Roundup: Simpson's new book leads to public furor

Amid public furor over O.J. Simpson's new book "If I Did It," some independent book stores refuse to promote the book, calling it disgusting.

But stores say that if customers ask them to order it, they will donate any profit.

In the book which is set to go on sale nationally on Nov. 30, Simpson, a former football star, discusses how he could have killed his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman.

Simpson was acquitted in October 1995 of criminal charges in the June 12, 1994, murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Goldman in front of her Brentwood residence in Los Angeles. A civil court jury, however, found him responsible for the killings and ordered him to pay 33.5 million dollars in restitution to the victims' families. Thus far, however, the families have received nothing.

Simpson has repeatedly denied killing his ex-wife and Goldman, but in the book dubbed "O.J. Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened," he describes how he would have carried out the murders.

News of the book -- scheduled for released on Nov. 30 -- and an accompanying two-part television interview set to air on Fox TV on Nov. 27-28 has prompted harsh criticism from the victims' families.

"This man is a killer," the family of Ron Goldman said in an earlier statement.

"He should be shunned by the media and by the public. Those who line their pockets by helping him to glorify his disgusting actions take part in his shame."

Appearing earlier on "Larry King Live" on CNN Goldman's father, Fred, and sister, Kim, condemned the book.

"I would hope that no one buys the book," said Fred Goldman, who called it "disgusting" and "despicable."

The television interview is conducted by Judith Regan, who is also the book's publisher. Regan's publishing house is owned by News Corp., which also owns Fox, the network on which the interview will air.

In a statement Thursday, Regan said she has been a victim of domestic violence and considered the book to be Simpson's confession to the 1994 murders.

"I didn't know what to expect when I got the call that the killer wanted to confess," she wrote. "I didn't know what would happen. But I knew one thing. I wanted the confession for my own selfish reasons and for the symbolism of that act."

The Northern California Independent Booksellers Assn., which represents 240 bookstores, e-mailed its members Friday suggesting that those with qualms about profiting donate the money to a battered women's or domestic violence charity. So far, about a dozen booksellers have responded that they plan to do so, said the group's executive director, Hut Landon.

A spokeswoman for book retail giant Borders said there would be no special promotions and that any profit would be donated to a charity that benefits victims of domestic violence.

However, other retail giants Wal-Mart and Barnes & Noble are expecting strong sales and plan to stock the book accordingly. " The ultimate factor in the decision to carry this title is that we think our customers will want it," read a statement issued by Wal- Mart on Friday.

Source: Xinhua