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O. J. Simpson's Lawyers Lobby for New Trial
10-Oct-2008
Written by: Sari N. Kent
Former football star, O. J. Simpson, is trying to avoid prison time by lobbying for a new trial following his conviction in a Las Vegas courtroom.
O. J. Simpson’s lawyers are citing a bevy of reasons such as judicial errors and shoddy evidence in their quest to obtain a new trial for the former football star. Simpson was convicted of kidnapping and robbing two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a casino hotel room.
An Associated Press article stated, “In a separate filing, a lawyer for co-defendant Clarence "C. J." Stewart said Stewart suffered from being tried with Simpson, who was acquitted more than a decade ago of killing his ex-wife and her friend. Attorney Brent Bryson also alleged misconduct by the jury foreman, whom he quoted as saying he thought Simpson should have been given a life sentence for murder.”
The 61-year-old Simpson’s sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 5 in Las Vegas. An article on CNN.com mentioned that the jury, when deliberating, looked more closely at the audio as well as video evidence and didn’t hold much credence on the testimony of witnesses.
Until sentencing commences, both Simpson and 54-year-old Stewart are jailed in Las Vegas. Each of them faces five years to life in prison on each of their two kidnapping convictions, including a mandatory sentence of at least two years or up to 30 years on each of the two armed robbery convictions.
A Baltimore Sun article cites, “Simpson's motion for a new trial alleges Glass improperly allowed prosecutors to use preemptory challenges to remove two prospective black jurors before the final jury was seated.” The article goes on to give readers the makeup of the jury in the case, “Both Simpson and Stewart are black. The final jury of nine women and three men included one woman who identified herself as Hispanic, but no blacks.”
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