O.J. Simpson guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping

[VaBeachGuy 12]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081004/ap_on_re_us/oj_simpson

 

Simpson guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping By LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent

 

 

LAS VEGAS - 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.

 

Memorabilia dealer Thomas Riccio, who arranged and secretly recorded the hotel-room confrontation, said he netted $210,000 from the media for the tapes.

 

Similarly, minutes after the Sept. 13, 2007, incident, one of the alleged victims, sports-memorabilia dealer Alfred Beardsley, was calling news outlets, and the other, Bruce Fromong, spoke of getting "big money" from the case.

 

Simpson's past haunted the case. Las Vegas police officers were heard in the recordings chuckling over Simpson's misfortune and crowing that if Los Angeles couldn't "get" him, they would.

 

During jury selection, Simpson's lawyers expressed fears that people who believed he got away with murder might see this case as a chance to right a wrong.

 

As a result, an usually large pool of 500 potential jurors was called, and they were given a 26-page questionnaire. Half were almost instantly eliminated after expressing strong feelings that Simpson should have been convicted of murder.

 

The judge instructed the jurors to put aside Simpson's earlier case.

 

In closing arguments, Galanter acknowledged that what Simpson did to recover his memorabilia was not right. "But being stupid, and being frustrated is not being a criminal," he said.

 

He added: "This case has taken on a life of its own because of Mr. Simpson's involvement. You know that. I know that. Every cooperator, every person who had a gun, every person who had an ulterior motive, every person who signed a book deal, every person who got paid money, the police, the district attorney's office, is only interested in one thing: Mr. Simpson."

[Kor37 9]

Justice may finally be served!.......

[Odie 0]

[Bethlehem 8]

My thoughts and prayers are with the kids. It does not seem they can exscape who their dad is.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

My thoughts and prayers are with the kids. It does not seem they can exscape who their dad is.

I think they're probably adults by now.

[Odie 0]

From what I have read they are in college. It does not matter if they are kid or adult they are the ones are hurting from what their father's actions. They can't escape from it. Somehow I would not want to be in their shoes.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

Somehow I would not want to be in their shoes.

I don't like second-hand shoes either.

[mj 7]

How difficult it will be for children to handle the notariety of their father in part depends on the kinds of help they have from family members. You also have to understand that they may not believe their father killed their mother, so it may be a in part a matter of handling public perception, and the latest crisis. Some public figures have children who are healthy in spite of the pressures of public life, and all the things they do. Chelsea Clinton comes to mind as an example.

 

The woman I admire the most in the world is a childhood friend who grew up well-to-do, married a doctor, and seemed headed for a storybook life until her husband was very publicly brought down by alleged wrongdoing.

He lost his license, the family lost their beautiful home, and it was on the local news day after day. Years later one of the things she told me about that time was how she handled working with her children so that they would not lose respect for their father, and a healthy family life be maintained. Today those children are healthy, responsible young adults ( well one is still a teen), all of good character.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

From what I have read they are in college. It does not matter if they are kid or adult they are the ones are hurting from what their father's actions. They can't escape from it. Somehow I would not want to be in their shoes.

I just think an adult is better equipped to deal with this stuff than a child would be. But it'll still be a trauma for them I'm sure. Adult or child, you don't want to see this stuff happen to your parents.

[Odie 0]

Being adults has nothing to do if they can handle it. Sometimes children can handle it better than adults.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Being adults has nothing to do if they can handle it. Sometimes children can handle it better than adults.

I disagree, but that's ok. Adults don't need their parents to raise them. Children need their parents there. Adults can care for their own daily needs, children can't. Adults can get a job to support themselves, children can't.

 

Reality is that adults are better able to deal with things than children, that's not to say it won't be hard on them. I just believe that a 24 year old man and a 26 year old woman will be ok in life where a 10 year old little boy and a 12 year old little girl in the same situation would have a harder time of losing a mother and father.

[Odie 0]

Children have this amazing ability to bounce back from almost anything that I have found not in adults too much.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Children have this amazing ability to bounce back from almost anything that I have found not in adults too much.

 

So if you and your husband were suddenly "gone" either by accident, crime or whatever you believe that it would be easier and better on your children now (or at 10 to 12 years old) rather than when they're adults?

[Theunicornhunter 2]

First, while I do believe OJ killed his wife - I hope that wasn't why he was convicted of robbery and kidnapping. Although, if he did indeed believe his possessions had been stolen he should have gone to the police - not attempted to recover them himself through the use of violence.

 

As for the kids versus adults. I have to agree with VBG, children are in their formative years - that's why they're called children. And losing a parent is much more devastating to a child than to an adult. If adults lack the ability to deal with life - there's a good chance there was something missing in their upbringing. Not all children "bounce back", in fact suicide rates are much higher for teens than young adults; then they start going up again for senior citizens.

[Odie 0]

I am just looking at a different perspective and some life experience. I have friends that haven't bounce back life changing events when they are adult. I also have friend when she was a children lost her sister yet she bounce back. Children are more likely to get help they need than an adult that has go through the stage denial before they will get that help they need. Sometimes it takes years.

 

I am not an expert, but I am speaking from experence. There are some events that happen in children that the person never bounce back and any event in adulthood makes much more harder to deal with.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I have some experience too, friends that had things happen as a child and friends that had things happen as an adult. Not everyone is the same in how they react. Personally though, if I had to pick a situation of children under 12 losing their parents or adults over 24 losing their parents and I had to pick one of the 2 situations I'd pick the adults losing their parents.

[Odie 0]

I done with this thread. I can't get my point across well enough.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I done with this thread. I can't get my point across well enough.

I understand your point, we just disagree and it's ok to disagree You stated your opinion well enough and I understand it. I hope I stated mine well enough for people to understand it also. We can agree to disagree and it's ok.

[Odie 0]

Fine with me.