Families Push For Money From Simpson

A close friend of OJ Simpson has been subpoenaed to tell a court about the actor's finances, because he has failed to pay $33.5 million (GBP18.6 million) to the families of his murdered ex-wife and her lover.

Simpson was acquitted of the 1994 murder of NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON and RONALD GOLDMAN, but found responsible for their deaths at a civil case in 1997 and ordered to pay the vast sum to the Brown and Goldman families.

The NAKED GUN star pleaded poverty and is yet to have paid most of the money - as he lives off the $4 million (GBP2.2 million) pension he gets from his time as a professional American footballer, which is protected in Florida.

But the Goldman family have refused to give up on the money and have called on ALFRED BEARDSLEY - who recently planned and then cancelled a personal appearance for Simpson to sign autographs in California - to reveal the star's financial status.

The Goldman family's lawyer PETER CSATO is convinced Beardsley knows about Simpson's "financial condition" and about "non-exempt property, which may be ordered to be applied to the satisfaction of the judgment," according to AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE.

He adds that Beardsley may even control property owned by the star.

Simpson recently insisted he owed nothing to the two families: "I don't think (Goldman and others who sued him) deserve anything... If it means giving them money for something I didn't do, I won't work."

Beardsley will testify in a Los Angeles court next month (23NOV04).