Thirteen years after O.J. Simpson was acquitted of two counts of murder in Los Angeles, dodging being held responsible for the brutal killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, Simpson is being held accountable for criminal behavior.
From FOX News:
O.J. Simpson was sentenced Friday to up to 33 years in prison for armed robbery and kidnapping in a failed attempt to recover sports memorabilia from two collectibles dealers.
Simpson will be eligible for parole after nine years.
His co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart was sentenced to at least 15 years behind bars.
"We are pleased," said Simpson attorney Yale Galanter after the hearing.
Before Judge Jackie Glass handed down her decision, the 61-year-old fallen football star — clad in a blue prison jumpsuit, shackles and handcuffs — apologized to her and the Las Vegas court after learning he won't be able to be freed on bail if he appeals.
"I stand before you today sorry," an emotional Simpson told Glass, fighting back tears. "I am apologetic to the people of Nevada. ... When I came here, I came here for a wedding. I didn't come to reclaim property."
He said he thought he was taking advantage of an opportunity to retrieve mementos that were rightfully his, including sports memorabilia and his first wife's wedding ring, when he burst into a Las Vegas hotel room on Sept. 13, 2007.
"In no way did I mean to hurt anybody, to steal anything from anyone," Simpson said. "I didn't want anybody else's stuff. I just wanted my own. I realize that I was stupid. I am sorry. I didn’t know that I was doing anything illegal. I thought I was retrieving property from friends. I’m sorry, I’m sorry for all of it."
But the judge emphasized that it was a violent confrontation in which at least one gun was drawn, and she said someone could have been killed. She said the case was unusual because the planning, the confrontation itself and the aftermath were all recorded on audio or videotape.
"The evidence in this case was overwhelming," she said. "This was actually a very violent event."
The judge said several times that her sentence in the Las Vegas case had nothing to do with Simpson's 1994 acquittal in the slaying of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in Los Angeles.
"I'm not here to try and cause any retribution or any payback for anything else," Glass said.
...Simpson's lawyers called his actions "stupid" and admitted he broke the law, but said they didn't rise to the level of criminality that would warrant a long prison sentence. They asked Glass to show mercy.
...Glass responded during her statements that she believed "it was much more than stupidity."
Fred Goldman and his daughter, Kim Goldman, father and sister of murder victim Ron Goldman, the friend of Simpson's slain ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, were among the 15 members of the public to gain entry to the courtroom.
Simpson's two sisters, Shirley Baker and Carmelita Durio, sat in the front row of the courtroom, along with his adult daughter.
...After sentencing was over, the Goldmans left the courtroom and Kim threw her arms around her father and wept.
Simpson's sisters declined to comment, but Baker said on her way out: "It's not over."
Fred Goldman told reporters that "this is a bittersweet moment" but spoke of the satisfaction of seeing Simpson — whom he called an "SOB" and a "monster" — in shackles.
"He'll be where he belongs, with others of his kind," Goldman said.
Justice has been served in this case, and I'm happy that the Goldmans have the satisfaction of seeing Simpson locked up.
It must have been very difficult for the Goldmans and the Browns to hear Simpson blubbering about being sorry and apologizing to the people of Nevada for these crimes rather than apologizing to them for taking the lives of their loved ones.
For at least 9 years and possibly as many as 33, Simpson won't be out on the golf course.
The thing is today's sentencing doesn't undo the damage from 13 years ago.
Simpson should have been found guilty of a double murder, but he walked away a free man. Nothing can take away the injustice of that.
3 comments:
I wonder if Jessica Simpson would have gotten the same treatment and sentence. The judge said she wasn't relating the charge to the murder aquital but it sure seems like an extreme sentence. If Jessica Simpson charged into a room with bodyguards and grabbed her academy award statue and said don't anybody move, would she go to prison for 15+ years?
It would be a miracle if Jessica Simpson won an Academy Award.
But to your point--
I don't think O.J. Simpson's sentence in this case was impacted by the outcome of the murder case.
And, of course, Simpson can and will appeal.
The not rich and not famous have received harsh sentences for their crimes. This man was sentenced to 7 years in prison for doing much less than Simpson did.
O.J. was framed.
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