O.J. Simpson Kidnapping Case To Be Re-Opened
O.J. Simpson may be free again after a judge agreed Friday to re-open the robbery and kidnapping case that sent to former football star to prison for a term of nine to 33 years.
The Nevada judge found that O.J. Simpson — who assembled a team of high-priced lawyers known as the “Dream Team” to win an acquittal in his double murder trial — this time had representation so poor that he deserves to be freed from prison and given another trial.
O.J. Simpson was not present in the Las Vegas courtroom of Clark County District Court Judge Marie Bell who agreed to hear evidence and consider 18 of 22 questions from a May appeal by O.J. Simpson’s lawyer, The Associated Press reported.
The judge did dismiss four other grounds O.J. Simpson had sought for his release from state prison, the report stated.
The new trial also could see O.J. Simpson take the stand for the first time. When he stood trial in 2008 for charges that he led five men in a September 2008 confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers in a cramped room at a Las Vegas casino and hotel, he did not speak on his behalf, The Associated Press noted.
O.J. Simpson’s lawyer said the 65-year-old former NFL star and actor wants a chance to prove that the sports memorabilia dealers knew in advance about Simpson’s plan to retrieve items he claimed were stolen from him.
If released, O.J. Simpson would likely try to find new ways to earn a living. While in prison, Simpson allegedly tried to sell the murder weapon from the slayings of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson for $5 million, the National Enquirer claimed.