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Ex-manager says OJ Simpson confessed
Ex-manager says OJ Simpson confessed
http :// ap.google,com /article/ALeqM5iUNgbOr-2bnpFUX0MiII6je2CkRAD90IT84G0
Exclusive: Ex-manager says OJ Simpson confessed
By LINDA DEUTSCH - 4 hours ago
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A memorabilia dealer who profited from O.J. Simpson
for
many years is the latest former crony to write a tell-all book, this
one
alleging a groggy Simpson, high on marijuana, confessed to killing his
ex-wife after he was acquitted.
Mike Gilbert also claims he helped his former friend wiggle out of the
murder charges by suggesting how to bloat his hands so they wouldn't
fit the
notorious bloody gloves.
Gilbert's book, "How I Helped O.J. Get Away With Murder: The Shocking
Inside
Story of Violence, Loyalty, Regret and Remorse" (Regnery Publishing,
232
pages, $27.95), is due in stores Monday. It was released to The
Associated
Press in advance.
He said Simpson had smoked pot, took a sleeping pill and was drinking
beer
when he confided at his Brentwood home weeks after his trial what
happened
the night of June 12, 1994. Simpson said he went to his ex-wife's
condominium, but did not bring a knife with him. Simpson told him
Nicole
Brown Simpson had one in her hand when she opened the door.
In a soft mumble, Simpson told him: "If she hadn't opened that door
with a
knife in her hand ... she'd still be alive."
"Nothing more needed to be said," Gilbert writes. "O.J. had confessed
to me.
There's no doubt in my mind."
Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman were stabbed to
death at
the entrance to her condominium. The knife was never found.
Simpson's current lawyer Yale Galanter said none of Gilbert's claims
are
true and that Gilbert is "a delusional drug addict who needs money.
He's
fallen on very hard times. He is in trouble with the IRS."
"I've talked to O.J. about it," said Galanter, who refused to allow
Simpson
to comment directly because of his upcoming robbery trial in Las
Vegas.
"This stuff not only didn't occur but it's not factually supported by
the
evidence."
The name calling and accusations on both sides showed that deep wounds
persist.
In a phone interview, Gilbert called Galanter "an ambulance chaser and
an
enabler and denier for O.J. I know. I used to do the same thing. I
understand the game."
He acknowledged he has IRS problems which he says were caused by
Simpson but
said, "I could take a drug test and pass it. I highly doubt that O.J.
could."
Gilbert is the second sports memorabilia dealer to write a Simpson
book this
year. Thomas Riccio, who arranged a Las Vegas memorabilia sale that
led to
Simpson's armed robbery arrest, penned "Busted" last month.
Simpson himself participated in the controversial book, "If I Did It,"
which
he claimed was not a confession. It was withdrawn by the publisher and
eventually released last year by the Goldman family to help satisfy a
$33.5
million wrongful death judgment.
Gilbert said he continued to represent Simpson for another decade
after the
alleged confession, hawking items with his autograph, hiding the
profits and
helping Simpson shield his possessions so they could not be seized by
the
Goldman family.
Gilbert also claims that he counseled the jailed Simpson during his
murder
trial to stop taking his arthritis medicine so his hands would swell
up and
not fit the bloody gloves in court. He offers no proof Simpson
followed his
advice or that he was taking any medicine, but the drama that played
out in
court when the gloves didn't fit was central to Simpson's defense.
The prosecutors in Simpson's murder trial, Marcia Clark and
Christopher
Darden, could not immediately be reached for comment on Gilbert's
claims.
Former Gilbert partner Bruce Fromong, who was involved in the Vegas
incident, said Gilbert is known for spinning tall tales.
"Mike makes up a lot of great stories," said Fromong. "Mike Gilbert
has a
ton of skeletons in his closet. He's as dirty as anyone."
Gilbert said he broke with Simpson two years ago because he felt
cheated,
didn't approve of his lifestyle and was repulsed by "If I Did It." He
writes
that he was guided to do his own the book by dreams in which he saw
the
ghosts of his dead grandmother and of Nicole Brown Simpson.
He refers to himself in the book as a "Judas," and says he is
betraying
Simpson because he's ashamed of what he did and wants to soothe his
conscience. He responded to Fromong's criticism by saying he's made
mistakes
and isn't trying to clean up his image with the book.
He writes that he was not alone in helping Simpson beat the murder
charges,
but "I hope to be the first to finally confess."
Gilbert said he funneled money from autograph signing appearances to
Simpson
under the table so the Goldman family could not get it. Gilbert said
he paid
Simpson 80 percent, kept 20 percent but had to pay taxes on the whole
amount. He said Simpson repeatedly told him they'd settle up later.
But they never did and when pushed Simpson reminded him of the Goldman
debt:
"Hey, at least you don't owe $33.5 million."
"Yeah, I didn't kill anybody either," Gilbert replied. Simpson
scowled.
He offers apologies to the dead Nicole Simpson, whom he said he never
liked,
and to the Goldman family.
"He offers an apology for money laundering?" said Goldman attorney
David
Cook. "I don't think we want the apology. I think we need the money.
Send us
a check, not an I'm sorry."
He said he plans to use the book as a treasure map to Simpson's hidden
assets.
Gilbert, 53, was a childhood fan of Simpson who was thrilled when
another
client, football great Marcus Allen, introduced them and they began
doing
business together.
Gilbert wrote in his book that he was admitted to a world of privilege
and
he got caught up in a power trip in which he believed he was better
than
"ordinary people."
Gilbert blames himself and other Simpson friends for failing to act
when
they detected domestic violence in the Simpson marriage. But he says
each
time there was a fight between the couple or a call by Nicole to
police it
was dismissed as part of their obsession with each other or they
pretended
it didn't happen.
"O.J. mattered more," he said. "The fringe benefits that came with
being one
of O.J.'s friends mattered more - or at least we thought they did."
Gilbert wrote the book for many reasons. It wasn't just to make money
or
hurt Simpson.
"Nothing can hurt O.J.," he said in an interview. "He doesn't have the
emotions we have."
In a chapter on the Las Vegas case, he acknowledges that Simpson was
in
search of memorabilia he believed Gilbert stole from him, including
the suit
he wore the day he was acquitted.
"I never sold the suit, not even when I was dead broke," he writes.
"At
least that's something small to be proud of."
But Gilbert does acknowledge that he unsuccessfully tried to sell the
suit
at one point - before he sold his book.
Associated Press Writer John Rogers contributed to this report.
Hosted by Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
http :// ap.google,com /article/ALeqM5iUNgbOr-2bnpFUX0MiII6je2CkRAD90IT84G0
Exclusive: Ex-manager says OJ Simpson confessed
By LINDA DEUTSCH - 4 hours ago
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A memorabilia dealer who profited from O.J. Simpson
for
many years is the latest former crony to write a tell-all book, this
one
alleging a groggy Simpson, high on marijuana, confessed to killing his
ex-wife after he was acquitted.
Mike Gilbert also claims he helped his former friend wiggle out of the
murder charges by suggesting how to bloat his hands so they wouldn't
fit the
notorious bloody gloves.
Gilbert's book, "How I Helped O.J. Get Away With Murder: The Shocking
Inside
Story of Violence, Loyalty, Regret and Remorse" (Regnery Publishing,
232
pages, $27.95), is due in stores Monday. It was released to The
Associated
Press in advance.
He said Simpson had smoked pot, took a sleeping pill and was drinking
beer
when he confided at his Brentwood home weeks after his trial what
happened
the night of June 12, 1994. Simpson said he went to his ex-wife's
condominium, but did not bring a knife with him. Simpson told him
Nicole
Brown Simpson had one in her hand when she opened the door.
In a soft mumble, Simpson told him: "If she hadn't opened that door
with a
knife in her hand ... she'd still be alive."
"Nothing more needed to be said," Gilbert writes. "O.J. had confessed
to me.
There's no doubt in my mind."
Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman were stabbed to
death at
the entrance to her condominium. The knife was never found.
Simpson's current lawyer Yale Galanter said none of Gilbert's claims
are
true and that Gilbert is "a delusional drug addict who needs money.
He's
fallen on very hard times. He is in trouble with the IRS."
"I've talked to O.J. about it," said Galanter, who refused to allow
Simpson
to comment directly because of his upcoming robbery trial in Las
Vegas.
"This stuff not only didn't occur but it's not factually supported by
the
evidence."
The name calling and accusations on both sides showed that deep wounds
persist.
In a phone interview, Gilbert called Galanter "an ambulance chaser and
an
enabler and denier for O.J. I know. I used to do the same thing. I
understand the game."
He acknowledged he has IRS problems which he says were caused by
Simpson but
said, "I could take a drug test and pass it. I highly doubt that O.J.
could."
Gilbert is the second sports memorabilia dealer to write a Simpson
book this
year. Thomas Riccio, who arranged a Las Vegas memorabilia sale that
led to
Simpson's armed robbery arrest, penned "Busted" last month.
Simpson himself participated in the controversial book, "If I Did It,"
which
he claimed was not a confession. It was withdrawn by the publisher and
eventually released last year by the Goldman family to help satisfy a
$33.5
million wrongful death judgment.
Gilbert said he continued to represent Simpson for another decade
after the
alleged confession, hawking items with his autograph, hiding the
profits and
helping Simpson shield his possessions so they could not be seized by
the
Goldman family.
Gilbert also claims that he counseled the jailed Simpson during his
murder
trial to stop taking his arthritis medicine so his hands would swell
up and
not fit the bloody gloves in court. He offers no proof Simpson
followed his
advice or that he was taking any medicine, but the drama that played
out in
court when the gloves didn't fit was central to Simpson's defense.
The prosecutors in Simpson's murder trial, Marcia Clark and
Christopher
Darden, could not immediately be reached for comment on Gilbert's
claims.
Former Gilbert partner Bruce Fromong, who was involved in the Vegas
incident, said Gilbert is known for spinning tall tales.
"Mike makes up a lot of great stories," said Fromong. "Mike Gilbert
has a
ton of skeletons in his closet. He's as dirty as anyone."
Gilbert said he broke with Simpson two years ago because he felt
cheated,
didn't approve of his lifestyle and was repulsed by "If I Did It." He
writes
that he was guided to do his own the book by dreams in which he saw
the
ghosts of his dead grandmother and of Nicole Brown Simpson.
He refers to himself in the book as a "Judas," and says he is
betraying
Simpson because he's ashamed of what he did and wants to soothe his
conscience. He responded to Fromong's criticism by saying he's made
mistakes
and isn't trying to clean up his image with the book.
He writes that he was not alone in helping Simpson beat the murder
charges,
but "I hope to be the first to finally confess."
Gilbert said he funneled money from autograph signing appearances to
Simpson
under the table so the Goldman family could not get it. Gilbert said
he paid
Simpson 80 percent, kept 20 percent but had to pay taxes on the whole
amount. He said Simpson repeatedly told him they'd settle up later.
But they never did and when pushed Simpson reminded him of the Goldman
debt:
"Hey, at least you don't owe $33.5 million."
"Yeah, I didn't kill anybody either," Gilbert replied. Simpson
scowled.
He offers apologies to the dead Nicole Simpson, whom he said he never
liked,
and to the Goldman family.
"He offers an apology for money laundering?" said Goldman attorney
David
Cook. "I don't think we want the apology. I think we need the money.
Send us
a check, not an I'm sorry."
He said he plans to use the book as a treasure map to Simpson's hidden
assets.
Gilbert, 53, was a childhood fan of Simpson who was thrilled when
another
client, football great Marcus Allen, introduced them and they began
doing
business together.
Gilbert wrote in his book that he was admitted to a world of privilege
and
he got caught up in a power trip in which he believed he was better
than
"ordinary people."
Gilbert blames himself and other Simpson friends for failing to act
when
they detected domestic violence in the Simpson marriage. But he says
each
time there was a fight between the couple or a call by Nicole to
police it
was dismissed as part of their obsession with each other or they
pretended
it didn't happen.
"O.J. mattered more," he said. "The fringe benefits that came with
being one
of O.J.'s friends mattered more - or at least we thought they did."
Gilbert wrote the book for many reasons. It wasn't just to make money
or
hurt Simpson.
"Nothing can hurt O.J.," he said in an interview. "He doesn't have the
emotions we have."
In a chapter on the Las Vegas case, he acknowledges that Simpson was
in
search of memorabilia he believed Gilbert stole from him, including
the suit
he wore the day he was acquitted.
"I never sold the suit, not even when I was dead broke," he writes.
"At
least that's something small to be proud of."
But Gilbert does acknowledge that he unsuccessfully tried to sell the
suit
at one point - before he sold his book.
Associated Press Writer John Rogers contributed to this report.
Hosted by Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
