Thirteen years to the day after being acquitted of double murder, OJ Simpson has been found guilty of robbing two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room.
Simpson was convicted on 12 counts, including kidnapping and armed robbery after storming the hotel room a year ago with five other men, two of them armed. One said Simpson specifically asked them to bring guns.
The former football star could face life in prison. His attorney plans an appeal.
Did karma act on the behalf of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson whose deaths, despite his acquittal on criminal charges, Simpson was found responsible for in civil court?
“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.”
Simpson claimed the event was not a robbery, but an attempt to reclaim his own possessions. He claims to be the victim of shady characters who wishes to make money off his notorious reputation and that he never saw any guns. Prosecutors say his reasons are irrelevant — it is still a crime 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.
OJ will remain in custody pending an appeal.
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