 | Zachary M. Raimi Smoke & Mirrors |
Imagine for a moment, if you will, what it would be like to receive a call in the middle of the dark night from a police officer who tells you that your son is dead. Not j²DÐust dead, but brutally murdered. Only a few days later, the suspected killer is located and charged. This man, whom you undoubtedly hate, turns out to be a famous ex-athlete with a winning smile and more money than God.
And he uses his money to buy the best legal defense in America, perhaps the world. The murder trial begins and the eyes of the universe watch each day's proceedings. As the trial progresses, justice becomes more elusive while the lawyers wrangle and the judge lets things spiral out of control. You see the memory of your dead son get lost in a legal game where perception is reality and reality is irrelevant.
And you get frustrated. You lash out at the killer and the judge. You cry and whine. You have nowhere to turn. The cameras won't go away. You feel deeply angry and bitter. All you want is a little justice.
And a majority of Americans think you are right; they agree that the defendant did it. But the only opinions you care about are from the 12 jurors. Unfortunately, these 12 foolish people declare the defendant "not guilty" and it feels like you lost your son all over again.
And despite the terrible pain, you have a family and a life. You must carry on. But how?
For Fred Goldman, this was not a distant scenario - it has been his life for nearly three years. Despite the horrible tragedy that struck his family in June 1994, when Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were found murdered, Fred has summoned the courage and sense of purpose to continue with life. His will to survive and improve a judicial system that let him down is remarkable.
In fact, Fred has come to embody a 90s-style American hero. He is emotional in public, yet he is not unreasonable in his demands. He is family-minded and civil. He understands true suffering, but does not let it deter him from accomplishing his goals. We all can learn from his story.
Throughout the criminal trial, Fred never let the public forget who the real victims were: his son and Nicole. The defense tried to paint O.J. as a victim of a police conspiracy, but Fred, through his frequent press conferences, articulated the voice of reason and outrage - he, like most Americans, believed O.J. was a "murderer" who "butchered" his son.
When the trial was over, it became fashionable to bash the prosecution for its incompetence. Although he had more of a right than anybody, Goldman did not jump on the bandwagon; instead, he supported the public servants who fought for justice. This was a noble action, one that reveals integrity.
Instead of giving up, Fred immediately began to prepare for the civil trial. Although some felt he should have dropped the case, Fred did the right thing. He believed in his gut that O.J. was the murderer and that evil people should be held accountable for their evil actions.
When the civil jury found O.J. liable, Fred breathed a sigh of relief; he finally had closure. The jury decided to award the Goldmans millions of dollars for Ron's death.
But Fred, from the beginning, said he was not in it for the money. He demonstrated this with a touch of class recently when he offered to let O.J. keep the money if the ex-athlete would publish a signed confession for the double homicide. Again, Fred demonstrated that he is a man of principle and integrity, values that today's public figures often lack.
Fred's crusade did not end with the civil trial. He recently quit his job of more than 30 years to become a spokesman for Safe Streets, an interest group dedicated to fixing the criminal justice system. Even in the face of tragedy, Goldman has kept true to his ideals.
This past Monday, Fred and his family appeared on CNBC's "Rivera Live" with Geraldo Rivera. At the end of the show, Geraldo called Fred a great father; this label, Geraldo said, is the greatest accomplishment he can bestow upon Fred. It was a poignant moment - Fred, his daughter Kim and his wife Patti shed tears as Geraldo kissed them. Just then, more than ever before, I came to see Fred as a hero. He would not let the memory of his son fade away, nor would he let the responsible party run away. He did what he thought was right, and he never wavered.
Although his mustache may be a little odd and his glasses a bit too big for his face, Fred Goldman has emerged as a sincere American hero. The juxtaposition is striking: Fred as hero is a refreshing change from O.J. as hero. One is good and decent, and the other is, in all likelihood, a murderer.
- Zack Raimi can be reached over e-mail at rmz@umich.edu