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ROBERT H TOURTELOT (State Bar No. 36207)
LAURIE J. BUTLER (State Bar No. 82165)
Attorneys For Plaintiffs Fredric Goldman
and Kimberly Erin Goldman
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
FREDRIC GOLDMAN, an individual,
and KIMBERLY ERIN GOLDMAN, an individual
Plaintiffs,
vs.
ORENTHAL JAMES SIMPSON, an individual, and DOES
1 through 5,
Inclusive,
Defendants,
CASE NO. SC036340
COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES FOR WRONGFUL
DEATH
(JURY TRIAL DEMANDED)
Plaintiffs, FREDRIC GOLDMAN and KIMBERLY ERIN
GOLDMAN, allege:
1. Plaintiffs, together with Sharon Rufo and DOES 1
through 50, inclusive, are the sole surviving heirs at law of
Ronald Goldman, deceased (hereinafter referred to as
"decedent"). There relationship to decedent are:
NAME RELATIONSHIP TO DECEDENT
Fredric Goldman Father
Kimberly Erin Goldman Sister
2. Plaintiff Fredric Goldman, as the surviving natural father
of decedent, would be entitled to succeed to the property of
decedent under the laws of intestate succession pursuant to
the provisions of California Probate Code: Sections 6400, et
seq.
3. Plaintiff Kimberly Erin Goldman, as the sole surviving
sister of decedent , is entitled to bring this action pursuant to
California Code of Civil Procedure, Section 377.60.
4. Decedent has no surviving spouse, children, or issue of
deceased children.
5. Sharon Rufo (herein "Rufo") is the surviving natural
mother of decedent and a person entitled to bring an action
to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.60.
However, Rufo filed a separate action in this Court on July
20, 1994, said action being Case No. SC031947. For the
reasons hereinafter alleged, plaintiffs believe any damages
awarded as a result of the wrongful death of decedent should
be apportioned by the Court with the entirety thereof, or a
substantial portion thereof, being awarded to plaintiffs and ,
at best, a nominal amount to Rufo. Plaintiffs will at the
appropriate time move the Court to consolidate the action
heretofore filed by Rufo with the instant action.
6. Defendants, Roes 1 though 50, are persons who may be
entitled to bring this action pursuant to California Code of
Civil Procedure Section 377.60 and said fictitious parties are
named herein pursuant to and as required by California Code
of Civil Procedure Section 382 and plaintiffs will seek leave
of the Court and amend this complaint to show the true
names and relationships of said individuals to the decedent
once the SUM has been ascertained.
7. Plaintiffs are residents of the County of Los Angeles,
State of California.
8. Plaintiffs are informed and believe and based thereon
allege that defendant Orenthal James Simpson (hereinafter
referred to as "defendant Simpson") brutally murdered the
decedent on June 12, 1994 at a location known as 875 South
Bundy Drive, in an area of the City of Los Angeles known
as "Brentwood", which area is located in the West District
of this Court and, in doing so, was guilty of a felony as
defined in California Penal Code Section 187. At all times
herein mentioned, defendant Simpson was a resident of the
City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, State of
California, residing at 375 North Rockingham Avenue,
which address is also located in the area of the City of Los
Angeles known as "Brentwood" and located within the West
District of this Court.
9. The true names, identities and capacities for the
individuals associates, corporate, co-conspirators or
otherwise of defendant DOES 1 through 10, inclusive, are
presently unknown to plaintiffs herein who therefore, sue
said defendants by such fictitious names Plaintiffs will seek
leave of the Court to amend this complaint to show the true
names and capacities of said defendants when the same has
been ascertained. Plaintiffs are informed and believe and
based thereon allege that each of said fictitiously named
defendants is a person, firm or corporation in some way
legally responsible for the wrongful death of decedent as
well as the damages alleged herein.
10. At all times herein mentioned, defendant Simpson and
DOES 1 through 10, were the agents, servants, employees,
representatives, and/or co-conspirators of one another and, at
all times pertinent hereto, were acting within the course and
scope of their respective services, employment, agency,
conspiracy, and/or representation.
11. Plaintiff Fredric Goldman and Rufo were married in
Chicago, Illinois on or about January 8, 1967 (hereinafter
referred to as the "marriage"). The marriage was dissolved in
or about 1974. Decedent was born on July 2, 1968. Plaintiff
Fredric Goldman was awarded custody of decedent and
plaintiff Kimberly Erin Goldman in or about 1976. Rufo
remarried and moved from Chicago, Illinois to St. Louis,
Missouri and ceased having any contact or relationship
whatsoever with decedent. In fact, Rufo had neither seen
decedent for approximately 14 years prior to decedent's
death nor had she attempted to contact him during said
period of time. As a result, Rufo has not enjoyed and/or
relied upon the company, presence, companionship, society,
comfort, education, services, guidance and/or support of
decedent for more than the past __ years.
12. Plaintiffs are informed and believe and based thereon
allege that on June 12, 1994, defendant Simpson and Does 1
through 10, inclusive, and each of them, negligently,
carelessly unlawfully, willfully, wantonly and maliciously
threatened to kill decedent. Immediately thereafter on the
same date defendant Simpson and Does 1 through 10,
inclusive, and each of them, negligently, unlawfully,
willfully, wantonly, and maliciously killed decedent.
13. Plaintiffs are informed and believe and based thereon
allege that by reason of the conduct of defendant Simpson
and Does 1 through 10, inclusive, as hereinabove alleged,
and the acts and commission of acts of omission of these
defendants, as alleged aforesaid, and as a direct and legal
result thereof, decedent died on or about June 12, 1994.
14. By reason of the death of decedent, which plaintiffs are
informed and believe and based thereon allege was legally
and proximately caused by the conduct of defendant
Simpson and Does 1 through 10, inclusive, as herein
alleged, plaintiff Fredric Goldman has sustained pecuniary
loss resulting from the losses of the company, presence,
companionship, society, comfort, attention, services,
guidance and support of decedent.
15. By reason of the death of decedent, which plaintiffs are
informed and believe and based thereon allege was legally
and proximately caused by the conduct of the defendant
Simpson and Does 1 through 10, inclusive, as herein
alleged, plaintiff Kimberly Erin Goldman has sustained
pecuniary loss resulting from the loss of the company,
presence, companionship, society, comfort, attention,
services, guidance and support of decedent.
16. By reason of the death of decedent, which plaintiffs are
informed and believe and based thereon allege was legally
and proximately caused by the conduct of defendant
Simpson and Does 1 through 10, inclusive, as herein
alleged, plaintiff Fredric Goldman has suffered economic
compensatory damages in the amount to be proven at trial.
17. By reason of the death of decedent, which plaintiffs are
informed and believe and based thereon allege was legally
and proximately caused by the conduct of defendant
Simpson and Does 1 through 10, inclusive, as herein
alleged, plaintiff Kimberly Erin Goldman has suffered
economic and compensatory damages in an amount to be
proven at trial.
18. By reason of the allegations contained in this complaint,
including the allegations as to which plaintiffs are informed
and believe and based thereon allege that the death of
decedent was legally and proximately caused by defendant
Simpson and Does 1 through 10, inclusive, plaintiffs, and
each of them, have been damaged in an amount in excess of
the minimum jurisdictional amount required by this Court.
Plaintiffs will seek leave of Court to amend this complaint at
the time of trial to insert the exact amount of such losses,
according to proof at the time of trial.
19. The conduct of defendant Simpson Does 1 through 10,
inclusive, as hereinabove alleged was willful, wanton and
outrageous beyond the ability of ordinary human beings to
comprehend and such conduct was intended by said
defendants to and did actually cause the death of decedent
such that the conduct of defendant Simpson and Does 1
through 10, inclusive, was oppressive and malicious as those
terms are defined in California Civil Code Section 3294(d).
The imposition of substantial punitive and exemplary
damages will in this case be both justified and necessary in
order to send out a message from this Court to all persons in
the United States and throughout the world that such vicious
and outrageous savagery inflicted by one human being upon
another shall be met with the severest of civil penalties.
WHEREFORE, plaintiffs pray for judgment against
defendants, and each of them, as follows:
1. For general damages according to proof;
2. For special damages, according to proof;
3. For reimbursement of funeral expenses and costs of
burial;
4. For interest on all sums awarded, according to proof;
5. For punitive and exemplary damages, according to proof;
6. For costs of suit incurred herein;
7. For such other and further relief as to the Court may be
just and proper.
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