ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 10, 1996 TAG: 9612100114
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: SANTA MONICA, CALIF.
SOURCE: Associated Press
Bringing his furious quest to prove O.J. Simpson killed his son to a sorrowful climax, Fred Goldman took the stand Monday and told of the huge void the slaying has left in his life.
``There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of Ron,'' said Goldman, shooting angry glances at Simpson and overcome at times with such wrenching sobs that his lawyer had to pause in questioning.
Overall, it was a rough day for Simpson, whose lawyer's aggressive questioning later in the day inadvertently allowed retired Detective Philip Vannatter to blurt out that he believes Simpson is guilty despite his acquittal on murder charges.
The judge had agreed with lawyers for both sides that no witness would be allowed to declare their belief in Simpson's guilt or innocence. But Attorney Robert Baker's questions seemed to give Vannatter just that opportunity.
Baker asked Vannatter if it wasn't true that he had been on television many times since Simpson's criminal trial ``denouncing my client.''
``I believe your client is guilty of murder, yes,'' Vannatter said, staring pointedly at Simpson and startling the jurors.
Baker counter-attacked by accusing Vannatter of cashing in on his belief with a $115,000 book deal.
``Like a lot of people are,'' said Vannatter, insisting he wasn't lying to make his book better. ``I'm attempting to better my lifestyle and make some money.''
Vannatter, the first defense witness, took the stand after plaintiffs ended their case with the sobbing father of Ron Goldman, who was stabbed to death along with Nicole Brown Simpson on June 12, 1994.
Attorney Daniel Petrocelli, who has aggressively pressed Fred Goldman's cause, saved his client for the finale, eliciting a portrait of Ron Goldman as a young man still finding his way in life when he was killed.
Jurors seemed grim during Goldman's testimony. Most looked down when he sobbed, and two appeared to grow moist-eyed as he narrated a series of family snapshots and videotapes.
In one chilling moment, Ron Goldman himself spoke to the jury, remarking in a November 1993 videotape that ``God knows where I'll be in a year.''
Baker's cross-examination of Goldman was gentle and brief - establishing that Ron Goldman and his mother, plaintiff Sharon Rufo, hadn't seen each other in 14 years, and that Fred Goldman also has a book contract, for $450,000.
Fred Goldman wept hardest when he told of finding a diagram in his son's apartment after his death showing a restaurant he dreamed of opening.
``I never realized how far Ron had gotten with his plans and his dreams,'' Goldman sobbed.
The diagram, displayed on a TV screen, showed a floor plan in the shape of an Egyptian ankh necklace that the 25-year-old Goldman wore. Asked what it symbolized, the father wept and said, ``Eternal life,'' then turned toward Simpson and added, ``He doesn't wear it anymore. Kim wears it now.''
Kim Goldman, the slain man's younger sister, dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. Her stepmother, Patti, and stepsister, Lauren, also were in tears.
The testimony ended with Ron Goldman himself talking on the videotape taken at his stepsister's bat mitzvah, eight months before his death. Looking straight into the camera, microphone in hand, he said ``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.''
The beaming young man, his hair slicked back, also could be seen dancing to rock music as partygoers cheered, ``Go Ron!'' There were shots of father and son playing electric guitar together.
``Mr. Goldman, did you love your son?'' asked Petrocelli.
``Oh, God, yes,'' Goldman testified through tears.
``Do you miss him?'' Petrocelli asked.
``More than you can imagine,'' Goldman said.
``Do you think about him every day?'' Petrocelli said.
``There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of Ron,'' the witness said.
``So your life won't be the same again?''
``Never, ever be the same,'' he said.
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Fred and Patti Goldman leave the Superior Court inby CNBSanta Monica, Calif., after he testified at the O.J. Simpson civil
trial. color.