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Oct. 06, 2008
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PALACE STATION ROBBERY: Audiotapes convicted O.J.

Seven Simpson trial jurors explain verdicts, say tapes persuaded them

By BRIAN HAYNES
REVIEW-JOURNAL
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O.J. Simpson trial juror Sherian Eckart, front, answers questions about Friday's guilty verdicts at a news conference Sunday with six other jurors. They said Simpson's past played no role in their decision to convict him on 12 counts, including armed robbery and kidnapping, in the Sept. 13, 2007, holdup of two sports memorabilia dealers at Palace Station.
Photos by Jason Bean/Review-Journal



Paul Connelly
Simpson jury foreman says prosecutors did a "fabulous job" presenting their case

In a trial marked by a parade of characters on the witness stand, it was the secret audiotapes that ultimately convicted O.J. Simpson of armed robbery and kidnapping, jurors said Sunday night.

"We honestly felt we could not rely on that witness testimony," juror Michelle Lyons said.

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    • That testimony included four former co-defendants who accepted plea agreements from the prosecution and got reduced charges in exchange for their testimony. The tapes included secret recordings made by auctioneer Thomas Riccio, who helped set up the Palace Station meeting with two sports memorabilia dealers, and gunman Michael McClinton.

    Without those and other recordings, the prosecution's case would have been "very weak," juror Dora Pettit said.

    Lyons and Pettit were among seven jurors who agreed to hold a news conference after being hounded by reporters through the weekend.

    The news conference was held in the same courtroom where the four-week trial took place.

    Immediately after the verdict late Friday, Simpson lawyer Yale Galanter said the jurors convicted the Hall of Fame running back because of his past, including his 1995 acquittal in the slayings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.

    The jurors said that case and the subsequent civil lawsuit were never mentioned in the deliberation room and never entered their minds.

    "There are reports that we have some sort of vendetta against Mr. Simpson because of what happened 13 years ago, and that's not the case," juror Teresa Owens said. "It's preposterous. They chose us. ... For them to (say) there were too many women or we weren't the right color, it's insulting."

    Added Pettit, "We've been painted as an all-white jury who hates O.J. That's just absolutely false."

    During the roughly 13 hours of deliberations Friday, the jurors said they methodically reviewed the evidence and the law before reaching their unanimous decision of guilty on all 12 counts for Simpson, 61, and co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart, 54.

    Simpson and Stewart were being held in individual cells at the Clark County Detention Center because of the high profile of the case. Sentencing was set for Dec. 5.

    Sherian Eckart said she thought Simpson was guilty in the 1994 slayings but said those feelings had no effect on her decision in this case.

    "There was so much evidence against him in this case that it made no difference," said Eckart, whose opinion was shared by other jurors, including Paul Connelly, the jury foreman.

    They cited the McClinton tape made hours after the incident, in which Simpson asks his gunman if he pulled the "piece in the hall."

    Lyons said they heard Simpson's voice very clearly when they listened to the recording several times in the deliberation room.

    Riccio's recording of the six-minute confrontation inside the hotel room was equally damning.

    "It was very clear that O.J. said: 'Don't let anybody out of this room.' That's kidnapping," Eckart said.

    Pettit said Simpson's defense that he was recovering his own property after it had been stolen was weak because ownership doesn't matter in a robbery, under Nevada law.

    Connelly said prosecutors did a "fabulous job" presenting their case.

    Pettit said she sympathized with Simpson and had prayed for him during the trial.

    "The laws are the laws, and they were clearly broken," she said. "Whether I feel sorry for him isn't going to change that."

    Review-Journal reporter Francis McCabe contributed to this report. Contact reporter Brian Haynes at bhaynes@reviewjournal .com or 702-383-0281.

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    townsend wrote on October 12, 2008 02:14 PM: Javier,don't you have enough problems in your own country MEXICO,where the drug cartels are shooting up everything,and anything that walks.if this was about an evil man as you yourself stated,then that alone should grant him a new trial,because they the jury were supposed to base their verdict on the evidence from this trial


    DON CAMPBELL wrote on October 10, 2008 03:48 PM: to javier, go back across the border and get a taco


    Javier wrote on October 10, 2008 02:23 AM: Does anyone really think this is about race? Please... We all know this is about an evil man who got away with murder (x2)! Boycott Vegas? Please...I think this should make the rest of the country and world support Vegas. Even if the jury convicted OJ based on what he did in the past--good for them. OJ is a sick human being who got a 13 year free pass. And no, I am not white. However, I could care less if OJ is black. What matters is that he is a murderer.


    MGH wrote on October 09, 2008 01:37 AM: YOU NOB HEADS CONVICITED THIS MAN OVER REVENGE AND NOTHING MORE. YOU JURORS WILL GET YOUR IN TIME.


    REDNECKS wrote on October 07, 2008 05:33 PM: FOR ALL U REDNECKS KISS THE CRACK OF YER ANUS LAS VEGAS SUCKS ALL OF YOU HERE ARE ALL MEAN AND EVIL AND ALL OF YOU LOOK JUST ALIKE LOOK IN THE MIRROR


    DAVID BURNS wrote on October 07, 2008 11:02 AM: city of las vegas, just pray and hope none of you or your family members never get in trouble and have to deal with this legal system,angry judges like jackie glass and little smurf prosecutors like david rogers will not be fair to you in any way


    ConradDobler wrote on October 07, 2008 05:03 AM: VegasPunisher wrote on October 06, 2008 11:36 PM:

    Maybe since you decline to state your race it's safe to say that you're part of a group that 'rode the coattails of others' and benefitted from the system that was primarily "pro populist" from the beginning- not to mention all of the programs and other catering in "your language"- but I digress. Now that idiot OJ is in jail let's see how you so-called law and order "patriots" cheer on the prosecution of Sopranos' tv show actor Lillo Brancato who is going on trial for killing an off-duty NYPD officer a while ago.....silence as everyone tries to remember this "not too publicized" case....


    Paul wrote on October 07, 2008 12:25 AM: 1. It is my opinion that Simpson was setup.
    2. However, he didn't have to be foolish enough to go along with the setup, but, obviously, he did go along with it.
    3. The interesting questions associated with this issue are who was behind the setup, and why?


    VegasPunisher wrote on October 06, 2008 11:36 PM: I am so sick and tired of African American, Black, whatever the proper term is for this day, talking about how they don't get treated fairly. I'm neither White or Black. But I know Black Americans (that can vote) are voting for Obama cause he's black.
    I was afraid if Simpson was found guilty, the black communithy would have a riot related to race.
    If you want to be treated fairly, black, white, asian, hispanic, etc. Be a good citizen and stop complaining. Did you ever see Iowa citizen's complaining about their flood they had, hundreds lost their homes. The citizen's were mainly white and they help one another. They didn't commit crimes when people needed help.
    When are white citizen's going to step up and realize it's okay not to be afraid. It's not about race anymore. If the black community has a black channel BET, white citizen's should have a white channel, what is the difference. If there is a difference, then white people should be voting for McCain cause he's white.


    Cheryl Veverka wrote on October 06, 2008 08:54 PM: What goes around has come around. Justice has prevailed. Thank God Vegas jurists had the courage to see and to hear the truth from the evidence, which was presented to them in the court of law. OJ committed the crimes so now he must do the time. I hope they throw the book at him. Give him LIFE.


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