O.J. Simpson arrested

AleksandarN

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http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=3022848

LAS VEGAS -- O.J. Simpson was arrested Sunday and faces multiple felony charges in an alleged armed robbery of collectors involving the former football great's sports memorabilia, authorities said.
Simpson was arrested shortly after 11 a.m., Capt. James Dillon said.
Prosecutors were planning to charge Simpson with two counts of robbery with use of a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery, burglary with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and coercion, said Clark County District Attorney David Roger.
A conviction on the most serious charge, robbery with use of a deadly weapon, could bring a sentence of three to 35 years for each count, he said.
"He is facing a lot of time," Roger said.
Simpson was being held at Las Vegas police offices pending the arrival of his lawyer, who was expected later Sunday, Dillon said.
"He was very cooperative, there were no issues," Dillon said.
At least one other person has been arrested and police said Sunday that as many as six people could be arrested in connection with the alleged armed robbery that occurred in a room inside the Palace Station casino-hotel on Thursday.
Simpson, 60, has said he and other people with him were retrieving items that belonged to him. Simpson has said there were no guns involved and that he went to the room at the casino only to get stolen mementos that included his Hall of Fame certificate and a picture of the running back with J. Edgar Hoover.
Simpson told The Associated Press on Saturday that he did not call the police to help reclaim the items because he has found the police unresponsive to him ever since his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, were killed in 1994.
"The police, since my trouble, have not worked out for me," he said, noting that whenever he has called the police "It just becomes a story about O.J."
The Heisman Trophy winner, ex-NFL star and actor lives near Miami and has been a tabloid staple since his ex-wife and Goldman were killed in 1994. Simpson was acquitted of murder charges, but a jury later held him liable for the killings in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Police said two firearms and other evidence were seized at a private residence early Sunday.
Walter Alexander, 46, of Mesa, Ariz., was arrested Saturday night on two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery and burglary with a deadly weapon.
He was released without bail on Saturday night, Dillon said.
Besides the two firearms, police said they seized other evidence during early morning searches of two residences, Lt. Clint Nichols said.
"It was evidence of a crime that was committed," Nichols said. "And I believe we recovered some clothing that the individual was wearing in the commission of the robbery."
Simpson said auction house owner Tom Riccio called him several weeks ago to say some collectors were selling some of his items. Riccio set up a meeting with collectors under the guise that he had a private collector interested in buying Simpson's items.
Simpson said he was accompanied by several men he met at a wedding cocktail party, and they took the collectibles.
Alfred Beardsley, one of the sports memorabilia collectors involved in the alleged robbery, has said he wants the case dropped and that he's "on O.J.'s side."

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
 
I wonder if he's going to pick another "dream team" to defend him. (Johnnie Cochran passed away a few years ago)
 
0916071oj1.jpg
 
Bet he learns his lesson about leaving live witnesses. This time the not only can the victims testify against him but his acomplices are very likely to make deals and roll over on him, making this a MUCH stronger case than the Nicole/Goldman trial.
 
Apparently they have an audio recording of the incident at:

http://www.tmz.com/

TMZ has obtained an audio tape of O.J. Simpson's confrontation with a sports memorabilia dealer that led to his arrest on felony robbery charges. In it, you hear someone say, "You against the motherf*****g wall."

We're told Riccio was on hand to help Simpson prove certain memorabilia being auctioned by Alfred Beardsley was ill-gotten. Riccio says he believed Simpson was going to confront Beardsley in the hotel room to give him an ultimatum -- either hand over the goods or Simpson would call the cops.

Riccio turned his Olympus digital voice recorder on before the group entered the room -- a group that included Simpson and four other men. Almost immediately, Simpson went wild, hurling profanities at Beardsley and another memorabilia dealer, Bruce Fromong.

The confrontation lasts six minutes. It is graphic and telling. Simpson is clearly the ringleader. Simpson repeatedly says, "Think you can steal my s**t and sell it?"
 
http://www.sacbee.com/749/story/386135.html

District attorney charges Simpson with eight felonies, kidnapping
Associated Press -
Last Updated 2:48 pm PDT Tuesday, September 18, 2007


LAS VEGAS -- O.J. Simpson was charged Tuesday with seven felonies, including kidnapping, in the alleged armed robbery of sports memorabilia collectors in a casino-hotel room.

The fallen football star was arrested Sunday on suspicion of assault and robbery with a deadly weapon. Clark County District Attorney David Roger filed those charges and added kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, according to court documents.

Simpson, who faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted, was charged along with three other men authorities believe barged into a room at the Palace Station casino and stole sports memorabilia from two collectors.

He is being held without bail and was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
 
Gotta tell you, that kidnapping charge sounds like utter bunk. Not sure OJ has th money to put togetehr another dream team defense squad, but I'm already getting another amateur hour/make a career vibe off of this DA.
 
Can't being held against your will be classified as kidnapping? The audio tape they're playing on TV has OJ saying at one point something about blocking the door and not letting anyone leave...
 
Except in some sort of plea deal, being held against your will is always classified as kidnapping isn't it? Especially when there's a gun involved and there's a recording of the incident.

Seems about as airtight as DNA at the crime scene.

Hmmm.....
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Eh, in a lot of these cases once a person is held against their will it IS technically kidnapping, and since that carries such a serious amount of time it is a perfect "add on/thow away" to help encourage a plea deal. As for the armed robery charges they seem to stem from a legitimate claim OJ may ahve ahd on the items in question, but since the Goldmans are entitled to their pound of flesh, I suspect OJ's decision not to call the police is part of his on going stratigy of hiding any assets he has.

So in the end you have illlegitimate vigilantism, and the criminal behavior that goes with it. Doubt a dream team will save his bacon evne if he could gather one up. As for Bricks suggestion that the DA may be overselous I suspect ANYONE who uses a gun to hold up a guest in a Vegas Casino would feel the full wrath of the Vegas law. You can't have fearfull tourists just ask the Miami chamber of comerce.
 
Except in some sort of plea deal, being held against your will is always classified as kidnapping isn't it? Especially when there's a gun involved and there's a recording of the incident.

Seems about as airtight as DNA at the crime scene.

Hmmm.....
~~


Well legally there is a separation between false imprisonment (misdemeanor) and kidnapping. Kidnapping normally requires being held against your will and being transported. In a few states (and who knows, maybe Nevada) its being held against your will in secret. But every time somebody points a gun at you and robs you, they haven't kidnapped you, even if they say don't move. Bank robbers are bank robbers, not kidnappers. Rapists are rapists, not kidnappers. Kidnapping is a pretty well defined offense, and a fairly rare one. Not a throw in/catchall.

Not knowing the facts of the case, who knows. But it seems unlikely on its face unless they took them at gunpoint out of the room someplace else. And its definitely the sort of sensationalitic thing that an amateur D.A. might throw in for a little press time. You get public enemy #1 falling into your lap, have to make hay while you have the chance.
 
Well legally there is a separation between false imprisonment (misdemeanor) and kidnapping. Kidnapping normally requires being held against your will and being transported. In a few states (and who knows, maybe Nevada) its being held against your will in secret. But every time somebody points a gun at you and robs you, they haven't kidnapped you, even if they say don't move. Bank robbers are bank robbers, not kidnappers. Rapists are rapists, not kidnappers. Kidnapping is a pretty well defined offense, and a fairly rare one. Not a throw in/catchall.

Not knowing the facts of the case, who knows. But it seems unlikely on its face unless they took them at gunpoint out of the room someplace else. And its definitely the sort of sensationalitic thing that an amateur D.A. might throw in for a little press time. You get public enemy #1 falling into your lap, have to make hay while you have the chance.
I think the justification for kidnaping (such that it is) stems from the plot o lure the sellers/victims into a motel room where they belived they would be making a deal and in reality OJ turned up. It's probably thin but again I suspect it was tossed in to help facillitate a plea.
 
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