O.J. Simpson estate lawyer Malcolm LaVergne pushes back on the new accomplice theory

The man in charge of O.J. Simpson's estate says the newest theory about the 1994 killings should be allowed to rest.

A reply to the latest report

Malcolm LaVergne was Simpson's lawyer for years and now serves as executor of his estate. He put out a statement after a New York Times investigation suggested that someone in Simpson's circle may have helped hide evidence after Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were killed.

LaVergne said he understands why the public is still drawn to the case. He warned that pulling it back into the spotlight over and over can be painful for the victims' families. He also said it can come across as disrespectful to them.

Nobody left to tell it

He pointed out that Nicole, Ron and Simpson have all died. That means none of the three can give a firsthand account of that night. LaVergne said he is in no position to speak for any of them. In his view, a steady stream of new theories is unlikely to bring the families real closure.

His focus is the estate

LaVergne said his time is going into closing out the estate and sorting through claims from creditors. One of those creditors is Fred Goldman, Ron's father. LaVergne said he would much rather do something useful for Goldman than get pulled into more guesswork about a case that is now more than 30 years old.

He said he hopes that finishing the estate work can give everyone touched by the case some peace and a sense that it is over.

What the report claimed

The Times story centered on Joseph "Joey" Ippolito, a convicted drug trafficker who knew Simpson. According to Ippolito's brother, Joey returned that night with bloody hands while carrying a heavy bag. The brother said the bag was later thrown into a dumpster. None of those claims have been proven.

A criminal jury found Simpson not guilty of the murders in 1995. A civil jury later held him responsible for the two deaths. Simpson died in April 2024.