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O.J. SIMPSON TRIAL: Serious spectacle

Outside the Regional Justice Center will be a zoo; inside, stakes will be high







The city of satellite trucks. The hordes of reporters. The man in the chicken suit?

Well, we'll have to wait and see about that last one, but there's no doubt that the O.J. Simpson circus has rolled into town for what's expected to be the most high-profile criminal trial in Las Vegas history.


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  • An army of broadcast news crews has camped out in the Regional Justice Center's parking lot and will line the street outside the courthouse when the trial opens this morning.

    And if last fall's preliminary hearing is any hint, the courthouse sidewalks should be jammed with gaggles of publicity-seeking costume wearers, God-fearing sign toters, Simpson supporters, Simpson haters and curiosity seekers taking it all in.

    "It's going to be a zoo down at the courthouse," longtime Las Vegas defense lawyer James "Bucky" Buchanan said.

    Even the nearby Courthouse Bar & Grill is commemorating the trial with a daily "O.J." special, owner Chip Lightman said, starting Monday with orange chicken, a shot of orange juice and a pair of onion rings to signify handcuffs.

    It's a lot of hoopla for what legal observers called a simple armed robbery case.

    "It's a nothing case, but it's O.J.," Buchanan said.

    Simpson, the former star running back who was acquitted of double murder in 1995, and Clarence "C.J." Stewart face a host of charges, including armed robbery and kidnapping, in last September's incident involving sports memorabilia in a Palace Station hotel room. They face up to life in prison if convicted on all charges.

    Four co-defendants have pleaded guilty to reduced charges in exchange for their testimony.

    Clark County courts spokesman Michael Sommermeyer said he knew the case would draw intense media interest when he saw two dozen news vans and trucks outside the courthouse for Simpson's first court appearance last year.

    For the trial, the court has issued more than 470 press badges for representatives from about 50 media outlets, including news stalwarts such as the New York Times and Time magazine and celebrity shows such as Entertainment Tonight (with legal correspondent Marcia Clark, chief prosecutor in Simpson's double-murder trial) and Inside Edition.

    The list also includes news crews from Los Angeles television stations, famed writer Dominick Dunne and a handful of international news outlets.

    Court officials, who have spent months planning for the trial, said they expect it to be business as usual behind the courthouse doors. Simpson's trial requires extra security and will cost taxpayers between $7,000 and $10,000 a day, court officials estimated.

    The trial starts with jury selection, which is expected to take about a week, followed by the trial, which could take more than a month.

    Without Simpson, the trial probably would be over in about four days, said Charles Kelly, a defense lawyer and former prosecutor.

    He said the biggest challenge for Simpson and Stewart is overcoming four co-defendants testifying against them.

    "There's an old saying, 'You've got to get on the train or get run over by it,'" Kelly said. "Apparently, these four guys jumped on board, and O.J.'s about to get steamrolled."

    Defense lawyers will have to weed out potential jurors who want to convict Simpson because he was acquitted in the murder case, he said.

    "Most people, by and large, believe he got away with murder," Kelly said. "There's going to be a juror with an agenda who wants to right a wrong."

    Buchanan agreed but said Simpson probably will be convicted based on the evidence against him in this case and face the rest of his life in prison.

    "It's just a simple armed robbery that went down," he said. "It should be a slam dunk conviction."

    Contact reporter Brian Haynes at bhaynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0281.

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    BOOKWRITER34NEWYORK wrote on October 07, 2008 02:18 PM: This is just amazing! well which jury will come forward with the real information about the 12 guilty verdicts. money talks they will come forward because one they live in las vegas "GAMBLE HEAVEN" two they dont look smart at all. three it will eat them alive knowing that there is money to make if they just tell the truth. souces states one of them might be thinking about it right now this will be so fun i cant wait.
    jenna new york


    ONEMADLADY wrote on October 07, 2008 02:00 PM: I AM GOING WILL DON HE IS ABSOLUTELY 100% CORRECT. THEY DIDNT EVEN THINK HOW STUPID THEY WOULD LOOK DAVID ROGER HALF A MIDGET SLICK SNEAKY SNAKE, JACKIE GLASS FREEZE DRIED HAIR AND PENCIL THINK LIPS AND GOT THE NERVES TO WEAR SOME LIPSTICK BOTOX!!!
    LAS VEGAS WILL LOOK STUPID ITS REALLY SAD WHEN THEY SAID THE LAST GUILTY VERDICT AND OJ AND STEWARTS ATTORNEYS TRIED TO ADD SOMETHING AND SHE WAS SO QUICK TO SAY DENIED EVERYBODY WONDERS IF SHE HATED HIM AS WELL OR JUST HATE BLACK FOLKS PERIOD IT WAS AN UNFAIR TRIAL FAKE TRIAL AND IT LOOKED STAGED SINCE WHEN YOU HAVE AN ATTORNEY AND HE CANT TRY HIS CASE IN COURT WITHOUT A DISTRICT ATTORNEY DAVID ROGER JUMPING IN HER FAVORITE WORD DURING THE CASE WAS "SUSTAINED" GOSH SHE MUST HAVE SAID IT A HALF A MILLION TIMES. NOW AS FAR A THE JURY THEY ARE SO STUPID TO COME OUT AND SPEAK THAT QUICK I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE THEY ARE FAKE AND THEY LOOK LIKE THEY WERE COACHED BY SOMEONE MAKES YOU WONDER "WHO" IF YOU WANT TO GET SOMEONE GET THEM THE RIGHT WAY SO THAT YOU WONT LOOK STUPID AFTERWARDS, BUT THIS IS NOT OVER IN FACT IT WILL NEVER BE OVER.


    investigate wrote on September 09, 2008 11:20 AM: might want to chase down a few people who can shed some light on really whats going on and confront of few of the primadonnas behind the scenes


    don wrote on September 09, 2008 08:59 AM:






    In response to the "Serious Spectacle" article in Monday's RJ, I have to think how David Rogers and his flunky judge, Jackie Glass, will turn this O.J.Simpson trial into one polluted mess.

    Let me be plain, I'm no fan of Mr. Simpson, but he has every right to reclaim his personal property.

    Nevada prides itself as being the battleground state, and the home of the cowboy way of life--
    how foolish to punish someone that has put our pitiful state of Nevada image to the test.

    Rogers is look at as a cowardly prosecutor, who steps in to seek the fame of being a tough prosecutor. He is in fact, a glory hound, and prosecutes only what he considers a "Slam Dunk case."

    Not only does he overcharge defendants, but he delights in his sadistic charm. He thinks of himself as a man who needs to be admired, when, in fact, he is laughable.

    Here is a man who believes he is the moral conscience of the community. Follow this case very carefully, my fellow citizens, because in this town--you may be next for some of Roger's justice. You won't be the only innocent person he's railroaded into prison. That's a fact.

    Jackie Glass, who is in need of a beauty makeover, and her soothing voice while testifying for her mental health court, totally lied to the Advisory Committee chaired by Supreme Court Justice Hardesty, and has in the past denied mental health reports to defendant attorneys.

    Defendant attorneys have filed court papers seeking justice for their clients. Finally, some Nevada attorneys have had enough crap from this fair minded dictator. Must be a first for Nevada attorneys.

    The RJ got it right. This trial is going to be a spectacle. God save us from our elected fools.










    Geezelouise wrote on September 08, 2008 08:05 PM: To all the out of town reporters, since you are already here, do you suppose you could do a little investigative research into the corruption and graft happening all around you and report on it?

    and while you are at it, pay close attention to how David Roger operates, and report on that too.


    endrun wrote on September 08, 2008 03:20 PM: Citizen

    Dont think that somebody doesnt have their hands in the media's pocket already. I mean c'mon, this is the Regional Justice Center of Las Vegas!!!!


    endrun wrote on September 08, 2008 03:16 PM: justice not a priority,
    Stewart Bell is glad he is not in the picture, and Roger wishes he wasn't.
    With the problems in the justice system already under a microscope from a number of directions, the less exposure the better.
    There is so much outside media here for a month, a bored reporter(s) could stumble across any number of things.
    Anall Kavoty ,
    'OJ is innocent. This is the fault of John McCain and Sarah Palin. They are forcing this trial down our throats in order to get votes for their lousy campaign'
    yeah... I'm pretty sure they got together and cooked this up back on 911.

    At any rate the RJC is the longest running circus event in Las Vegas.


    Jen wrote on September 08, 2008 03:12 PM: Citizen, what a great idea -


    investigate wrote on September 08, 2008 02:57 PM: TimeRanger

    The media isnt deceived. Some are here from all over the world are looking into the justice system while the opportunity presents itself with OJ.

    Some of these judges are notorious as is the DA.

    You are right, Simpson isnt important next to what many of us know is going on with these judges.

    Looking into Glass and those around her wont be any more out of the norm than OJ's judge on the murder trial or Sarah Palin.

    Theres the Nifong and Spitzer cases but, investigative reporters have taken down some big corruption but Las Vegas is juicy.

    Right now, one could bet they are counting on the presidential and OJ drama to take the heat and attention off the local justice drama. NOT!!

    This court system has some dirt in it.

    There is a lot of mileage that can be gotten out of Las Vegas.


    Only in Vegas wrote on September 08, 2008 02:47 PM: Pac-Man Jones only got one tackle for Dallas yesterday … shows that this city stenches of looser athletes that want to flaunt their unwanted/dwindling resources upon this city.


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