Goldman, Brown Families React to News Corp. Decision to Scrap O.J. Book, TV Special

NEW YORK – The families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman applauded the cancellation of O.J. Simpson's book and television special about how he would have killed his ex-wife and her friend if, in fact, he did do it.

Ron Goldman's father, Fred Goldman, told "The Early Show" Tuesday that News Corp.'s move to scrap Simpson's material is evidence that the "voices of the people can be heard."

Ron Goldman's sister, Kim Goldman, who also appeared on the show, said the family would take legal action to collect any money Simpson received from the deal.

News Corp., the parent company of book publisher HarperCollins and the FOX network — the publishing house that was to release the book and the network that was to air the interview — scrapped the project on Monday.

"I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project," said News Corp. head Rupert Murdoch. "We are sorry for any pain that this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson."

Nicole Brown Simpson's sister, Denise Brown, told the "Today" show that she's "thrilled" that "the American public stepped up."

She also accused News Corp. Tuesday of trying to buy her family's silence for "millions of dollars."

A spokesman for News Corp. confirmed that the company had conversations with representatives of Nicole Brown Simpson's and Ron Goldman's families over the past week and that the families were offered profits from the planned Simpson book and television show, but he denied that it was hush money.

"There were no strings attached," News Corp. spokesman Andrew Butcher said.

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HarperCollins spokeswoman Erin Crum said some copies of the book, called "If I Did It," had already been shipped to stores but would be recalled, and all copies would be destroyed. She would not say how long that would take.

Simpson told The Associated Press in a phone interview late Monday he could not comment on the situation "until I know legally where I stand."

He added, "I would like nothing better than to straighten out some things that have been mischaracterized. But I think I'm legally muzzled at this point."

Simpson's attorney describes him as being "totally indifferent" to Murdoch's decision to cancel the deal.

Michael Levine, media consultant and owner of Levine Communications, said he thinks the decision to drop the book and interview shows that most Americans thought Simpson was guilty of murder.

Before the decision was announced, a dozen FOX affiliates had already said they would not air the two-part sweeps month special, which was scheduled to air next week ahead of the book's publication.

One station manager who had said he wouldn't air the special said he was concerned that whether or not Simpson was guilty, he would still be profiting from murders.

"I have my own moral compass and this was easy," said Bill Lamb, general manager of WDRB in Louisville.

The book cancellation was a stunning rebuke to ReganBooks — a high-profile imprint of HarperCollins — and Judith Regan, who had labeled the book and interview Simpson's "confession." She insisted that she had done it not for money, but as a victim of domestic violence anxious to face down a man she believed got away, literally, with murder.

Simpson was acquitted of murder in 1995 but was later found liable for the deaths in a wrongful-death suit filed by the Goldman family. Simpson has failed to pay the $33.5 million judgment against him in the civil case. His NFL pension and his Florida home cannot legally be seized. He and the families of the victims have wrangled over the money in court for years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

FOX and HarperCollins are owned by News Corp., which is the parent company of FOXNews.com.