim. So Fred’s got this judgment, and that’s a good thing, but only a start. It’s a useful thing to have to present to a Judge, in this case - Florida, or the Sheriff, to have notice prepared and served in attempt to collect the money. So, where was David Cook when OJ got the “If I Did It” money? Ask David, but I’ll tell you this. It’s going to cost you money to chase money in a Civil Judgment. In this case, you’d need to camp out in Florida to keep tabs on how/when OJ is making money, and be ready to use the proper procedure to get it. So, who’s going to pay for that? Fred? David? Florida’s got some of the most liberal debt laws around, but since OJ lives there, it wouldn’t hurt to domesticate the Judgment there and also garnish wages where OJ is employed. Has this been done? Ask David. Again, it’s going to cost money to do this. Is OJ employed? Maybe by Lorraine Brooke and maybe not. Ask Jonathan Polak, the attorney who formed the corporation for OJ. (Lorraine and Brooke are Simpson’s kids Arnel anad Sydey’s middle names). The new book Rights, Court thing? It’s a story to follow, and closely, if you are David and Fred and want some money. If there are “Rights” to revert to OJ or Lorraine Brooke (really doesn’t matter who) so what? If OJ got paid what’s standard in the biz, a “Kill Fee” by Harper Collins for not proceeding with “If I Did It,” he might be entitled to have the Rights returned. Is this so? Ask Judith Regan fired from Harper Collins, if you can pry her away from writing her own book. Are the “Rights” worth any money? That depends on the answer you give the sharks when asked, “will you buy The Book?” If your answer is “No,” that’s the end of the story.

O.K., I also believe that the Reuters piece was poorly done. No big surprise. I guess what raised my ire was the giddy tone in the quote from, lawyer, David Cook. I did a little more snooping and it appears that Cook is a collections attorney which, possibly, explains his delight. Another lawyer, Jonathan Polak, is the one whose quotes are being bandied around now.

The way I understand it, Harper-Collins/Newscorp. has rights that expire in May. At that time, they revert to a company called Lorraine Brooke. Lorraine Brooke is a front for O.J. The judge has ordered Lorraine Brooke to auction the rights. No date has been set for this auction. Polak has said that if no publisher bids on the book, the Goldmans will buy it and lock it up.

I was too harsh on Goldman in the post but this thing is still screwy. Since there is no date set for the auction, the plan may be to wait it out until interest goes away. However, if/when it does go to auction there will be sleazy publishers coming out of the woodwork. Does Goldman want to engage in a bidding fiasco with these guys?

Also, the money from any auction presumably goes to the Goldmans toward the civil judgment. Does this mean that Yale Galanter does not get compensated for his part in the sale?

Anyway, Outeasy I read the piece about Fred Pardo; good stuff. Is he related to Don Pardo? That makes me think about Don Pardo’s work on the Frank Zappa song, “I Am The Slime” (ironic isn’t it) which contains these doubly ironic lyrics…

Take it away Don Pardo

YOU WILL OBEY ME WHILE I LEAD YOU
AND EAT THE GARBAGE THAT I FEED YOU
UNTIL THE DAY THAT WE DON’T NEED YOU
DON’T GO FOR HELP NO-ONE WILL HEED YOU
YOUR MIND IS TOTALLY CONTROLLED
IT IS STUFFED INTO MY MOLD
AND YOU WILL DO AS YOU ARE TOLD
UNTIL THE RIGHTS TO YOU ARE SOLD

Believe me. Fred Goldman has zero interest in seeing “The Book” get published, even for the back of his closet. Simply, the court is granting Fred the right to pursue any future financial gain OJ may have left via “intellectual” property rights to “The Book.” That’s all. But, “The Book” and the “Rights” are gone - sold to News Corp., who is not being sued by Fred, nor is selling “The Book.” Thankfully, there is nothing for sale here. Fred, God bless him, only wants to make certain OJ does not stand to profit. The court, is but one way to make it so.

Outeasy
http://www.outeasy.wordpress.com

I tried to post the following to your site, but got bounced as a “spammer,” which I’m not :-) and no fan of OJ.

Get a cup of coffee and read this:

http://outeasy.wordpress.com/2007/03/13/my-dog/

Reuters didn’t do a very good job with that piece. The bottom line is OJ owns no present interest in the book or show, “If I did It.” These were sold by OJ to Harper Collins & Fox (Both Rupert Murdoch - News Corp.). But, there is nothing stopping OJ from selling rights to another book. So, this is good legal posturing by Fred G. to keep the heat going here, but there will be no auction in 30 days. Sadly, Fred, his lawyer, the judge, nor anybody else (OJ included) doesn’t know what OJ owns, but it never hurts to be safe. Fred’s lawyer David Cook has in the past said it himself, “We’re going to burrow to the center of the earth to find Simpson’s assets,” Now for money, Rupert, that’s another story, but not OJ, not this time. Good blog here, BTW!

Have a good evening,

Out Easy
http://www.outeasy.wordpress.com