Nevada jury less impressed with washed-up celebrity
posted at 9:08 am on October 4, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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I lived in California during the first OJ Simpson criminal trial when he beat the rap for two brutal murders in Brentwood. Thirteen years ago yesterday, I was as stunned as the rest of the state when a Los Angeles jury managed to ignore a “mountain of evidence” to acquit Simpson. Thirteen years later, OJ discovered that Nevada juries are much less impressed with celebrity:
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 room.
The 61-year-old former football star could spend the rest of his life in prison. Sentencing was set for Dec. 5.
A weary and somber Simpson released a heavy sigh as the charges were read by the clerk in Clark County District Court. He was immediately taken into custody.
This trial was also televised, but created much less of a media feeding frenzy than in 1995. The verdict came in late last night, and Fox televised it live (via Ms. Underestimated):
O.J. GUILTY ON ALL 12 COUNTS – video powered by Metacafe
The defense team tried playing the victim again, but unlike in California, no one on the Nevada jury could quite agree with the notion that six armed men breaking into a hotel room to take material by force werevictims. Yale Galanter, Simpson’s longtime attorney, tried blaming everyone else involved in this case as being motivated by material gain from exploiting what even Galanter called Simpson’s wrong-headed attempt to reclaim what was supposedly his own memorabilia. The jury, as you can see above, remained distinctly unimpressed, and convicted Simpson and C.J. Stewart on every count.
Galanter and Stewart’s attorney will appeal, the latter apparently on the grounds that Simpson should have received a separate trial. That seems like weak tea; co-defendants participating in the same crime can be tried together. They may raise questions about the veracity of the witnesses on appeal, especially since Galanter was at least correct about almost everyone profiting off of the media exposure, some within minutes of the arrest. An appeals court will likely reject that as a credibility issue best judged by the jury itself. Very likely, Simpson will get a 15-to-life sentence that will keep him behind bars for at least a decade — and there’s a small chance that some of these may get stacked consecutively, which would be a life sentence.
Celebrities do get convicted of crimes after all. Just not in California.
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I am so glad this guy was too stupid to stay out of trouble…finally justice is served. Enjoy showertime scumbag.
DarkeningCloud on October 4, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Maybe he’ll find his wife’s killer behing bars.
Then he could give him a real “what for”.
TheSitRep on October 4, 2008 at 9:57 PM
ManlyRash is correct. King deserved every kick and swing of the baton, plus a few more in the privates, as do all morons who lead police on car chases. He’s nothing more than a grade A1 loser as evidenced by his repeated run-ins with the police. The black jury in the OJ case thought they would get back at “The Man” over Rodney King; talk about racists. I wonder how they would have felt if Rodney had ran over one of their sons or daughters during that chase! What they did was give a murderer 13 more years of freedom. But now there will be quite a few in line in the the “Big House” to get some fresh squeezed OJ…..fresh from Florida!
Bubba Redneck on October 4, 2008 at 10:12 PM
So true! That is exactly what the Verdict meant. Was the middle finger. He had a jury of his peers alright. I will always believe he killed his Ex and Goldman. I lived in Santa Barbara when that happened. I was numb when they found him not Guilty. Rodney King deserved everything that he got. A friend of mine was hurt during the riots. I just hope he gets some long long years behind bars! Payback as they say is a biotch.
sheebe on October 4, 2008 at 11:51 PM
Tommygun on October 4, 2008 at 9:45 AM
I saw a article last week. Some Construction worker in LA. A black man. Said that if Obama loses then all hell is going to come down. Now they will show their true intelligence. One said but a lot of white people are for Obama. The Black man said, “And?” They are not us. Interesting. He also said anything goes when it comes to white. I am white, but that is not why I don’t want Obama to win. He is evil, and his wife is a radical. They been playing the race card. Not to mention he knows diddly shit about being President.
sheebe on October 4, 2008 at 11:58 PM
Some here seem to not be happy with the greed on the Goldman’s part being enough. They’d rather take any significant guilty verdict as revenge for being denied an earlier conviction. There’s accepting the 30 million penalty on one end, and there are people who rather have him dead(by legal or worse) on the other.
I’d rather give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he makes it out alive. Not to spite those who want him dead or destitute, but to allow him to follow up an honorably served sentence. That is justice.
Whether he committed those murders, I’ll leave that determination to the courts and Him. Not some angry mob shopping for a guilty verdict and a convenient means to dispose of Mr. Simpson.
sethstorm on October 5, 2008 at 12:45 AM
Oh yeah, poor OJ the victim…spare me! Only a moron or someone with an axe to grind would of found OJ innocent in his murder trial, there was way too much evidence for his guilt not to be obvious to anyone with one functioning brain cell.
OJ is not nor was he ever the victim, he is just a jealous ego-maniac with a violent temper and a track record of abuse who thought he was above the law because of his celebrity. It is and always will be Ronald and Nicole that are the victims, not OJ!
Liberty or Death on October 5, 2008 at 1:58 AM
sethstorm on October 5, 2008 at 12:45 AM
Are you saying that this time he didn’t try to rob his stuff back? Had his friends bring guns? The Goldman’s are greedy? Sure hope you don’t have kids. And if you do, how would you feel if your child was murdered like that>? He was guilty! The Jury was almost all black. They wanted to spit in the court systems face. Screw the laws. (Not all Blacks are like that). Then the cops like Furman, went to far. They contaminated evidence, and shot their mouths off about evidence. I would have sued his ass for wrongful death also. The evidence that was substantial was not allowed to be entered because of stupidity on Clark and Darden not submitting it to the Defense on time! That is why at the wrongful death suit. The jury found him guilty! Judge Ito also screwed up. He was thinking he was a star. He is not a victim but a man with a ego. He thinks he is above the law because he was the Juice. BFD! I just hope when he is sentenced. He will never step foot out of that prison!
sheebe on October 5, 2008 at 2:26 AM
Thanks, Ed… much appreciated. :-)
MsUnderestimated on October 5, 2008 at 4:09 AM
He was found guilty on all counts. I’ll go by what the court’s decision says.
I only said that he was not guilty of murder, but found liable for wrongful death. Those two court decisions were unrelated to the current trial. If it makes you feel better that he was found guilty of something, fine with me.
Well, it doesn’t get worse than them decrying the same book until they get control of the profits. Nearly the same content afterwards, just minor edits to the cover and content. According to them, it’s only depravity if their name isn’t on it and they don’t have the rights to the book.
sethstorm on October 5, 2008 at 7:17 AM
I see a book deal coming for OJ. Instead of “If I would have done it” to “Okay, I Really Did It.” Write the book and give all the money to the estates of both victims.
Mojave Mark on October 5, 2008 at 9:32 AM
I’m taking bets, because you people don’t get it and I could get rich if I had lots of money to back up this claim.
People:
He’s Black, which means he has permanant victim status.
He’s a celebrity.
He has the law on his side when it comes to things like this.
Did you see the look on his face when the verdict was read? I saw it as “Dang, this is one of those stupid technicalities that’s going to interfere with my golfing”.
He KNOWS he’s never going to serve a day in prison past Dec. 5, or whenever his punishment is decided.
I’m counting the days until he’s out on appeal. Not days, hours. Ok, days. Someone, somewhere will find a loophole to get this guy out. I wouldn’t be surprised if he fired his current defense team. I didn’t see the jury, but I would almost bet they were all white. He was tried with another defendant. Even though that’s allowed, there’s a loophole there somewhere. I just know it.
This case is just ripe for a victim of simpson’s stature. It just wreaks of “out on appeal” and “case thrown out”.
Racism people. It’s a card very well played by those who know how to play it. Because in the end, this verdict was read 13 years to the day simpson skated on those murder charges.
And when it’s all said and done, that’s all race baiters need to “prove” simpson was “set up”. Revenge.
I hope I don’t get my account deleted for this comment, but it’s how I feel. I’m just sick of these people getting away with…murder or things like this. And once again, I see it coming.
simpson gets out while his case is being appealed and this thing will drag out for a long time. After that, he’ll stay out of prison because the case will go back to the DA, and they won’t retry it.
Betcha. Any bets?
SuperManGreenLantern on October 5, 2008 at 10:14 AM
I grew up when OJ was at his prime. I had all types of OJ stuff. I loved him. If he was in a movie or what ever, I had to watch it. At first I didn’t judge when he was arrested for the murders. But you have a great point! Not giving you are hard time SuperManGreenLantern. Maybe your nick. :) But reading what you said I didn’t think of the points you stated. When his murder trial was going I was glued to the TV. A few years after the not guilty verdict. I met a lawyer who knew one of the Prosecutors. The things he pointed out that could have convicted him was not allowed in evidence. Justice. Not to mention the Media did their best to make him sound innocent. More than likely you are right. He probably will get by with this too.
sheebe on October 5, 2008 at 10:57 AM
OJ,Bye bye.
canopfor on October 5, 2008 at 2:11 PM
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