Justice catches up at last with arrogant OJ
Fallen idol OJ Simpson was jailed for at least 15 years last night for a botched robbery.
The sentence was imposed for a seedy crime where the former American football legend and film star tried to retrieve sports memorabilia from two dealers.
But it will be seen by millions as belated justice for the murders of his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994.
Simpson was sensationally acquitted of the killings at a televised trial, but was later ruled by a civil court to have been responsible for the “wrongful death” of the pair, who were stabbed.
Judge Jackie Glass told Simpson yesterday that he was “arrogant and ignorant” for leading the clumsy robbery at a Las Vegas hotel last year.
She said: “The evidence in this case was overwhelming. You knew what you were doing.”
You knew what you were doing
Simpson, 61, is likely to serve at least 15 years in prison, although if he served the maximum on all charges he would not be released for 33 years.
He will be eligible for parole only after serving nine years.
“He is going to have law enforcement people around him all the time for his own protection in prison,” said his lawyer Yale Galanter outside the court.
Simpson had appeared cocky when he arrived for the hearing wearing a blue prison jumpsuit. But he adopted a humble stance as he addressed the judge.
“I did not realise I was doing anything illegal and I’m sorry for all I did,” Simpson told her in a husky and trembling voice.
Judge Glass told the court she was sentencing Simpson only for the events in Las Vegas. But evidence emerged that the robbery and the murder case were intertwined.
Ron Goldman’s father Fred and sister Kim were in court in Las Vegas for the sentencing, sitting just feet from members of Simpson’s family.
Tapes played in court showed Simpson saying he wanted to retrieve what he claimed was his property from the two dealers because he did not want it to fall into the hands of the Goldman family who have spent years pursuing him for the financial settlement awarded in the civil lawsuit.
“He wanted to make sure we did not get that stuff,” Fred Goldman said outside the court. “If our efforts all these years to get him pushed him to the edge to commit this robbery – great. Put him where he belongs.”
Simpson was sentenced to 15 years each on the two main charges of kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon, to run concurrently.
His accomplice Clarence Stewart was given the same sentence.
Simpson told the judge: “I just wanted my personal things. I realise I was stupid and I’m sorry. I did not realise I was doing anything illegal and I’m sorry. I did not mean to hurt anybody.”
But the judge dismissed Simpson’s explanation.
He had burst into the hotel room with a gang, two of whom were armed, and yelled at the dealers as a pistol was waved.
“You knew what you were doing. It was much more than stupidity,” said Judge Glass.
Simpson’s legal team has condemned the sentence as “payback” and are planning to appeal.
