Tearful Goldman tells of son's unfulfilled dreams

Martha T. Moore; Jonathan T. Lovitt

12/10/1996

USA Today

FINAL

Page 03A

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Three years ago, at his stepsister's lively bat mitzvah

celebration, Ron Goldman grabbed a microphone to add his thoughts to her

commemorative video:

``I'm very glad I was able to be here and spend this time with you, because God

knows where I'll be in a year.''

Seven months later, Goldman, 25, was murdered along with Nicole Brown

Simpson.

On Monday, the videotape played as Goldman's weeping father told jurors in the

civil suit against O.J. Simpson the story of Ron Goldman's brief life. ``Ron had a

smile on his face from the day he was born,'' Fred Goldman said.

Goldman's half-hour on the witness stand was his first chance to face in court the

man he believes murdered his only son. He was the 66th and final witness for the

plaintiffs, the families of the victims. Simpson's lawyers began their defense

immediately.

Goldman wept when plaintiffs' lawyer Daniel Petrocelli asked whether he loved

Ron. ``Oh, God, yes,'' he said.

``Do you miss him?''

``More than you can imagine.''

Through last year's criminal trial, which ended in acquittal for Simpson, and the

civil trial going on now, Fred Goldman has been outspoken in his anger toward

Simpson. In one earlier exchange, when the jury was not present, Goldman

shouted at Simpson to stop ``your (expletive) dirty looks.''

On the stand Monday, Goldman shot a few looks at Simpson. He sobbed when

he described his son's ambitions: to open a restaurant, to get married, to have a

child. Girl or boy, he planned to name the child Dakota. ``He never had that

chance,'' Goldman said.

Two jurors also wiped tears.

Goldman also told of his son's troubles. Ron Goldman twice dropped out of

college, lost his driver's license -- once going to jail for driving without one --

and filed for bankruptcy after getting into a ``financial pickle.'' But he remained

close to his family. ``Ron would never let his relationships suffer because of

anything,'' Goldman said.

After Ron's death, his father discovered the plans for a restaurant Ron had hoped

to open. ``I never realized how far Ron had gotten with his plans and his

dreams,'' Goldman said. He had designed the room in the shape of an ankh. The

Egyptian symbol, which Ron wore on a chain around his neck, stands for eternal

life.

Goldman said, breaking into tears: ``He doesn't wear it anymore. (His sister) Kim

wears it now.''

Goldman's testimony was illustrated with family photos shown on a screen in the

courtroom.

In a brief cross-examination, defense attorney Robert Baker asked Goldman

about his relationship with case detectives and the media. Since the criminal trial,

Goldman, 56, has launched a foundation to assist crime victims' families. And

his family has signed a book contract with publisher William Morrow, for which,

he acknowledged Monday, the family received $450,000.

Immediately after Goldman finished, Simpson's lawyers began their defense,

questioning former Los Angeles police detective Philip Vannatter on his handling

of the crime scene and his actions at Simpson's house the night of the murders

June 12, 1994.

Vannatter's ex-partner Tom Lange is scheduled to testify today.

Baker played a tape of Simpson's 32-minute police interrogation to highlight the

defense's claim that the police never told Simpson details of the murders despite

his requests for information.

On the tape, Simpson made several statements that contradicted his earlier

testimony in this trial. For instance, he told police that if there was blood at his

house or in his car it was his, because he cut himself rushing around his home. In

his testimony two weeks ago, he denied cutting himself at home.

PHOTO,color,AP; PHOTO,b/w,Michael Caulfield,AP; Caption: Goldman:

Describes son's unfulfilled goals Faces Simpson in court: Ron Goldmans father,

Fred Goldman, with his wife, Patti