Goetz Plans To File For Bankruptcy Fears His Pets Would Be Sold In Jackie Onassis-Style Auction

Enraged by last week’s jury award of $43 million against him and terrified that he might lose all his possessions, down to the pet guinea pig and chinchilla he considers his closest companions, Bernhard Goetz will file for bankruptcy today, according to his lawyer, Darnay Hoffman.

Hoffman said on Sunday that Goetz would file an emergency petition in Federal District Court in Manhattan. By doing so, Hoffman said, Goetz would delay any collection of his assets by at least several months - the time it would take for a trustee of the court to evaluate the legitimacy of Goetz’s claim.

“This takes him out of the Bronx and puts him in a federal court,” said Hoffman, referring to the location of the civil trial that led to the award of $43 million for Darrell Cabey, who was paralyzed when Goetz shot him in a subway car in 1984.

“The bankruptcy courts can decide they’re not going to abide by that farce in the Bronx,” Hoffman said.

But Goetz has no intention of appealing the Bronx jury’s decision, Hoffman said. He said that the $43 million award was “so large, so preposterous” that Goetz wanted it to stand as an example and reminder of what he believes is bad justice.

Goetz declined several requests for comment on Sunday, after his decision to file for bankruptcy was reported in The New York Post.

Ronald L. Kuby, the lawyer representing Cabey, said he was not concerned about Goetz’s maneuver. “Good!” Kuby said on Sunday. “I specifically asked the jury to bankrupt Mr. Goetz.”

Then, in a more serious tone, he added that the bankruptcy filing would not affect the amount of money his client would receive in the long run and might help determine exactly how much money Goetz has, which is the subject of some dispute.

But Goetz is clearly unable to pay even a small fraction of the $43 million in damages. And according to Hoffman, he is concerned that his creditors, having seen the astronomical prices fetched in the auction of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ belongings last week, would demand a similar sale of his possessions, including his pets.

“Now, he doesn’t consider himself a Jackie O.,” Hoffman said. “But there’s no question that something that was owned by Bernie Goetz could bring in a lot.”