Simpson guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping

Thirteen years to the day after being acquitted of killing his wife and her friend, former football star faces prison.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Thirteen years to the day after being acquitted of killing his wife and her friend in Los Angeles, O.J. Simpson was found guilty of robbing two sports-memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room. The 61-year-old former football star was convicted of all 12 counts late Friday after jurors deliberated for more than 13 hours. He released a heavy sigh as the charges were read and was immediately taken into custody. Simpson, who went from American sports idol to celebrity-in-exile after his murder acquittal, could spend the rest of his life in prison. His attorney said he would appeal. Many people considered the four-week trial justice delayed. Simpson was cleared in 1995 of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, in one of the most sensational trials of the 20th century, but was later found liable for the deaths in a civil case. "I don't like to use the word payback," defense attorney Yale Galanter said. "I can tell you from the beginning my biggest concern ... was whether or not the jury would be able to separate their very strong feelings about Mr. Simpson and judge him fairly and honestly." The Hall of Fame football star was convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and 10 other charges for gathering up five men a year ago and storming into a room at a hotel-casino, where the group seized several game balls, plaques and photos. Prosecutors said two of the men with him were armed; one of them said Simpson asked him to bring a gun. Simpson's co-defendant, Clarence "C.J." Stewart, 54, also was found guilty on all charges and taken into custody. Simpson showed little emotion as officers handcuffed him and walked him out of the courtroom. His sister, Carmelita Durio, sobbed behind him in the arms of Simpson's friend, Tom Scotto, who said "I love you" as Simpson passed by. As spectators left the courtroom, Durio collapsed. Jurors made no eye contact with the defendants as they entered the courtroom. They declined to answer questions after the verdict was read. Galanter said his client had expected the outcome, and in a courthouse conversation with an Associated Press reporter on Thursday, Simpson had implied as much. Simpson said he was "afraid that I won't get to go to my kids' college graduations after I managed to get them through college." Galanter said it was not a happy day for anybody. "His only hope is the appellate process," he said. Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin said prosecutors would not comment until the case was "completely resolved." Judge Jackie Glass made no comment other than to thank the jury for its service and to deny motions for the defendants to be released on bail. She refused to give the lawyers extended time to file a motion for new trial, which under Nevada law must be filed within seven days. The attorneys said they needed time to submit a voluminous record. "I've sat through the trial," Glass said. "If you want a motion for new trial, send me something." Stewart's attorney, Brent Bryson, also promised to appeal. "If there was ever a case that should have been severed in the history of jurisprudence, it's this case," he said of unsuccessful attempts to separate Stewart's case from Simpson's because of the "spillover" effect. From the beginning, Simpson and his lawyers argued the incident was not a robbery, but an attempt to reclaim mementos that had been stolen from him. He said he did not ask anyone to bring a weapon and did not see any guns. The defense portrayed Simpson as a victim of shady characters who wanted to make a buck off his famous name, and police officers who saw his arrest as an opportunity to "get" him and avenge his acquittal. Prosecutors said Simpson's ownership of the memorabilia was irrelevant; it was still a crime to try to take things by force. "When they went into that room and forced the victims to the far side of the room, pulling out guns and yelling, `Don't let anybody out of here!' - six very large people detaining these two victims in the room with the intent to take property through force or violence from them - that's kidnapping," prosecutor David Roger said. Kidnapping is punishable by five years to life in prison. Armed robbery carries a mandatory sentence of at least two years behind bars, and could bring as much as 30. Sentencing was set for Dec. 5. Simpson, who now lives in Miami, did not testify but was heard on a recording of the confrontation screaming that the dealers had stolen his property. "Don't let nobody out of this room," he declared and told the other men to scoop up his items, which included a photo of Simpson with former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Four other men charged in the case struck plea bargains that saved them from potential prison sentences in return for their testimony. Some of them had criminal records or were otherwise compromised in some way. One, for example, was an alleged pimp who testified he had a revelation from God telling him to take a plea bargain.