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Simpson Leaves Las Vegas Jail After Posting $250G Bail
Thursday, January 17, 2008
LAS VEGAS - O.J. Simpson again walked free from a Las Vegas jail late
Wednesday, hours after a judge blistered him for "arrogance or ignorance"
for breaking bail terms in a robbery case.
The former NFL star posted bond and was released from jail just after 11
p.m. He walked out by himself and quickly got into a white Mercedes and was
driven away without comment to the dozen members of the news media on hand.
Earlier in the day, with his hands cuffed at his waist and a defeated
expression on his face, Simpson, 60, listened to a lecture from Clark County
District Judge Jackie Glass as she doubled his bail to US$250,000.
"I don't know, Mr. Simpson, what the heck you were thinking, or maybe that's
the problem - you weren't," Glass said.
Simpson's attorney, Yale Galanter, said before Simpson's release that the
former football star would post the deed to his home.
Simpson had been ordered to have no contact with co-defendants or witnesses
after he was freed on bail in September on charges of orchestrating the
armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers at a hotel room.
Wednesday's brief custody hearing was called because Simpson mentioned
co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart while leaving a sputtering,
foul-mouthed phone message two months ago for his bail bondsman.
"I just want, want C.J. to know that ... I'm tired of this (expletive),"
Simpson said, according to a transcript. "Fed up with (expletives) changing
what they told me. All right?"
Though there was no indication Stewart received the message, prosecutor
Chris Owens suggested it was threatening. The judge merely said she didn't
like the tone.
"I don't know if it's just arrogance. I don't know if it's ignorance," she
said. "But you've been locked up at the Clark County Detention Center since
Friday because of arrogance or ignorance - or both."
Simpson, 60, was picked up Friday in Florida by Pereira and taken back to
Nevada for violating terms of his release.
Galanter stipulated during the hearing that Simpson made the call, though he
insisted to reporters that Simpson wasn't trying to contact the
co-defendant. In court, the lawyer didn't contest the issue.
"I think you need to pick and choose your battles carefully," Galanter said.
"I needed to ensure my client would go home."
Glass told Simpson to post his bond, go back to Florida and return April 7
for his trial in an episode strange even by Las Vegas standards.
Simpson was accused of leading a group of men to a hotel room where
memorabilia dealers were peddling collectibles associated with Simpson,
including the suit he wore the day he was acquitted in the murders of his
ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. He said he wanted
to retrieve family heirlooms and photographs, including one of him with
former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
The memorabilia dealers claimed guns were pulled. The man who arranged the
meeting made an audiotape of the incident, and one of the dealers contacted
a syndicated TV show before calling police. It was not the first brush with
law enforcement for most of the men in the room.
Simpson, Stewart and Charles Ehrlich pleaded not guilty Nov. 28 to
kidnapping, armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, coercion
and conspiracy charges. An armed robbery conviction carries mandatory prison
time. A kidnapping conviction could bring a life sentence with the
possibility of parole.
Three other former co-defendants have pleaded guilty to lesser charges and
testified against Simpson.
Galanter said he was ordering his client to talk to no one but him and
co-counsel Gabriel Grasso.
Simpson Leaves Las Vegas Jail After Posting $250G Bail
Thursday, January 17, 2008
LAS VEGAS - O.J. Simpson again walked free from a Las Vegas jail late
Wednesday, hours after a judge blistered him for "arrogance or ignorance"
for breaking bail terms in a robbery case.
The former NFL star posted bond and was released from jail just after 11
p.m. He walked out by himself and quickly got into a white Mercedes and was
driven away without comment to the dozen members of the news media on hand.
Earlier in the day, with his hands cuffed at his waist and a defeated
expression on his face, Simpson, 60, listened to a lecture from Clark County
District Judge Jackie Glass as she doubled his bail to US$250,000.
"I don't know, Mr. Simpson, what the heck you were thinking, or maybe that's
the problem - you weren't," Glass said.
Simpson's attorney, Yale Galanter, said before Simpson's release that the
former football star would post the deed to his home.
Simpson had been ordered to have no contact with co-defendants or witnesses
after he was freed on bail in September on charges of orchestrating the
armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers at a hotel room.
Wednesday's brief custody hearing was called because Simpson mentioned
co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart while leaving a sputtering,
foul-mouthed phone message two months ago for his bail bondsman.
"I just want, want C.J. to know that ... I'm tired of this (expletive),"
Simpson said, according to a transcript. "Fed up with (expletives) changing
what they told me. All right?"
Though there was no indication Stewart received the message, prosecutor
Chris Owens suggested it was threatening. The judge merely said she didn't
like the tone.
"I don't know if it's just arrogance. I don't know if it's ignorance," she
said. "But you've been locked up at the Clark County Detention Center since
Friday because of arrogance or ignorance - or both."
Simpson, 60, was picked up Friday in Florida by Pereira and taken back to
Nevada for violating terms of his release.
Galanter stipulated during the hearing that Simpson made the call, though he
insisted to reporters that Simpson wasn't trying to contact the
co-defendant. In court, the lawyer didn't contest the issue.
"I think you need to pick and choose your battles carefully," Galanter said.
"I needed to ensure my client would go home."
Glass told Simpson to post his bond, go back to Florida and return April 7
for his trial in an episode strange even by Las Vegas standards.
Simpson was accused of leading a group of men to a hotel room where
memorabilia dealers were peddling collectibles associated with Simpson,
including the suit he wore the day he was acquitted in the murders of his
ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. He said he wanted
to retrieve family heirlooms and photographs, including one of him with
former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
The memorabilia dealers claimed guns were pulled. The man who arranged the
meeting made an audiotape of the incident, and one of the dealers contacted
a syndicated TV show before calling police. It was not the first brush with
law enforcement for most of the men in the room.
Simpson, Stewart and Charles Ehrlich pleaded not guilty Nov. 28 to
kidnapping, armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, coercion
and conspiracy charges. An armed robbery conviction carries mandatory prison
time. A kidnapping conviction could bring a life sentence with the
possibility of parole.
Three other former co-defendants have pleaded guilty to lesser charges and
testified against Simpson.
Galanter said he was ordering his client to talk to no one but him and
co-counsel Gabriel Grasso.