O.J. SIMPSON . . . FAMILY FEUD

Growing uneasiness between O.J. Simpson's lawyers and the families of the his former wife and Ronald Goldman broke into open hostility today as the defense bitterly criticized Nicole Brown Simpson's sister Denise for publicly questioning O.J.'s innocence. "What has happened now is the court can hardly turn on the television without seeing Denise Brown ," defense attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr. said in a hearing. "She has taken it upon herself to misconstrue, to put her own spin on interpretations." Brown has implied in television interviews that Simpson committed the murders. The impact of her statements became clear when a prospective alternate juror told Judge Lance Ito he had seen Brown on TV. Asked by the judge what he heard her say, the man blurted out: "She said he did it." (He was dismissed.) But prosecutor Marcia Clark said Brown's statements were a repercussion of the defense's own media manipulation. "Don't make the first salvo," she snapped. Fred Goldman, father of Ronald Goldman, the second victim in the double murder, told ABC's "Good Morning America" this week that "it's difficult to imagine" that anyone other than O.J. Simpson committed the crimes. Meanwhile, Judge Lance Ito, defense lawyers and prosecutors toured the jail housing O.J. Simpson late yesterday. None of the participants would comment on the reason for the visit.Post your opinion on theCrimebulletin board.