13 years after the �trial of the century� former football and film star is found guilty over hotel room incidentFrom Linda Deutsch in Las Vegas
THIRTEEN years to the day after being acquitted of killing his wife and her friend in Los Angeles, former American football star OJ Simpson was found guilty of robbing two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room.
The 61-year-old was convicted of all 12 counts late on Friday after the jury of nine women and three men had deliberated for more than 13 hours.
Simpson was convicted along with co-defendant Clarence "CJ" Stewart and was immediately jailed by Clark County District Court judge Jackie Glass.
Both Simpson, 61, and Stewart, 54, face mandatory minimum sentences of five years behind bars and could be sentenced to life in prison. Simpson winced as he was handcuffed by marshals and led from the courtroom into a holding cell.
His sister, Carmelita Durio, collapsed in the courtroom gallery and his daughter, Arnelle, sobbed as he and Stewart were led away. Durio was treated by paramedics.
Lawyers for Simpson and Stewart asked Glass to let the two men remain free pending sentencing on December 5, a request the judge summarily rejected.
"I don't like to use the word payback," defence attorney Yale Galanter said after Friday's verdict. "I can tell you from the beginning my biggest concern was whether or not the jury would be able to separate their very strong feelings about Mr Simpson and judge him fairly and honestly."
The Hall of Fame football star was convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and 10 other charges for gathering up five men a year ago and storming into a room at the Palace Station hotel and casino in Las Vegas, where the group seized several game balls, plaques and photographs. Prosecutors said two of the men with Simpson were armed; one of them said that Simpson asked him to bring a gun.
Galanter said it was not a happy day for anybody. "His only hope is the appellate process," he said.
Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin said prosecutors would not comment until the case was "completely resolved".
Glass made no comment other than to thank the jury members for their service and to deny motions for the defendants to be released on bail pending sentencing.
She refused to give the lawyers extended time to file a motion for a new trial, which under Nevada state law must be filed within seven days. The attorneys said they needed time to submit a voluminous record.
"I've sat through the trial," Glass said. "If you want a motion for a new trial, send me something."
Stewart's attorney, Brent Bryson, also promised to launch an appeal.
From the beginning, Simpson and his lawyers argued that the incident was not a robbery, but an attempt to reclaim mementos that had been stolen from him. He said he did not ask anyone to bring a weapon and did not see any guns.
The defence portrayed Simpson as a victim of shady characters who wanted to make money from his famous name, and of police officers who saw his arrest as an opportunity to "get" him and avenge his acquittal over the murder charges.
Prosecutors said Simpson's ownership of the memorabilia was irrelevant; it was still a crime to try to take things by force.
"When they went into that room and forced the victims to the far side of the room, pulling out guns and yelling, Don't let anybody out of here!', six very large people detaining these two victims in the room with the intent to take property through force or violence from them, that's kidnapping," prosecutor David Roger said.
Kidnapping carries a sentence of five years to life in prison in the US. Armed robbery carries a mandatory sentence of at least two years behind bars, and could bring as much as 30. The sentencing hearing was set for December 5.
Four other men charged in the case struck plea bargains that saved them from potential prison sentences in return for their testimony against Simpson and Stewart.
Some of them had criminal records or were otherwise compromised in some way - for example, one was an alleged pimp who testified he had a revelation from God telling him to take a plea bargain.
Simpson's former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, were found stabbed and slashed to death on June 12, 1994. The popular former athlete known as "The Juice" was charged with their murders.
Simpson was found not guilty on October 3, 1995, at the end of a year-long trial that was carried live on US television and transfixed much of the world.
However, a civil court jury later found Simpson liable for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million in damages to the victims' families, a judgment that remains largely unpaid.
