Guilty on All Counts - Sentenced 15 to Life - O. J. Simpson's Robbery Trial, by Mary Neal

O. J. Simpson is on trial again, this time for allegedly committing armed robbery at a Las Vegas hotel called Palace Station last September to repossess his "stolen" sports memorabilia.   On February 5, 1997, Simpson was acquitted after a lengthy trial for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.  Despite Simpson's acquittal, officers who arrested Simpson on his Las Vegas robbery charges may believe, as many people do, that Simpson got away with murder.  Simpson now faces the possibility of a lengthy prison term if found guilty in his robbery trial.  Armed robbery is a felony charge with mandatory sentencing of up to 35 years imprisonment, and a kidnapping conviction carries the possibility of life in prison.

Judge Jackie Glass seems determined that Simpson's robbery trial will not be tainted by Simpson's prior murder charges.  She refused to allow Simpson's defense attorneys to ask potential jurors during jury selection whether they thought Simpson was a murderer.  Judge Glass may find it hard to keep the jury from thinking back to Simpson's prior trial, however.  Thursday, jurors in Simpson's robbery trial heard officers bragging on tape that Nevada would do what California could not.  

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(Entire article picture gallery at this link:
http://news.aol.com/article/police-bragged-on-tape-of-getting-oj/174532)


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Simpson was defended in his murder trial by a "dream team" of lawyers led by famous attorney, Johnnie Cochran, now deceased.  Simpson's defense for his 2007 robbery conviction is being conducted by Yale Galanter and other attorneys.

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UPDATE 10/3/08

Linda Deutsch reporting

AP - O.J. Simpson, who went from American sports idol to celebrity-in-exile after he was acquitted of murder in 1995, was found guilty Friday of robbing two sports-memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel. Read more at this link:

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

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UPDATE - 12/5/08
http://www.latimes. com/news/ nationworld/ nation/la- na-oj-simpson6- 2008dec06, 0,6765346. story

Los Angeles Times
By Ashley Powers
December 5, 2008

O.J. SIMPSON TO BE SENTENCED TODAY

Jailed since his Oct. 3 robbery conviction, he faces a prison term from six years to life. Victims in the case are expected to testify. His lawyers plan an appeal.

Reporting from Las Vegas — The latest chapter of O.J. Simpson's legal travails comes to a close today when he is sentenced for leading a ragtag band of hangers-on in the robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers in a cramped Las Vegas hotel room.

Simpson, 61, faces life in prison after his conviction Oct. 3 for kidnapping and armed robbery, among other charges. The Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Fame running back is being held at the County Detention Center as inmate No. 02648927. His only "contact visits" have been with defense attorneys Yale Galanter and Gabriel Grasso, who are planning to appeal. 

(See link above for full article.)

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UPDATE 12-05-08

O. J. Simpson (The Juice) Sentenced 15 Years to Life

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-na-oj-sentencing6-2008dec06,0,3919620.story

Los Angeles Times
December 5, 2008

In <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Las Vegas, Judge Jackie Glass orders Simpson, 61, to spend at least nine years in prison.  Simpson makes a tearful plea for leniency, but Glass calls him arrogant and ignorant.  (See the link above for the full article.)

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MARY'S COMMENTARY

O. J. Simpson, now 61, will not be eligible for parole until he hits 70.  I suppose this jury concluded that the glove fits.

This writer hopes that some karma is left over for Simpson's "dream team" of '97, since karma is the apparent popular opinion about Simpson's guilty verdict and today's sentencing.  Almost invaribly, people commenting online regarding Simpson's fate cite his 1997 acquittal regarding the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman.  Those murders remain unsolved to date.

Ronald Goldman's father successfully sued Simpson in a civil action holding The Juice responsible for his son's murder and won a $33.5 million judgment.  However, little of that money was actually paid.  In 2006, Simpson wrote a book entitled If I Did It, supposedly a fictitious account of how O.J. Simpson would have murdered Brown and Goldman, although O.J. maintained his professions of innocence.  The book was withdrawn from publication and later released by the Goldman family under a new title, If I Did It:  Confessions of a Killer.  Obviously, Ron Goldman's family never stopped believing that O.J. was their loved one's murderer.  They are likely pleased with the lengthy sentence handed down by Judge Glass today regarding O.J.'s Las Vegas kidnapping and robbery conviction.  

The family of this writer has pursued a justice quest against O.J. Simpson's "dream team" defense law firm for a number of years, a quest which also suffered a lengthy delay due largely to apparent collusion.  The Neal family's initial lawsuit against The Cochran Firm for its fraud as the family's wrongful death attorneys was filed in 2005.  However, the case was dismissed with Judge Wendy Shoob, of Georgia Superior Court, who issued an order declaring the Atlanta office of The Cochran Firm as being non-existent under its highly advertised identity, which office was where the Neals served suit.  The Neal family is encouraged today by the principal of karma and look forward to a just conclusion eventually in the matter outlined in this website:  http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com

This writer has no way of determining Simpson's innocence or guilt on his murder charges of 1997 or the 2007 Las Vegas hotel robbery.  However the families of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman believe that he murdered their loved ones.  The Brown and Goldman families likely perceive that justice 10 years delayed is still a sweet, welcome relief.  Finally, they have a real chance for closure.

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Mary Neal
Website:  http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com