In 1995, O.J. Simpson pleaded not guilty to the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. He was acquitted, but in 2007, he released a book titled “If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer,” where he more or less confessed to the crimes. The book was purchased for publication by ReganBooks, an imprint of HarperCollins, run by Judith Regan, supported by News Corp. Amid controversy, negotiations for the book included an agreement for Simpson to do a television interview to promote it, where he would describe, in hypothetical terms, what might have happened on the night of the murders.
The book was shelved after a public outcry, leading to the loss of Ms. Regan’s job. Fred and Kim Goldman, the father and sister of Ronald Goldman, secured the rights to publish the book in 2007 with additions by the ghostwriter and Dominick Dunne. Despite opposition to Simpson profiting from the murders he had been acquitted of, negotiations for the book included the provision that the proceeds would go into trusts for Simpson’s children. Simpson agreed to an on-camera interview as part of the deal to avoid any claims that his words were twisted or misrepresented.
The interview with Simpson was conducted by Ms. Regan in 2006, where Simpson presented a hypothetical version of the events leading to the murders of Brown Simpson and Goldman. He claimed to have gone to her house to confront her about her behavior, stating that his rage was fueled by concerns for his children. Simpson mentioned an imaginary accomplice named Charlie but maintained that he was not alone during the incident. His account included details that aligned with the prosecution’s narrative during the murder trial, including leaving behind evidence at the crime scene and rushing to catch a flight to Chicago.
While the interview led Ms. Regan to believe that Simpson was finally revealing the truth, it faced backlash from Fox affiliates, the victims’ families, and ultimately did not air as originally planned. News Corp decided not to publish the book following the controversy, and Ms. Regan was fired soon after. With the Goldman family taking control of the book through a bankruptcy court, it was eventually published in 2007 through a different company, and the earnings went to the Goldman family. Ms. Regan, now running Regan Arts, was surprised when Fox representatives indicated they were going to air the interview years later.
Despite her strained relationship with News Corp, Ms. Regan agreed to participate in a panel discussion about the interview. She described the interview as Simpson’s confession and characterized him as a sociopath. The revelations in the book and interview shed a different light on Simpson’s involvement in the murders, underscoring the complex series of events and negotiations surrounding the publication of his account of the crimes and the aftermath.
