LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The owner of an upscale steakhouse in Louisville said he asked O.J. Simpson to leave his restaurant the night before the Kentucky Derby because he is sickened by the attention that Mr. Simpson still attracts.

“I didn’t want to serve him because of my convictions of what he’s done to those families,” Jeff Ruby said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “The way he continues to torture the lives of those families … with his behavior, attitude, and conduct.”

Mr. Simpson, an NFL Hall of Famer and Heisman Trophy winner, was found innocent in 1995 of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman but was found liable in a civil trial that followed. Mr. Ruby — who owns restaurants in Cincinnati, Louisville, and Belterra, Ind. — said Mr. Simpson, who was in town for the Derby on Saturday, came in with a group of about 12 Friday night and was seated at a table in the back. A customer came up to Mr. Ruby and was “giddy” about seeing Mr. Simpson, Mr. Ruby said.

“I didn’t want that experience in my restaurant,” Mr. Ruby said, later adding that seeing Mr. Simpson get so much attention “makes me sick to my stomach.”

He said he went to Mr. Simpson’s table and said, “I’m not serving you.” Mr. Ruby said when Mr. Simpson didn’t respond, he repeated himself and left the room. Mr. Ruby said Mr. Simpson soon came up to him and said he understood and would gather his party to leave.