Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 12, 1995 TAG: 9510120066
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Simpson also described his life and emotions in the eight days since he was declared not guilty in a Los Angeles courtroom, and spoke of his current financial status, his relationship with his children and the state of his public image.
In a 45-minute telephone interview with The New York Times, Simpson said, among other things, that he had been wrong to ``get physical'' with his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, in 1989 and was now willing to meet with ``battered women'' to ``talk about my relationship.''
He also said that his trial had not left him financially wrecked, that he was ``on the same page'' with his wife's family about current arrangements for custody of their two children, that the ``race deck'' that came to play so significant a role in his trial ``was supplied by the media.''
He said he had fielded offers from both American and foreign media companies to sell aspects of his story, that he was willing at any time to ``sit and debate'' the case with the lead prosecutor, Marcia Clark, and that he was confident he would find a job.
``I've always found a way,'' Simpson said. ``I'm an American. I should have a right to find a job and support my family.''
Simpson initiated the interview, telephoning The New York Times without notice early Wednesday afternoon. He said he wanted to explain his decision to back out of the television interview, which had been expected to be one of the most widely watched broadcasts in history.
He also discussed the murder case in general terms, and its aftermath, but did not address the unanswered questions that still surround the murder of his former wife, except to insist on his innocence.
``I am an innocent man,'' Simpson said.
Simpson said that he never intended the NBC interview to be a forum to declare his innocence. ``The jury did that for me in the strongest possible terms: a verdict in three hours,'' he said.
But, he added, ``I know there are a lot of minds that I'm not going to change.''
Still, he questioned figures suggesting that up to 70 percent of the public is convinced of his guilt.
``I don't think most of America believes I did it,'' he said. ``I've gotten thousand of letters and telegrams from people supporting me. I saw all those people when I was driving home in that car, on the overpasses. I think about five people reacted negatively. I saw two negative signs. Thousands of people were giving me the thumbs-up sign. But what did I see on TV that night? The two negative signs.''
Simpson cited numerous examples of what he labeled ``outright distortion'' by the ``so-called responsible media.'' These included a report on CNN Wednesday that the NBC interview had fallen through because Simpson's lawyers insisted on receiving the questions in advance. ``That never happened,'' he said, ``but CNN said it did.''
He also cited reports in Los Angeles in the past week that had him delivering his two children back to the Brown family at 2 o'clock one morning, ``leaving my daughter traumatized.'' In fact, Simpson said, he watched those reports the next morning, ``about to get in my Jacuzzi with my daughter.''
Simpson said he has had no conflict with the Browns over his and Nicole's two children. ``We've agreed on the professional help for the kids. There is no conflict going on with the Browns over the kids.''
He also denied rumors that he had, or was about to marry Paula Barbieri, a model, in the Dominican Republic. ``I've spoken to Paula but she has not been to my house. I have not seen her. But I saw a guy in the Dominican Republic saying he had confirmed that we were there.''
Simpson described himself as ``fired up'' about the outcome of the planned interview with NBC, but in most respects he was affable and personable, even laughing about reports that his legal bills had left him broke.
``Not yet they haven't,'' he said. ``I still have my Ferrari, I still have my Bentley, I still have my home in Brentwood and my apartment in New York.''
Simpson said he had intended to use the television interview to combat what he called ``ludicrous misrepresentations'' in the media, of both the details of his case and his life in the days since his acquittal last week in the murders of his ex-wife and her friend Ronald Goldman.
Simpson said he had expected to go on NBC and ``talk about aspects of my case, about how I felt about the jurors, and Marcia Clark, and what's going on between Johnnie Cochran and Bob Shapiro.''
But he said he felt compelled to pull out after extensive consultation with his team of nine lawyers, including a new attorney, Bob Baker, brought in to deal with the civil suits for wrongful death that he faces from the Goldman and Brown families.
Simpson said he had been told he would have to give a deposition in the civil suits and that he had been informed that NBC had contacted the lawyers in those suits seeking questions to ask him in the interview.
``My lawyers told me I was being set up,'' he said.
by CNB