O. J. Simpson Jury Relies On Video and Documents
Jurors Did Not Need Witnesses' Testimony to Convict Former Athlete
Oct 6, 2008
O. J. Simpson was convicted in a trial that took place in Las Vegas, Nevada which ended on October 4, 2008. After 13 hours of deliberation, the jury decided that he was guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping and all ten counts stemming from a confrontation last year in a Vegas hotel room. His lawyers are planning to appeal the verdict however sentencing will take place on December 15, 2008. Simpson and his co-defendant, Charles Steward, could be sentenced to life imprisonment.
O. J. Simpson Indictment
O. J. Simpson was indicted on charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery and 12 other charges stemming from a suspected sports memorabilia heist which took place in a casino hotel room from which Simpson and a group of men are accused of stealing items using force.The possession of a gun brought into the room adds the charges of conspiracy to to crimes.
The former Hall of Fame football star was said to have stormed into the hotel room with five armed men in order to seize sports mementos, including game balls, plaques and photos, from two collectors.
O. J. Simpson Sentencing Possibilities
O. J. Simpson and Charles Steward can be sentenced on a number of different charges. According to an article in the New York Times on October 4, 2008, sentences could be for kidnapping punishable by five years to life, armed robbery with a mandatory sentence of at least two years and up to 30 years. The presence of a weapon at the scene adds years to the minimum sentences for 9 to 12 years, which include conspiracy to commit robbery, burglary, assault and coercion.
O. J. Simpson Jury Members Convict
O. J. Simpson trial jury members, in an interview with the New York Times on October 5, 2008, say they relied more on audio, video and other documented evidence than witness testimony. They felt that witness' testimony was not reliable and thought it would be a waste of time for prosecutors to give plea deals to several of Simpson's co-defendants in exchange for their testimony.
O. J. Simpson will be held in the Clark County Detention Center until his Dec. 5, 2008 sentencing for his crimes and then is expected to be moved to a state prison. His attorney is requesting that he be released on bond during the appeal process. The appeal will partly based on fact that there were no African-Americans on the jury. Meanwhile, he is in isolated custody and being protected from other inmates.
There was an eerie coincidence that the verdict came down exactly 13 years to the date that Simpson was acquitted of the murder of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald L. Goldman.
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