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"Guilty as Charged!"
If O.J. Simpson got away with the murder of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman (which even his defense believed he was guilty of) in 1995, then what more proof do you need that this man is capable of doing anything he wants?
Well, let's see, other than owing the state of California $1,435,487,17 for past due-taxes back in 1999, Simpson has also tried using illegal electronic equipment to pirate DirectTV broadcast signals back in 2004, and had been ordered to pay back $33,678.00 in attorney and court costs.
Of coarse, you have to remind yourself, too, that this former football star was abusive to his wife, and that was one of the reasons why Nicole was going to divorce him. However, Simpson wanted his own justification, and so he killed her. So if he's not guilty of these past crimes, then what is he really guilty of?
Recently, Simpson tried to pull off a robbery at a Palace Station hotel room in Los Vegas. He and a couple of his friends (Walter Alexander and Charles Cashmore) carried guns in what Simpson "describes" as an attempt to steal back items from 2 sports memorabilia dealers named Alfred Beardsley and Bruce Fromong. After all this happened, Simpson admitted that he stole back the items, but denied breaking into the room, and carrying guns.
Obviously, another one of his lies.
Although Walter Alexander, was charged with armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery, Cashmore pleaded guilty to his crimes (and agreed to testify against Simpson). It wasn't long until Simpson was charged by the state of Nevada for the crime.
There is also a video recording of the incident to prove Simpson's guilt. As Simpson and his colleagues go into the room, he is clearly heard yelling that no one was to leave the room, and yelling at the occupants for stealing his stuff.
The tape was deliberately planted by Thomas Riccio (one of Simpson's closest friends) who later admitted that he did it to prove to O.J. Simpson that Beardsley and Fromong had deliberately stole his items. However, one should think more clearly about this. It was Riccio after all who tipped off Simpson about the items, and who "planted" the tape recorder. Although Riccio claims to be one of Simpson's friends, who's to say that this wasn't just just a conspiracy to show how far O.J. would be prepared to go to get back his items.
Conspiracy? Perhaps. This would definitely made Riccio equally guilty. However, if you think more of Riccio's true intentions behind all of this, and if you consider how much of a bad seed Simpson really is, who's to say that wasn't really was just a plan to expose Simpson for the true monster that he is. As far as I'm concerned, Simpson does not have a descent bone in his body.
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Former football great, O.J. Simpson who was acquitted of double murder in 1995, was recently charged with kidnapping, which potentially carries a life sentence and armed robbery and assault in a dispute over sports memorabilia at a Las Vegas hotel. In all, Simpson and his three co-defendants face a total of 11 charges that could send the 60 year-old athlete-turned actor to prison for the rest of his life. Simpson dodged that bullet, so to speak, when he was acquitted of double murder, in what was billed as the trial of the century.
These latest charges stem from what authorities say was an armed theft by Simpson of his own sports memorabilia from a pair of collectors who were staying at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino. As this is being written Simpson is being held without bail, pending a first court appearance, that may also include his co-defendants, one of whom cut a deal with the prosecutor. It is alleged that Simpson and others brandishing guns busted into a hotel room of some memorabilia collectors, in an effort on Simpson's part to retrieve certain items that allegedly belonged to the former athlete.
It is no secret that OJ has been a law enforcement target since his 1995 acquittal. Instead of leaving the public stage and quietly going about his business OJ has done television shows, written a controversial book entitled, If I Did It, This Is How It Happened. Clearly Simpson is not an arbiter of good taste. There is not a lot of love for OJ outside of perhaps his immediate family. Despite having been acquitted, many believe OJ got away with murdering his former wife Nicole Simpson and waiter Ron Goldman. The Goldman family went after him in civil court and prevailed. Unfortunately, they haven't collected a dime, but they have remained relentless.
One must question the motives of ex-convict Tom Riccio, who informed OJ that the memorabilia collectors in question, had stolen items belonging to OJ. Riccio who has since gotten immunity is the one who lead OJ into the hotel room and conveniently audio taped the break-in. Riccio then arranged to sell the audio tape to a couple of celebrity news outlets. No matter how you may feel about OJ, justice demands we ask why OJ is the one possibly facing 30 years to life and Riccio who set the whole thing up, getting immunity. It would appear that the prosecution is being over zealous.
OJ is a big trophy and they appear to be going after it tooth and nail. The district attorney is determined to get Simpson's head on his wall. Whether he will get his wish or not is an altogether different story. As it relates to the question of whether OJ was set-up, a co-defendant , who is this close to signing his own plea deal with prosecutors suggests that he was. Set-up or not, breaking into a hotel room and brandishing a gun and removing items, can carry some serious time. Getting away with anything in life is only an illusion, as Simpson's present predicament suggests. Sooner, or later, we all pay for what we do in life.
If OJ in fact murdered his ex-wife and Mr. Goldman, being acquitted of the charges only gave him temporary solace. Since that time, he has been a pariah, shunned and scorned by most. On surface, much of the evidence against OJ appears to be superficial. All parties concerned, say OJ wasn't the one with the gun. He stands a good chance of beating the charges, though he could be charged as an accomplice. An indication of how bad they want OJ is that the prosecutors have granted immunity all over the place. This gives even more credence to the notion that OJ is being set-up, much like some believe he set up Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman. Both were viciously butchered at someone's hands. Most believe those hands belonged to OJ whether the glove fit or not. If OJ is convicted of the present charges, some might think it little more than poetic justice.
Learn more about this author, Cedric Mcclester.
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