Deposition Hastily Set for Resnick in Simpson Case

Faye Resnick, the woman O.J. Simpson has sought to link to the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Lyle Goldman, is expected to tell her story under oath today during a hastily arranged deposition in New York City.

Sources said Friday that Simpson flew to New York so he could be present for the deposition at the Madison Avenue offices of John Quinlan Kelly, lawyer for the estate of Nicole Brown Simpson. The deposition is being held as part of the pretrial discovery in civil wrongful death cases filed against the former football star stemming from the June 12, 1994, murders.

Simpson has suggested that the deaths of his former wife and her friend may have been connected to drug use by Resnick, a friend of Nicole Simpson. Simpson’s legal advisors have repeatedly floated the theory that a killer or killers might have come looking for Resnick and stumbled onto the two victims.

Police long ago dismissed any link between the murders and drug dealers, and Resnick has called Simpson’s allegations baseless.

Daniel M. Petrocelli, the lead attorney representing Goldman’s father, Fred, would not comment on what issues he planned to explore in Resnick’s deposition.

But the questioning is expected to delve into a number of sensitive areas, including Simpson’s denial that he ever struck his former wife.

“I think Ms. Resnick has very important evidence to offer the court,” said Petrocelli, who flew to New York on Friday for the deposition. “She knows quite a bit about the relationship between Mr. Simpson and Nicole. She’s had a number of conversations herself with Mr. Simpson, particularly over the last weeks and months leading up to Ron’s death and Nicole’s [death].”

In her book “Nicole Brown Simpson: The Private Diary of a Life Interrupted,” Resnick said she believed that Simpson committed the murders.

Simpson was acquitted by a Los Angeles jury in October, but he now faces civil lawsuits brought by Fred Goldman, Sharon Rufo--Ronald Goldman’s biological mother--and the estate of Nicole Brown Simpson.

Petrocelli said Resnick left Los Angeles for New York recently, in part because of death threats she has received.

“This is a difficult decision for her to make, but I believe she thinks she’s doing the right thing by making herself available for this deposition,” Petrocelli said.

Resnick prepared for the deposition Friday at the offices of her New York attorney, Mark Lafayette.

Meanwhile, Fred Goldman completed a brief deposition Friday at the West Los Angeles offices of Petrocelli’s firm, Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp, answering questions about his relationship with his son.

“It was very emotional at some points when they asked about . . . what I miss the most,” Goldman said.

His deposition lasted just 90 minutes, far less than the five hours his daughter, Kim, spent under oath talking to lawyers earlier in the week. “Maybe I should feel cheated,” Goldman joked during a light moment with reporters afterward.

Petrocelli said he expects Resnick’s deposition to continue through early next week.

Petrocelli is expected back in Los Angeles on Wednesday to depose Simpson’s former guest house tenant, Brian “Kato” Kaelin.

Simpson has completed about half of his own deposition, which is scheduled to resume Feb. 19 at Petrocelli’s office. The remainder of Simpson’s testimony is expected to last about a week.

Petrocelli said his aides also are seeking to depose several other key figures in the Simpson case. He said his office tried unsuccessfully over the last week to serve subpoenas on Simpson’s two grown children, Jason and Arnelle, and Simpson’s friends A.C. Cowlings and Robert Kardashian.

“They’re awfully difficult to find,” he said.

In related matters, attorneys for the plaintiffs and Simpson are supposed to report to Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Alan B. Haber Wednesday on whether they have resolved their differences over how much of Simpson’s financial records will be turned over to the plaintiffs.

And the lawyers are scheduled to meet in a status conference Thursday before David D. Perez, the presiding judge of the Santa Monica Superior Court. Several issues will be discussed, including a possible change in the date of the trial, which is scheduled to begin April 2.

“On Thursday before Judge Perez, we will be having a status conference about the case, at which time we will learn more about our trial date,” Petrocelli said. “We hope that [if it does] not go forward on April 2, that it will go forward soon thereafter.”

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Times legal affairs writer Henry Weinstein contributed to this story.