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Post by Woody Williams on May 9, 2007 8:01:31 GMT -5
Owner Boots O.J. From Upscale Restaurant
Says He's Sickened by Attention Simpson Still Attracts
By BETH CAMPBELL
AP
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 9) -- The owner of an upscale steakhouse in Louisville said he asked O.J. Simpson to leave his restaurant the night before the Kentucky Derby because he is sickened by the attention Simpson still attracts.
"I didn't want to serve him because of my convictions of what he's done to those families," Jeff Ruby said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "The way he continues to torture the lives of those families ... with his behavior, attitude and conduct."
Simpson, an NFL Hall of Famer and Heisman Trophy winner, was found innocent in 1995 of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman but was found liable in a civil trial that followed.
Ruby - who owns restaurants in Cincinnati, Louisville and Belterra, Ind. - said Simpson, who was in town for the Derby on Saturday, came in with a group of about 12 Friday night and was seated at a table in the back. A customer came up to Ruby and was "giddy" about seeing Simpson, Ruby said.
"I didn't want that experience in my restaurant," Ruby said, later adding that seeing Simpson get so much attention "makes me sick to my stomach."
He said he went to Simpson's table and said, "I'm not serving you." Ruby said when Simpson didn't respond, he repeated himself and left the room.
Ruby said Simpson soon came up to him and said he understood and would gather the rest of his party to leave.
Simpson's attorney, Yale Galanter, said the incident was about race, and he intended to pursue the matter and possibly go after the restaurant's liquor license.
"He screwed with the wrong guy, he really did," Galanter said by telephone Tuesday night.
Ruby said the incident had to do with Simpson's past.
"It was the first time since 1994 he has ever shown any class," Ruby said. "He showed it that night in the restaurant" by leaving quietly.
Ruby said after Simpson left, people in the restaurant started applauding him. He said he has received about 100 positive e-mails since the incident.
The walls of Ruby's restaurants are decorated with celebrity photos. A photo of Simpson and Ruby used to be on display, but Ruby said he took it down after the killings.
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Post by DEERTRACKS on May 9, 2007 8:35:05 GMT -5
I applaud Ruby!
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Post by drgreyhound on May 9, 2007 8:41:01 GMT -5
I read this and had somewhat conflicting thoughts and feelings--on the one hand, I agree with the restaurant owner that OJ's behavior (namely, that book about the murders that he tried to get published not too long ago) is hurtful to the Brown and Goldman families, and the fact that the behavior continues disgusts me. On the other hand, whether fair or unfair, right or wrong (and I think, based on the limited evidence I have heard or seen, that the decision was unfair and wrong), he WAS acquitted by a court of law who declared that he did not commit the murders; therefore, the part of me that wants to believe in the good of the human race feels that he should be treated and served as an ordinary human being in public establishments. In any case, I believe that the owner of the restaurant has the prerogative to serve or not serve anyone he wishes for any reason, and if people do not like those reasons, they can choose to not do business with the restaurant. Any thoughts?
(This also kind of reminds me of Mencia's "The Ghost of Johnny Cochran" skits--hilarity at its finest!! ;D)
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Post by cambygsp on May 9, 2007 8:42:57 GMT -5
""Simpson, an NFL Hall of Famer and Heisman Trophy winner, was found innocent in 1995 of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman""
I guess a business owner can pick and choose who they want to serve, but I don't see where OJ should be singled out.
""Simpson's attorney, Yale Galanter, said the incident was about race, and he intended to pursue the matter and possibly go after the restaurant's liquor license.""
No surprise here.........they will probably win because..........
""Simpson, an NFL Hall of Famer and Heisman Trophy winner, was found innocent in 1995 of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman""
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Post by dbd870 on May 9, 2007 9:33:43 GMT -5
Yeah, right. I'm guessing they have served plenty of other people of the same race.
He may not have been convicted in the criminal case, (he should have been) but the civil case was a different matter.
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Post by Hawkeye on May 9, 2007 10:00:16 GMT -5
Race! who cares about how fast a guy can run!. I am sick of that playing card over and over.Really OJ would not be welcome at my house either,And he will get what is due him one day. I do not think he was found innocent ,but not guilty,meaning the state failed to prove to the jury he commited the murder.
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Post by Russ Koon on May 9, 2007 10:06:03 GMT -5
That's the weakness of the "innocent until proven guilty" system.
I'm not knocking it, as I can't think of anything that would be better.
Just saying, he wasn't REALLY proven innocent, he was just unable to be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and that makes him legally innocent, in the criminal case.
And, as pointed out, a civil trial later found him liable for the monetary damages from the wrongful deaths. No way he could be legally liable unless he killed them. So he's been found "innocent" and "guilty" of the same crime.
I'm thinking the restaurant owner should be OK as long as there's no evidence of him refusing to serve patrons based on any of the protected statuses such as race.
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Post by larryhagmansliver on May 9, 2007 11:37:31 GMT -5
The race card only hurts other innocent hard working black people, period!
I don't think it was the fact that Simpson was aquitted in the civil case, but that he continues to do and say stupid things. The guy could do something positive like raise money and donate it to the Goldman family, or to a charity. He could also come out and say he was sorry for killing two people. No soup for you Orenthal!!
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Post by dwhunting on May 9, 2007 12:54:45 GMT -5
The race card is BS! I'm sure as was previously stated that the restaurant has probably served many customers of different ethnicity and race. Ruby said that he used to have OJ's picture on the wall!!! I really don't see OJ winning this one.
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Post by Hawkeye on May 9, 2007 13:08:51 GMT -5
The race card is BS! I'm sure as was previously stated that the restaurant has probably served many customers of different ethnicity and race. Ruby said that he used to have OJ's picture on the wall!!! I really don't see OJ winning this one. O yes, Slam dunk,Thats what they said about his Murder trial.He wins even if he loses because of the notoriety,That is what he craves. |
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Post by Decatur on May 9, 2007 19:31:33 GMT -5
O.J. is scum no matter how you slice it! (poor choice of woods. Sorry, no pun intended.)
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Post by cambygsp on May 10, 2007 5:04:03 GMT -5
Well.......this is all over the news this morning. LOTS of publicity for the restaurant owner and more publicity for OJ.
The owner says he kicked OJ out, out of respect for the families.
WHATEVER
I'm not a OJ fan.....never really was even before the murders. But I can remember watching the trial on TV almost every day. I've gotta say, if I were on that jury I would have also voted not guilty.
I thought the prosecution evidence was very weak....in fact I don't personaly beleive that OJ himself committed the murders....he may have been there, he may have set it up....but I don't think he was the one that actualy did the stabbing.
Whoever did the stabbing and slashing would have been completly covered in blood from the victims, after the butcher job. According to the prosecution, OJ then ran home and caught a ride to the airport after the murder. There would have been a blood trail from OJ, from the scene back to his house....that evidence was never introduced because it was not there.
I think OJ's buddy did it, the guy that was driving the Bronco when he was running.
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Post by kevin1 on May 10, 2007 5:15:49 GMT -5
Kentucky businesses serve "at will", they don't legally have to serve anyone they don't want to serve. The motto "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" is displayed in a large number of them for this reason. His lawyer can throw down the race card, but it won't work here in this case.
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Post by DaWG on May 10, 2007 11:12:21 GMT -5
OJ was not judged to be guilty of the crime because of the sloppy police work and presecutive effort. It wasn't that he was/is innocent.
As far as the owner of the rest. I think he has the right to serve/not serve whoever he wants to.
As far as the attorney for OJ...the race card is thrown out when they don't have anything else to hang their hat on.
I remember this phrase "When the law is against you attack the facts. When the facts are against you attack the law. When the facts and the law are against you attack the investigator/investigation" In this case, Ruby is the investigator.
I appreciate a person who can stand up for what he thinks. I applaud him.
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Post by cambygsp on May 10, 2007 12:11:19 GMT -5
Why is this story even news?
The restaurant owner says the OJ was very gentlemanly and left without any sort of incident.
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Post by larryhagmansliver on May 10, 2007 17:44:48 GMT -5
Why is this story even news? The restaurant owner says the OJ was very gentlemanly and left without any sort of incident. good point. |
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