Hall of Famer Orenthal James Simpson appeals verdict for kidnapping and armed robbery
Hall of Famer Orenthal James Simpson has asked the Nevada Supreme Court once again to overturn his sentence for a hotel room heist in Las Vegas, Nevada that went wrong.
Simpson’s lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne, told the court that the African-American members of the jury during Simpson’s trial in 2008 were dismissed and that charges of kidnapping were not proven.
“Simply stated, having an all-white jury sitting in judgment of an African-American who was at the epicenter of the most racially divisive criminal trial of all time during the mid-1990s is simply unacceptable, regardless of Mr. Simpson's notoriety,” the
12-page document said.
The court had expected an appeal after a panel of judges rejected Simpson’s last appeal back in October. At that time, Simpson was incarcerated for a 9 to 33-year sentence.
However, this may not be his last appeal. He could even take the case to federal courts. One detail about the appeal was that Simpson’s trial attorney, Yale Galanter, was not present. He was Simpson’s attorney before and after he was arrested but, for unspecified
reasons, he withdrew from the case recently.
Galanter said that he was still Simpson’s attorney, but did not say whether he would be assisting Simpson or not if the case is taken to the federal level. He has been busy recently, representing Charlie Sheen, a 45-year-old actor who is suing producers
of “Two and a Half Men,” a show in which Sheen starred. He has filed a lawsuit for breach of contract and recently made a custody agreement with his ex-wife for their two children.
Another attorney said that it was unlikely that Simpson would get a different verdict this time around.
“He most likely will not get a different outcome,” attorney Al Lasso said. “But it's always good to get a fresh look with new eyes.”
Simpson “sits in prison with a 33-year sentence imposed for a brief confrontation that involved no bodily harm,” LaVergne said in Thursday's filing, “over a dispute involving Mr. Simpson's legitimate claim to property stolen from him.”
He says that Simpson’s charges of kidnapping are “a mockery of real kidnapping cases and prior precedent,” and that Simpson was not allowed to defend himself when the court said that items taken from the hotel room belonged to him.
Simpson was convicted of armed robbery, kidnapping and a number of other charges centred on a hotel room in Las Vegas. He served over two years before the Supreme Court allowed Simpson a new trial, saying that his fame tinted proceedings back in October.
LaVergne also claims that the jury in October was biased, since more than half of them expressed very strong feelings against Simpson for his previous murder trial.
Simpson was drafted number one overall in the 1969 NFL Draft by Buffalo Bills. He became the first player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season, way back before the season was changed from 14 games to 16 games. He also holds the record for most average
yards per game with 143.1 yards per game.
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