Legal News

O.J.?s Lawyers: Let Our Client Go

By Chris Herring

Despite being found guilty of kidnapping, armed robbery and other charges just last year, The Juice soon may be loose.

At least that’s the goal in mind for O.J. Simpson and his attorneys. With their client looking at between nine and 33 years in prison for robbery, the Hall of Fame running back’s attorneys are seeking to have his recent felony convictions reviewed by a Nevada Supreme Court panel.

The 62-year-old’s lawyers will try to convince a trio of justices in Nevada to comb through the convictions of both Simpson and C.J. Stewart, a one-time golf partner of Simpson’s. The attorneys are also pushing to have Simpson released on bail while the conviction gets reviewed. Click here to read to the Associated Press story.

In case you don’t remember the backstory, Simpson’s trouble — well, his most recent trouble — stemmed from a 2007 confrontation in which the former football star said a pair of sports memorabilia salespeople wrongfully took some of his things. The incident escalated when Simpson pulled out a gun and blocked the hotel room door, preventing them sellers from leaving.

Simpson, found guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon last October, is currently serving time in Nevada.

He has acknowledged the incident took place but said he only acted in that way because he was trying to reclaim his things.

Among the things that may come up during Simpson’s 30-minute, oral appeal: the fact that there were no black jurors involved in the trial. Simpson’s attorneys may also argue that the ex-football star is damaged by press coverage of the 1994 murder trial he was found not guilty in.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on August 03, 2009 (boomark / email).