SANTA MONICA, Calif. - O.J. Simpson has won a legal battle against the father of a murder victim who had sought control of the former football star's publicity rights to help satisfy a judgment in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Superior Court Judge Linda Lefkowitz rejected Fred Goldman's petition, determining such a move would harm a living celebrity's privacy rights "which mitigate against court-enforced transfer of the (publicity) right to obtain commercial profit from his or her likeness."
A call to O.J. Simpson was not immediately returned Thursday. His attorney praised the judge's decision.
"There has never been a case in the U.S. where a judge has involuntarily taken somebody's identity rights," attorney Yale Galanter said in a telephone interview from Florida. "If she did, the Goldmans would be able to speak on behalf of O.J. Simpson. They'd be able to use his image without his approval."
Goldman's attorney said he was disappointed by the judge's ruling, which was issued Tuesday.
Details here from the AP via the Mercury News.