O.J. Simpson's Estate to Fight Payouts of $33.5M Judgment to Brown, Goldman Families

O.J. Simpson's longtime lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne, said this week that he will fight to prevent the families of Nicole Brown-Simpson and Ron Goldman from collecting a $33.5 million judgment from Simpson's estate.

Simpson's family announced Wednesday that he died at age 76 after suffering from cancer. Simpson's will names LaVergne as the executor, per the Associated Press.

In 1994, Simpson was charged with the murders of Brown-Simpson, who was his ex-wife, and Goldman in Los Angeles.

Simpson was controversially acquitted of the charges in a criminal trial in 1995, but the Brown-Simpson and Goldman families subsequently filed a civil lawsuit.

In 1997, the former NFL running back and actor was found liable for the deaths of Brown-Simpson and Goldman, and he was ordered to pay $33.5 million to the families.

Many of Simpson's assets were seized during the aftermath of the civil judgment, and during that time Simpson sold the Heisman Trophy he won at USC for $230,000.

LaVerge told the Las Vegas Review-Journal (h/t the Associated Press) that there has never been a court order forcing Simpson to make payments to the Brown and Goldman families.

Additionally, LaVerge expressed his desire that the Goldman family receive nothing from Simpson's estate, saying: "It's my hope that the Goldmans get zero, nothing. Them specifically. And I will do everything in my capacity as the executor or personal representative to try and ensure that they get nothing."

LaVerge took issue with the Goldman family winning control of the manuscript for Simpson's book If I Did It. The Goldman family released the book in 2007 and renamed it If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer.

Simpson rose to prominence as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, earning six Pro Bowl selections, five First Team All-Pro nods and one NFL MVP Award in nine seasons with the Buffalo Bills and two with the San Francisco 49ers.

Simpson went on to enjoy success as an actor and NFL commentator after retiring from football as well.

In 2008, Simpson was found guilty on 12 charges related to a 2007 robbery in Las Vegas, and he went on to spend nine years in prison.

Given Simpson's multiple legal issues, the size of his estate is unclear, and LaVerge declined to comment on any specifics.

Per the AP, Simpson previously said that he had been living exclusively off his NFL and private pensions.