O.J. Simpson: 'I was stupid. I'm sorry'

[MrPsychic 1]

His voice shaking, O.J. Simpson apologized in court for his role in an armed confrontation over sports memorabilia and insisted he was merely trying to recover property that had been stolen from his family.

 

"I stand here today sorry, somewhat confused. I feel apologetic to people of state of Nevada," Simpson began. At times, he appeared to be fighting tears as he spoke.

 

Judge Jackie Glass said she was surprised Simpson chose to address the court. She added that the words he spoke in court were not as powerful as his words, as caught on tape, during the confrontation.

 

"Everything in this case was on tape," Glass said. " And its your own words, Mr. Simpson, you own words ... that that brought you here to this seat in my courtroom. The evidence in this case was overwhelming."

 

She continued, "You went to the room. You took guns. You used force. You took property, and in this state, that amounts to robbery with the use of a deadly weapon."

 

Simpson, who wore blue jail scrubs to court for Friday's sentencing, did not testify during his trial. He was convicted of armed robbery, kidnapping and assault on October 3 -- 13 years to the day after his acquittal in the killings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Lyle Goldman.

 

Simpson's tone became more impassioned as he insisted he never intended to intimidate people or steal property.

 

"I didn't want to steal anything from anybody," Simpson said, adding that among the items he sought to recover were a wedding ring for his daughter and family photos for his son.

 

"I just wanted my personal things. I was stupid. I'm sorry. I didn't know I was doing anything illegal. I thought I was confronting friends. I thought I was retrieving my things. I didn't mean to hurt anybody and I didn't mean to steal anything," Simpson said.

 

Simpson and co-defendant C.J. Stewart face sentences of up to life in prison for their roles in a 2007 confrontation at a Las Vegas hotel.

 

Attorneys for the 61-year-old former running back are asking for a sentence of no more than six years. But a pre-sentencing report recommended an 18-year term, and District Judge Jackie Glass -- who cut Simpson little slack during the trial -- has wide leeway in passing sentence.

 

Prosecutor David Rogers told Glass that Simpson was "the ringleader, so to speak, in this case ... he chose to use force and violence to take this property."

 

"This case could have turned out a lot worse," Rogers added. "Who knows what might have happened, and it's all because of Mr. Simpson."

 

Defense attorneys, meanwhile, asked Glass for leniency.

 

"This isn't one of those kidnappings where you have people egregiously detained, tied up, pushed into a safe," Gabe Grasso said.

 

In court papers filed this week, Grasso wrote that O.J. Simpson was "clearly ... not using good judgment" when he led a group of men into a room at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino to take sports memorabilia from dealers Bruce Fromong and Al Beardsley. But Simpson deserves a lighter sentence as a first-time offender who showed no criminal intent, Grasso wrote. VideoWatch what Simpson could be in for at the sentencing »

 

In court, Simpson attorney Yale Galanter said his client's actions were "beyond stupid" and that Simpson is remorseful.

 

Four men charged with Simpson cut deals with the prosecution and testified against the 1968 Heisman Trophy winner and his co-defendant, C.J. Stewart. One testified that Simpson asked him to bring a gun to the encounter. Stewart also faces sentencing Friday.

 

Simpson's attorneys have said they plan to appeal the convictions, arguing that a fair trial was nearly impossible after the 1995 murder trial that left him a celebrity outcast. Follow a timeline of Simpson's legal woes »

 

A lawsuit filed by the Brown and Goldman families found him liable for civil damages in the killings two years after his acquittal in the criminal case.

 

Goldman's father, Fred, who called Simpson a "scumbag" after the Nevada verdicts, is expected to be in court for Friday's sentencing. He told reporters that his family was "absolutely thrilled" at the possibility of a life sentence for Simpson.

[oldfan1 0]

O.J. is sorry about 2 things and 2 things only.

 

1, that he got caught

 

2, that he wasn't tried in Los Angeles where he would have gotten away with it.

[Kor37 9]

What else is very evident is that Simpson was clearly set up. Everything that went down was on tape. Somebody set this up just to take OJ down. Not that there's anything wrong with that..... :)

 

Now who would have gone to all that trouble to set up Simpson? Fred Goldman perhaps?