We were offered 'hush money,' says O.J.'s sister-in-law

O.J. Simpson's former sister-in-law, Denise Brown, claims News Corp. tried to buy her family's silence in advance of the former football star's planned book and TV special.

On Monday, News Corp. cancelled the TV special and book, If I Did It, in which O.J. Simpson was to speak about the killings of his ex-wife and her friend, Ronald Goldman.

The prospect of Simpson describing how he would have killed his wife, "if I did it," had horrified critics and drawn censure from the families of both victims of the killing.

Simpson was acquitted of the killings in a sensational murder trial, but later found guilty of wrongful death in a civil suit.

In the weeks leading up to the broadcast plannedon Fox, News Corp. met with representatives of Nicole Brown Simpson's and Ron Goldman's families to offer them profits from the planned Simpson book and television show, a spokesman for News Corp. confirmed. He deniedhush money was offered.

Denise Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson, spoke of the offer on the Today show on NBC on Tuesday.

"They wanted to offer us millions of dollars. Millions of dollars for, like, 'Oh, I'm sorry' money. But they were still going to air the show," Brown said.

"We just thought, 'Oh my God!' What they're trying to do is trying to keep us quiet, trying to make this like hush money, trying to go around the civil verdict, giving us this money to keep our mouths shut."

Brown said her family turned the money down.

News Corp. spokesman Andrew Butcher denied the families were offered hush money.

"There were no strings attached," he said.

Goldman's family had publicly condemned plans to air the Fox special, If I Did It, and to release the book.

Legal action planned

They have said they believe Simpson got away with murder.

Ron Goldman's sister, Kim Goldman, told CBS's The Early Show on Tuesday that the family plans legal action to collect any money Simpson received from the book or TV deal.

Simpson has failed to pay the $33.5 million US judgment against him in the civil case and has wrangled in the courts for yearswith the victims' families. His NFL pension and Florida home are exempt from the judgment.

Denise Brown said she believesmoney is being hidden so Simpson doesn't have to pay the civil judgment.

"The courts one day will find out who that person is" who is helping hide the money, Brown said.

When he cancelled the show on Monday, News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch apologized to the families.

"I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project," Murdoch said.

'Sorry for any pain'

"We are sorry for any pain that this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson."

The Fox special was to air Nov. 27 and 29 and had been scheduled to boost ratings for the network.

HarperCollins, another News Corp. unit that was scheduled to publish the book, said all copies of the book will be destroyed.

Some copies had already been shipped to stores but would be recalled, the publisher said.

Simpson's attorney, Yale Galanter, said Simpson had known cancellation was a possibility.

"There are only three possible reactions: anger, happiness or indifference. He's totally indifferent about the fact that it's been cancelled," Galanter said.