If I Did It

If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer
Author(s)	O. J. Simpson Pablo Fenjves (ghostwriter)[1] Dominick Dunne The Goldman family
Original title	If I Did It
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Non-Fiction, Supposed Fiction
Publisher	Beaufort Books (Regan Books/HarperCollins, before cancellation)
Publication date	September 13, 2007
Media type	Hardback
Pages	208
ISBN	978-0-8253-0588-7
Preceded by	I Want to Tell You: My Response to Your Letters, Your Messages, Your Questions

If I Did It is a book by O. J. Simpson, in which he puts forth a hypothetical description of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Simpson was tried and acquitted of the murders in a criminal trial (People v. Simpson) but later found financially liable in a civil trial.^[2] Although the original release of the book was canceled shortly after it was announced in November 2006, 400,000 physical copies of the original book were printed, and by June 2007, copies of the book had leaked online.^[3]

The book was originally due to be published by Regan Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, which was headed by editor and publisher Judith Regan. It was originally planned that the book would be promoted via a television special featuring an interview with Simpson on Fox Broadcasting Company. Fox and HarperCollins are both owned by the News Corporation. This special had the longer title, O. J. Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened. Like the original release of the book, the special was canceled.

In August 2007, a Florida bankruptcy court awarded the rights to the book to the Goldman family partially to satisfy the civil judgment. The title of the book was changed to If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer, and published by Beaufort Books. Comments were added to the original manuscript by the Goldman family, the book's ghostwriter Pablo Fenjves, and journalist Dominick Dunne.^[4] The new cover design printed the word "If" greatly reduced in size compared with the other words, and placed it inside the "I"; a person glancing at the cover only briefly may have the impression that it is entitled I Did It. In this new form, the book was published in September 2007.

First release cancelled

Original first release cover.

The book was unofficially announced in The National Enquirer in late October 2006^[5] and immediately denied by Simpson's lawyer.

The book was announced in mid-November 2006 for release on November 30, 2006, but intense public criticism led to the cancellation of the book's publication and a related television interview, both from divisions of News Corporation (HarperCollins/ReganBooks and Fox Broadcasting Company, respectively). According to a Newsweek story, all 400,000 printed copies were recalled for 'pulping', except for one, locked away in a vault at News Corp.^[6] One copy did show up on eBay on January 15, 2007, with a starting bid of $1500, and sold for over $65,000 fueling speculation about whether News Corp. was able to destroy all printed copies.^{[citation needed]} James Wolcott of Vanity Fair obtained a "pristine hardcover" copy of the book for a review published in January 2007.^[7]

Pre-publication controversy

If I Did It ignited a storm of pre-publication controversy, largely due to the perception that Simpson was trying to profit from the two deaths for which he had been found liable.

"This is not about being heard. This is about trying to cash in, in a pathetic way, on some notoriety," said Sara Nelson, editor-in-chief of Publishers Weekly. "That a person keeps wanting to bring this up seems almost nutty to me."^[8]

Denise Brown, sister of murder victim Nicole Brown Simpson, said, "We hope [publisher] Ms. Regan takes full accountability for promoting the wrongdoing of criminals and leveraging this forum and the actions of Simpson to commercialize abuse."^[8]

She went on to say that Simpson's "two children will be exposed to [his] inexplicable behavior and we will provide them with our love and support during this time. It's unfortunate that [O.J.] Simpson has decided to awaken a nightmare that we have painfully endured and worked so hard to move beyond."

Patricia Schroeder, president and chief executive of the Association of American Publishers, described the developments as sickening:

"But I think it's going to stir an awful lot of debate and make the culture take a real look at itself, and that may not be unhealthy."^[8]

The day after the announcement, an online boycott encouraging Americans to ignore the book commenced at OJbookBoycott.com^[9] and similar boycotts began in Australia and Europe.^[10] Within four days of the book's announcement, over 58,394 people had signed an online petition developed by Ronald Goldman's family, DontPayOJ.com,^[11] declaring their opposition to the book.^[12] The website directed boycotters to send protests to HarperCollins, ReganBooks, Fox television and all major booksellers in the United States.

Bookshops were divided as to stocking this title in their stores. Numerous independent stores, appalled by Simpson's book, said either that they would not sell it or would offer limited copies and give away the proceeds.^[13] Borders Books and Waldenbooks said they would donate any profits they made from the book to charities which benefit victims of domestic violence. Borders, Inc. spokesperson Ann Binkley said, "The book will be available for sale at all Borders and Waldenbooks stores because we believe it is the right of customers to decide what they read and what to buy, but we will not discount the title or promote it".^[14]

Prior to its cancellation, If I Did It was debated in Canada as well, with several stores there saying they would only order it for customers, but not stock it.^[15]

In the days following the book's announcement, preorders put it in the top 20 of Amazon.com's bestseller list, though it had fallen to #51 when the book's cancellation was announced.^[16]

The proposed book outraged the Goldman family. "It's disgusting. Judith Regan is an opportunist. She's helping a murderer get his voice out there," Goldman's sister Kim Goldman told the New York Daily News.^[17] According to lawyers for the family of Ron Goldman, the family planned to attempt to garnish any earnings Simpson may get from the book. Fred Goldman, Ron Goldman's father, was awarded $33.5 million by a jury in 1997 for the wrongful death of Ron Goldman though Simpson never paid this judgment due to California law that prevents pensions from being used to satisfy judgments. Of the book and television interview, Goldman says,

"It is an all-time low for television. To imagine that a major network would put a murderer on TV to have him tell how he would murder the mother of his children and my son is beyond comprehension. It’s morally reprehensible to me... to think you are willing to give somebody airtime about how they would murder two people."^[18]

Legal experts theorized that Simpson might be able to avoid paying the Goldmans or Browns any money. "I think it's going to be difficult if [Simpson] arranges to have [book profits] deposited abroad," said lawyer Tom Mesereau, who successfully defended Michael Jackson in his child molestation trial in 2005. "It's one thing to enforce a judgment in America, and another to enforce it overseas."

Mesereau said Simpson also might have profits "paid into a trust offshore or a corporation in a different name."^[19]

Fox Broadcasting Company said it would air a two-part taped interview with Simpson, conducted by Regan. The interview was scheduled to air on November 27 and November 29, 2006, timed to coincide with the publication. The program would not have been a "news" show under the auspices of the Fox News unit; the broadcast network's alternative programming department, headed by Mike Darnell, would have been responsible. The network released this statement on November 15, 2006:

"O.J. Simpson, in his own words, tells for the first time how he would have committed the murders if he were the one responsible for the crimes. In the two-part event, Simpson describes how he would have carried out the murders he has vehemently denied committing for over a decade."^[20]

On November 16, 2006, Regan issued a statement claiming that her reason for doing the interview and releasing the book was an attempt to find closure after having been a battered woman herself.

"The men who lied and cheated and beat me – they were all there in the room," she said. "And the people who denied it, they were there, too. And though it might sound a little strange, Nicole and Ron were in my heart. And for them I wanted him to confess his sins, do penance, and to amend his life. Amen."^[21]

Screenwriter Pablo Fenjves, a witness at Simpson's 1995 trial, was the ghostwriter for Simpson's book. Fenjves has since stated that he believes Simpson is "a murderer".^[22]

Fox affiliate reaction

By November 19 or 20, 2006, before the special was cancelled, over a dozen Fox affiliates had either refused to carry it or decided to air it but devote local time to public service announcements. Stations in Springfield, Missouri,^[13] and Johnstown-Altoona-State College, Pennsylvania area were the first to turn down the special on November 17, 2006,^[23] along with two other stations in Spokane, Washington^[24] and Louisville, Kentucky.^[25]

The largest station group to show refusal to air the special was LIN Television^{[citation needed]} with Fox affiliates in six markets:

• Mobile, Alabama
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Toledo, Ohio
• Providence, Rhode Island
• Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia

Pappas Telecasting was second in line, and said they would pre-empt the program on their Fox stations in four markets^[26] along with Fox stations in Bismarck-Minot, North Dakota:^[27]

• Fresno, California
• Omaha, Nebraska
• Sioux City, Iowa
• Lincoln, Superior and Grand Island, Nebraska

Fox affiliates KCPQ in Seattle, Washington—owned by Tribune Company—and XETV-TV in Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego, California—owned by Mexican media giant Televisa and operated by Entravision under a Local Marketing Agreement—were both reportedly undecided, but each indicated that if they aired the special, they would not sell local ad time, instead giving that time to local domestic violence organizations to air public service announcements.^[28]

Fox affiliate WRAZ in Raleigh, North Carolina, owned by Capitol Broadcasting Company was the last station to refuse to air the special.^{[citation needed]}

NBC said that it was approached to air the interview, but declined, saying, "This is not a project appropriate for our network."^[29] NBC formerly employed Simpson as a football analyst.

Project cancellation

On November 20, 2006, News Corporation issued a statement saying that the book and television special had been cancelled. In the statement, NewsCorp chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said, "I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project. We are sorry for any pain this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown-Simpson."^[30]

The Associated Press called the book's cancellation "an astonishing end to a story like no other," noting that a publisher withdrawing a book for its content "is virtually unheard of."^[16]

Because the interview exists on tape, executives at Fox and News Corporation said it is likely to turn up somewhere, perhaps on the Internet.^[31]

On November 21, 2006, Denise Brown accused Fox of trying to stop the Goldman and Brown families from criticizing the project by offering millions of dollars for their silence surrounding the project, "They wanted to offer us millions of dollars. Millions of dollars for, like, 'Oh, I'm sorry' money. But they were still going to air the show," Brown said. "We just thought, 'Oh my God.' What they're trying to do is trying to keep us quiet, trying to make this like hush money, trying to go around the civil verdict, giving us this money to keep our mouths shut."^[32]

Denise Brown told NBC's The Today Show that her family's response was: "Absolutely not." Fox confirmed that the Brown and Goldman families were offered profit participation deals for the projects but denies that it was hush money.^[32] "Last week, when concerns were raised by the public that we were profiting from this guy's story, we tried to work out some arrangement with the family. Never was there any suggestion of them being barred from talking about it. We would never suggest that," said News Corp spokesman Andrew Butcher.^[33] HarperCollins announced on December 16, 2006 that Judith Regan was fired for allegedly making "anti-Semitic" remarks and that ReganBooks would be absorbed into the HarperCollins General Books group.^[34] Regan eventually sued for wrongful termination,^[35] stating the accusations were a complete fabrication,^[36] and settled, eventually compelling News Corporation to admit the anti-Semitic accusations were untrue.^[37]

Leak on the Internet

On June 13, 2007, a PDF version of the book was leaked on the Internet through Rapidshare and appeared the next day on various BitTorrent websites. The original Rapidshare post was announced through a video posted on YouTube which showed a hardcover version of the book followed by a computer screen on which appeared the Firefox browser with the Rapidshare address.^[38]

Republication

On August 14, 2007, it was reported that a literary agent for the Goldman family, Sharlene Martin, had made a deal to publish the book under the new title "Confessions of the Killer."^[39] All of Simpson's writing was to remain intact, with the addition of "key commentary." The book was released about a month later, on September 13, 2007. Some of the proceeds benefit the Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice. The Ronald Lyle Goldman Justice Foundation was planned in 1995 to fund civil legal action against Simpson.^[40]

In February 2007, a Canadian publisher, Barclay Road Inc. expressed interest in publishing the book. Barclay Road CEO Herbert Becker said that public opinion turned against the book without anybody really knowing of its contents. He said his company would look into obtaining the rights to the book.^[41]

Transfer of rights

Rights for the book were transferred to the Goldman family, who receive 90 percent of profits, as part of their settlement. The family's lawyers announced intentions to pursue new publishing, film, or TV deals in order to receive some of $33.5 million awarded to them in the civil case.^[42]

Lawsuits

Fred Goldman sued Lorraine Brooke Associates, a shell corporation, for the publishing rights after it filed for bankruptcy. After Goldman purchased the rights from the court-appointed bankruptcy trustee,^[43] Nicole's father, Louis H. Brown, sued Goldman, attempting to stop the publication but lost.^[44]

Contents

The first part of the If I Did It manuscript details Simpson's early relationship with Nicole and their marriage. The latter part of the manuscript describes details of the murders as they would have occurred had Simpson committed them. However, Simpson's attorney said that there is "only one chapter that deals with their deaths and that chapter, in my understanding, has a disclaimer that it's complete fiction."^[45] In Simpson's hypothetical scenario, he has an unwilling accomplice named "Charlie" who told Simpson to stop the murders, which Simpson performed anyway.^[46]

HarperCollins Publishers had planned to publish it under their Regan Books imprint on November 30, 2006. The National Enquirer made unproven claims in October 2006 that Simpson would be paid US$3.5 million for the book.^[47] Regan was quoted by the Associated Press as saying, "This is a historic case, and I consider this his confession."^[8]

A source cited by The National Enquirer described the If I Did It account of the double murder as "so detailed and chillingly realistic—with O.J. as the central figure—that it leaves no doubt it is a confession of what really happened."^[48]

In one portion of an interview to promote the book, taped before the project was cancelled, Regan said to Simpson, "You wrote, 'I have never seen so much blood in my life.'" Simpson responded, "I don't think any two people could be murdered without everybody being covered in blood."^[48]

The first version's cover, as released by HarperCollins, showed a photograph of Simpson with the words "I Did It" in red and the word "If" in white.^[49] The Beaufort version had the words "I Did It" in large type and the word "If" written in a tiny font and placed at the top of the "I". Neither version of the book has Simpson's name anywhere on the front cover.

Adaptations

A 2007 episode of Law & Order titled "Murder Book" is adapted from the circumstances of If I Did It. In the episode, a former professional baseball player is seeking to publish a controversial book titled If I Killed Her, describing an ostensibly fictional account of the murder of his wife for which the ballplayer was acquitted several years earlier.

References

1. ^ Murr, Andrew (March 3, 2008). "A Friendly Ghost". Newsweek. http://www.newsweek.com/id/114710. 
2. ^ Index of Civil Trial Reports by USA Today
3. ^ "OJ "Did It" Manuscript Leaked Online – TMZ.com – Entertainment News, Celebrity Gossip and Hollywood Rumors". TMZ.com. http://www.tmz.com/2007/06/19/oj-did-it-leaked-online/. Retrieved January 24, 2011. 
4. ^ Beaufort Books > Books > If I Did It^{[dead link]}
5. ^ No Juice-y Book, Lawyer Says^{[dead link]}
6. ^ O.J. Book: Evidence of Guilt? – Newsweek National News – MSNBC.com^{[dead link]}
7. ^ Wolcott, James. "James Wolcott reviews O.J. Simpson's "If I Did It": Fame & Scandal". vanityfair.com. http://www.vanityfair.com/fame/features/2007/01/ojsimpson200701?currentPage=1. Retrieved January 24, 2011. 
8. ^ ^{a b c d} "Publisher on O.J.: 'I consider this his confession'". Associated Press. CNN. November 16, 2006. Archived from the original on November 17, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20061117113309/http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/11/15/simpsoninterview.ap/index.html. Retrieved November 16, 2006. 
9. ^ "OJ Book Boycott". http://www.ojbookboycott.com/. Retrieved November 16, 2006. 
10. ^ Lusetich, Robert (November 17, 2006). "OJ confession book boycotted". The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20772095-2703,00.html. Retrieved November 16, 2006. 
11. ^ "Former lawyers mum on Simpson's book". Mercury News. November 18, 2006. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/the_valley/16045594.htm. 
12. ^ "Online petition". http://www.dontpayoj.com/. Retrieved November 18, 2006. 
13. ^ ^{a b} Staff report. "Springfield’s Fox channel station drops O.J. interview". Springfield News-Leader. Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071010055600/http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061117/BREAKING01/61117019. Retrieved November 18, 2006. 
14. ^ Grant, Justin (November 18, 2006). "Booksellers mixed on stocking OJ Simpson book". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/17/AR2006111701510.html. Retrieved November 18, 2006. ^{[dead link]}
15. ^ "Canadian retailers divided over O.J. Simpson book". CBC.ca. November 17, 2006. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2006/11/17/oj-canada-bookstores.html. Retrieved November 23, 2006. 
16. ^ ^{a b} "OJ Simpson Book, TV special canceled". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/20/AR2006112000671.html. Retrieved November 20, 2006. ^{[dead link]}
17. ^ Caruso, Michelle (November 16, 2006). "Gloves off: Vics' kin blast O.J. book". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on February 13, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070213044450/http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/471947p-397076c.html. Retrieved November 16, 2006. 
18. ^ Abcarian, Robin; Miller, Martin (November 16, 2006). "Simpson to tell how he could have killed pair". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-me-simpson16nov16,0,4376301.story?coll=la-home-headlines. Retrieved November 16, 2006. 
19. ^ Francescani, Chris; Davis, Ellen, and Pearle, Lauren (November 16, 2006). "Simpson in the Clear". ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/US/LegalCenter/story?id=2657012&page=2. Retrieved November 16, 2006. 
20. ^ "O.J. Simpson to Tell FOX How He Would Have Killed Slain Wife Nicole". Fox News. November 15, 2006. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,229504,00.html. Retrieved December 15, 2008. 
21. ^ "Regan turns on O.J. Simpson". ABC News. November 2006. http://abcnews.go.com/2020/LegalCenter/story?id=2660635. Retrieved November 16, 2006. 
22. ^ "O.J. Confesses. Really.: The ghostwriter of If I Did It calls Simpson "a murderer."". Slate. January 15, 2007. http://www.slate.com/id/2157652/. Retrieved September 15, 2007. 
23. ^ Danahy, Anne. "Fox channel won't air O.J.; WWCP refuses to show Simpson chat about deaths of ex-wife, friend". Centre Daily Times. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071014071906/http://centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/16043573.htm. Retrieved November 18, 2006. 
24. ^ Italie, Hillel. "Book maven not afraid of controversy; O.J. publisher takes business to new level". The Spokesman-Review. http://www.spokesmanreview.com/features/story.asp?ID=160189. Retrieved November 19, 2006. 
25. ^ Lamb, Bill (WDRB general manager). "The O.J. Special: Fox Finally Comes Through (Station editorial)". WDRB (Channel 41), Louisville, Kentucky. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071014114715/http://fox41.com/article/view/9147/?tf=wdrbarticleview.tpl. Retrieved November 21, 2006. 
26. ^ Raines, Ben. "O.J. interview won't be shown in Mobile (additionally mentions LIN and Pappas preemptions, and KCPQ's ad plan)". Mobile Press-Register. http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/news/1163931713112460.xml&coll=3. Retrieved November 19, 2006. 
27. ^ Benson, Jim. "Fox Stations Kill OJ Special". Broadcasting and Cable. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6393289.html. Retrieved November 19, 2006. 
28. ^ Source for XETV: More Fox Affiliates Kill O.J. Special, Jim Benson and Caroline Palmer, Broadcasting & Cable, November 20, 2006
29. ^ McClam, Erin (Associated Press). "O.J. 'confesses' in what-if book". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&col=968793972154&c=Article&cid=1163631019198&call_pageid=968332188492. Retrieved November 16, 2006. 
30. ^ News Corporation (November 20, 2006). "News Corporation Cancels Simpson Book and TV Special". http://www.newscorp.com/news/news_320.html. Retrieved November 20, 2006. 
31. ^ Carter, Bill; Wyatt, Edward (November 21, 2006). "Under pressure, Newscorp Pulls Simpson Book, TV Show". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/21/us/21simp.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5094&en=1c5a7441a09e446a&hp&ex=1164171600&partner=homepage. Retrieved November 21, 2006. 
32. ^ ^{a b} Italie, Hillel (November 21, 2006). "O.J. Simpson Project Could Turn on Web". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/21/AR2006112100316.html. Retrieved May 5, 2010. 
33. ^ Piccalo, Gina; James, Meg (November 22, 2006). "Simpson project was hot topic inside Fox". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-simpson22nov22,1,7246953.story?coll=la-headlines-business. Retrieved May 5, 2010. ^{[dead link]}
34. ^ "Fired Editor’s Remarks Said to Have Provoked Murdoch". New York Times. December 18, 2006. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/18/business/media/18regan.html?_r=1&hp&ex=1166418000&en=c9fced1f36c5e7ab&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=slogin. Retrieved May 7, 2009. 
35. ^ If She Did It.
36. ^ Eyewitness backs ousted O.J. publisher
37. ^ Judith Regan Lawsuit Is Settled
38. ^ "O.J. Simpson If I Did It Released on Internet". Youtube.com. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-YnzqwZTdY&mode=related&search=. Retrieved January 24, 2011. 
39. ^ "O.J. Simpson's 'If I Did It' to be published." CNN.com, 2007-08-14. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
40. ^ Goldman Family Moves Towards Civil Suit against Simpson." The Tech Online Edition, 1995-10-13. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
41. ^ CBC Arts (February 7, 2007). ""Barclay Road Inc., Montreal-based Publisher looks to publish If I did It"". Cbc.ca. http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2007/02/07/simpson-montreal-pub.html. Retrieved January 24, 2011. 
42. ^ Jane Sutton. "Goldman family gets rights to O.J. Simpson book," Reuters, July 30, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2007.
43. ^ Kennedy, Kelli (July 3, 2007). "Goldman Family Buys Rights To Simpson Manuscript". The Washington Post. Associated Press. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/03/AR2007070300037.html. 
44. ^ Goldstein, Bonnie (August 21, 2007). "O.J.'s Victims' Families Slug It Out". Slate.com. http://www.slate.com/id/2172515/entry/0/. 
45. ^ "O.J. book sparks new outrage". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. November 16, 2006. http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2006/11/16/oj_book_sparks_new_outrage/. Retrieved November 16, 2006. 
46. ^ "Evidence of Guilt?" by Mark Miller. Newsweek. 2007-01-22. pages 48–49.
47. ^ Walls, Jeannette (October 30, 2006). "O.J. Simpson to confess– hypothetically". MSNBC. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15066202/. Retrieved July 29, 2008. 
48. ^ ^{a b} de Moraes, Lisa (November 15, 2006). "A Fox Shocker: In Depth With O.J. Simpson for A Ratings Boost". The Washington Post: pp. C01. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/14/AR2006111401237_2.html?nav=rss_email/components. Retrieved November 16, 2006. 
49. ^ Norfolk Fox affiliate won't show O.J. Simpson interview | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com