Browns’ Lawyer Takes on Custody Fight

A lawyer representing Louis and Juditha Brown of Dana Point in their civil suit against O.J. Simpson for the death of their daughter now has taken on the Browns’ child custody fight, sources said Thursday.

Natasha Roit, who has participated in a number of depositions for the upcoming wrongful death trial in Santa Monica, will wage the Browns’ battle in Orange County for custody of Simpson’s children.

Roit, 36, declined comment on the custody case, citing a gag order. But, she said, “I’m a trial lawyer who takes on cases that are causes.”

Roit made headlines in 1994 for taking on the case of a man who claimed a McDonald’s rib sandwich gave him food poisoning and accelerated his case of AIDS. A jury voted 9 to 3 in McDonald’s favor.

The Browns had been represented in their custody case by Saul Gelbart and Eleanor A. Stegmeier. But earlier this month, the attorneys left the case because of the Browns’ inability to pay their legal bills.

The Browns are fighting for custody of Sydney, 10, and Justin, 8. The children have been living with the Browns since Simpson was arrested on suspicion of killing ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and companion Ronald Lyle Goldman in 1994.

Simpson was acquitted of the murder charges in October 1995, and has asked to regain custody of his children.