O.J. Simpson held without bail in Las Vegas robbery

[alan1254]

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Former American football star O.J. Simpson, who was acquitted in 1995 of murdering his ex-wife, was arrested and held without bail on Sunday in connection with a suspected armed robbery in a Las Vegas hotel room last week
Simpson, 60, was taken into custody at the Palms hotel just off the Las Vegas strip on Sunday morning without incident and booked on suspicion of armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy and burglary, Las Vegas police said. If convicted on all charges, Simpson could face some three decades in behind bars.

Simpson will be held without bail pending a court hearing on Thursday, Sgt. John Loretto said.

Las Vegas police on Saturday night arrested another man they believe was with the former star athlete during the suspected theft of Simpson-related sports souvenirs and other items and said they were searching for four others.

They also said they seized two handguns they believe are related to the Thursday night incident, which was reported by a sports memorabilia dealer as an armed robbery in his room at the Palace Station Hotel & Casino.

When asked if police believed Simpson was wielding a gun, Las Vegas Metro Police Lt. Clint Nichols told reporters, "We don't have any info that would lead us to believe he was armed."

Representatives for the Palms and Simpson's attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

"DONE NOTHING WRONG"

Orenthal James, or O.J., Simpson, who parlayed his fame as an athlete into a career in movies and television before the murder trial -- one of the most sensational in U.S. history, ended his career in Hollywood, previously told police and the media he did nothing wrong in Las Vegas.

"I'm not walking around feeling sad or anything. I've done nothing wrong," he said in an interview published in the Los Angeles Times on Sunday.

Simpson told the paper that "golfing buddies and some of their friends" accompanied him to a meeting at the Palace Station Hotel & Casino to help him retrieve sports memorabilia, personal photos and other items he said had been stolen by a former sports agent.

Simpson who lives in Miami, Florida, said an auctioneer set up the meeting with the sellers. He said the men in his party were unarmed.

"I'm O.J. Simpson. How am I going to think that I'm going to rob somebody and get away with it?" he said. "You've got to understand, this ain't somebody going to steal somebody's drugs or something like that. This is somebody going to get his private (belongings) back. That's it. That's not robbery."

After he was acquitted in the murders of his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, a civil court jury found Simpson responsible for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million (16.7 million pounds) in damages to their families.

The former National Football League star, nicknamed "The Juice" during his playing days, has had other minor brushes with police since 1995.

Simpson's latest legal flap comes as Simpson's book "If I Did It", which includes a hypothetical account of his ex-wife's murder, was hitting store shelves. The book is No. 2 on Amazon.com's best-seller list

[alan1254]

Im sure he didnt do it !!! and that he will never stop looking for the people who commited this robbery as long as he lives

[faceless]

I just saw him on the news getting lead away in handcuffs - the press conference said he'd been charged with various offences, including burglary with a weapon. I'm sure he's innocent too!

[pirtybirdy]

I thought they were just picking on him also, but there is an audio of him and the men who did the alleged robbery. It doesn't sound good for OJ. Personally, I think he was guilty of killing his ex wife and her boyfriend, but I'm waiting to hear what he says about this audio that is out. I'd attach it, but I have no idea how to do it from a website. The guy certainly doesn't help himself when he does things like writing that wacko book "If I did it". Anyway, I want to hear all of the facts and I want to know what his side of the story is before I form an opinion of the whole thing.

[faceless]

I was just kidding about his innocence... I think I need to get a 'I'm being sarcastic' emoticon!

[pirtybirdy]

[eefanincan]

Was he wearing gloves and if so, did they fit?

[Aja]

[alan1254]

I was living in the US at the time and it was so much a black and white thing , the way only Americans can do that , all whites thought he was guilty all blacks thought he was framed , my take on it was that both were right I cant see any way that he was not guilty but also those piece of crap cops framed him, that was very clear, and as such it was right that he got off with it, but i still think he did it, but with this you have to think does this guy think that he can do anything , that his 'dream team' lawyers will get him off? well only in America

[SpursFan1902]

[SpursFan1902]

[eefanincan]

[SpursFan1902]

Maybe the Gods were just F**kin' with him. Gave him those ten extra years of freedom only to have him spend the rest of his miserable existance in the pokey for this last round of no no's.

[alan1254]

[faceless]

he's goin' daaaaaaaaaaaaan!