Who would attend O.J. Simpson’s funeral?
As you have likely already heard, and as you may very well still be celebrating, O.J. Simpson died last week at the age of 76.
The former football player, who almost definitely murdered his wife and a man named Ron Goldman back in 1994, had been diagnosed earlier this year with prostate cancer.
According to various sources, Simpson deteriorated rather rapidly afterward and was surrounded by all five of his kids when he passed.
Usually, after a famous person dies, family, friends and fans look forward to remembering their lives with a service of some kind. But given O.J.’s infamy, many wonder if a funeral might be appropriate.
Is a Funeral Planned For O.J. Simpson?
O.J.’s lawyer Malcolm LaVergne provided the public with an update on where things stand with Simpson’s body and also his fortune.
First, LaVergne says Simpson will be cremated.
There are no plans to have his brain donated to science, despite a push in some circles to determine whether or not the retired running back suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy… a degenerative brain disease that has been studied in ex-football players and is associated with behavioral and cognitive issues related to repeated head injuries.
As for details on a memorial or funeral, his lawyer did not say. We’ll have to assume that, if there is one, it will be kept private for the family, away from prying eyes.
Might be for the best.
Simpson’s Money and The Debt He Owes To Nicole and Goldman’s Families
Elsewhere, LaVergne walked back previous comment he had made.
Last week, LaVergne told The Las Vegas Review-Journal that he’d fight to prevent a payout of the $33.5 million judgment awarded to the families of Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Goldman.
He even said wanted Fred Goldman, Ron’s father, to receive “zero, nothing” of Simpson’s estate… despite Simpson having been found guilty for Ron’s death in a civil trial.
“I can tell you in advance, Fred Goldman’s claim will be accepted. And his claim will be handled in accordance with Nevada law,” LaVergne now tells The Hollywood Reporter, alleging that his earlier comments were not in response to Fred Goldman, but toward his attorneys.
Added Simpson’s lawyer since 2009:
“Within an hour of knowing that O.J. died, he started talking sh-t. My advocate instinct is was, ‘Oh, you’re gonna keep shitting on him even after he’s dead?’
“Fine, you know? You get nothing.’ And so, those were my remarks then. But I backtracked, and they were pretty harsh remarks. And now I’m going in the other direction.”
LaVergne claims now that he plans to invite Goldman’s mother and the person in control of Brown’s estate to a meet at his office in order to be transparent about the process.
“We can get this thing resolved in a calm and dispassionate manner,” LaVergne says.
We’ll see about that, of course.
Now serving as the executor of Simpson’s estate, LaVergne also says there are tentative plans for a “celebration of life” gathering for O.J., limited to close friends and family.
We’re not exactly sure who else would attend such an event, considering we all had the same reaction upon learning of Simpson’s death, didn’t we?
As Caitlyn Jenner noted, GOOD RIDDANCE.