Murdoch cancels OJ Simpson plans
Rupert Murdoch's media companies have cancelled plans for a controversial book by OJ Simpson and televised interview with him.
The book and programme If I Did It, in which Mr Simpson describes how he would have killed his ex-wife and her friend, had caused public outrage.
Mr Murdoch said he was "sorry for any pain this has caused".
Mr Simpson was acquitted of murdering ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman on 12 June 1994.
Judith Regan, publisher of ReganBooks, owned by Mr Murdoch's News Corp, had said she considered the book Mr Simpson's confession.
Several affiliates of Mr Murdoch's Fox TV had refused to screen the interview on the grounds of bad taste.
Mr Murdoch said: "I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project.
"We are sorry for any pain that this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson."
The TV programme was intended to promote the ex-American footballer's book, which was planned for publication on 30 November.
The deal with Mr Murdoch's broadcasting and publishing companies was worth $3.5m (£1.85m).
During the interview, Mr Simpson describes how he would have carried out the murders at his ex-wife's home in Los Angeles "if he were the one responsible".
Fox TV had scheduled the Simpson interview to air on 27 and 29 November. There are about 200 Fox affiliates across the US.
'Insult to injury'
Ronald Goldman's father, Fred, and sister Kim have left Americans in no doubt about their view of the programme.
"It's one more added insult to injury. I can't stand to see him around - he makes my skin crawl.
"It's an insult to my family; it's an insult to Nicole's family; it's an insult to every right-thinking human being," Mr Goldman said.
Ms Goldman said: "The fact that he is going to breathe Ron's name or the Goldman name or Nicole's name in some kind of correlation with how he would have done it - there's nothing that's OK about this whole thing to me."
The 1995 verdict divided US opinion along racial lines, with most white people feeling that justice had not been done.
Mr Simpson was later found liable for the deaths in a civil trial and ordered to pay $33.5m in damages - money that has never been collected.
The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says the civil trial result and America's constitutional freedom of speech rights have enabled people to openly say they believe Mr Simpson is a murderer.
Legal analyst Stan Goldman - no relation to the murdered man - says Mr Simpson was trying to get his revenge.
"Even if you view this as a confession, since Simpson can't be tried again, he's basically just thumbing his nose at the authorities and thumbing his nose at the Goldman family who he grew to hate during the course of the trial," he said.
Mr Simpson would have faced no further penalty as a result of the book or interview.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6167420.stm
Published: 2006/11/20 21:24:50 GMT
© BBC MMVI
Rupert Murdoch's media companies have cancelled plans for a controversial book by OJ Simpson and televised interview with him.
The book and programme If I Did It, in which Mr Simpson describes how he would have killed his ex-wife and her friend, had caused public outrage.
Mr Murdoch said he was "sorry for any pain this has caused".
Mr Simpson was acquitted of murdering ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman on 12 June 1994.
Judith Regan, publisher of ReganBooks, owned by Mr Murdoch's News Corp, had said she considered the book Mr Simpson's confession.
Several affiliates of Mr Murdoch's Fox TV had refused to screen the interview on the grounds of bad taste.
Mr Murdoch said: "I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project.
"We are sorry for any pain that this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson."
The TV programme was intended to promote the ex-American footballer's book, which was planned for publication on 30 November.
The deal with Mr Murdoch's broadcasting and publishing companies was worth $3.5m (£1.85m).
During the interview, Mr Simpson describes how he would have carried out the murders at his ex-wife's home in Los Angeles "if he were the one responsible".
Fox TV had scheduled the Simpson interview to air on 27 and 29 November. There are about 200 Fox affiliates across the US.
'Insult to injury'
Ronald Goldman's father, Fred, and sister Kim have left Americans in no doubt about their view of the programme.
"It's one more added insult to injury. I can't stand to see him around - he makes my skin crawl.
"It's an insult to my family; it's an insult to Nicole's family; it's an insult to every right-thinking human being," Mr Goldman said.
Ms Goldman said: "The fact that he is going to breathe Ron's name or the Goldman name or Nicole's name in some kind of correlation with how he would have done it - there's nothing that's OK about this whole thing to me."
The 1995 verdict divided US opinion along racial lines, with most white people feeling that justice had not been done.
Mr Simpson was later found liable for the deaths in a civil trial and ordered to pay $33.5m in damages - money that has never been collected.
The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says the civil trial result and America's constitutional freedom of speech rights have enabled people to openly say they believe Mr Simpson is a murderer.
Legal analyst Stan Goldman - no relation to the murdered man - says Mr Simpson was trying to get his revenge.
"Even if you view this as a confession, since Simpson can't be tried again, he's basically just thumbing his nose at the authorities and thumbing his nose at the Goldman family who he grew to hate during the course of the trial," he said.
Mr Simpson would have faced no further penalty as a result of the book or interview.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6167420.stm
Published: 2006/11/20 21:24:50 GMT
© BBC MMVI
