While some saw O.J. Simpson’s death as a tragedy, Ron Goldman’s father, Fred Goldman, said that it only brought painful memories and the harsh realization of the time stolen from his son and Nicole Brown. In a statement to People, Fred continued to lament the loss of the two.
“This is just a reminder for us of how long Ron has been gone, how long we have missed him and nothing more than that,” he said. “That is the only thing that is important today. It is the pain from then until now. There is nothing today that is more important than the loss of my son and the loss of Nicole.” In a separate statement to NBC News, he also dismissed Simpson’s death as “no great loss to the world,” and in an interview with The Daily Beast, he stressed that it did not bring “closure” to their family. “There is no such thing,” he said.
In 2017, Fred expressed ongoing frustration with the outcome of the criminal trial against Simpson. “I still, to this day, have a hard time with the fact that he wasn’t found guilty,” he told “Good Morning America.” The civil court victory, though legally satisfying, left them “very empty,” yet he hoped it would inspire others to take action. “I think it set an upward path for other victims and survivors,” he said. “And I think it gave a lot of room for people to start rebuilding and healing when you get to be in the driver’s seat.”
