13 Years Later, Simpson to Be Put on Trial Again

Nov 15, 07:43 AM

Current Headlines: By ASHLEY POWERS

By Ashley Powers

Los Angeles Times

LAS VEGAS

O.J. Simpson was ordered Wednesday to stand trial in connection with the alleged robbery of a pair of sports memorabilia dealers in a case that could send the former NFL star to prison for life if he is convicted of multiple felony charges.

After four days of testimony at a preliminary hearing, Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure determined that prosecutors had enough evidence to try Simpson, 60, on multiple counts, including kidnapping, in connection with the Sept. 13 incident at the Palace Station Hotel & Casino.

A Nov. 28 trial date was set. Three friends and associates of Simpson have pleaded guilty to reduced charges in exchange for their testimony, which contradicted Simpson statements that no guns were displayed during the confrontation with the memorabilia dealers.

Wednesday morning, Bona-venture seemed particularly interested in the credibility of prosecution witnesses. He asked prosecutors to respond to the defense's contention that many of the eight witnesses were "groupies, pimps, bad people, people that hear voices" who were looking to make money off their involvement in the case.

Prosecutor Christopher Owens responded that although some of the men's pasts were spotty - and one suggested he might have been willing to slant his testimony if paid - each of their accounts corroborated the others'.

Prosecutors didn't get to choose their witnesses, Owens said. These are the people Simpson "surrounds himself with and chose to take advantage of in a criminal manner."

Earlier Wednesday, attorneys for Simpson - who was acquitted in the 1994 slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman - tried to undermine Alfred Beardsley, one of the alleged victims.

Described by other witnesses as an "O.J. disciple" and Simpson groupie, Beardsley has been incarcerated in California for a probation violation in connection with stalking a woman.

In an interview with police about his probation violations, Beardsley called the victim a "crackpot" and said "personally, I think she just wants me back," court records show.

Defense attorneys said Beardsley had struggled with psychiatric problems, including "hearing voices," which he denied.

Sluggish on the witness stand, Beardsley said he blamed auctioneer Thomas Riccio - not Simpson - for the ill-fated meeting at Palace Station.

Beardsley said Riccio had approached him weeks before the incident about getting Simpson sports collectibles - contradicting Riccio's earlier testimony that Beardsley initiated the meeting.

When Beardsley and dealer Bruce Fromong arrived at the hotel Sept. 13, they were expecting to meet a Las Vegas businessman. Instead, Riccio took them to his room, 1203, and returned with Simpson and five associates.

"Somebody yelled, 'Police!' I was ordered to stand up and searched for weapons," Beardsley said.

Two men had guns, Beardsley testified, backing up other witness accounts, and Fromong "ended up in a corner with a gun in his face."

Simpson was relatively calm, Beardsley said, as the other men carted off hundreds of signed baseballs and awards.

"I knew he wanted some answers. I could see it in his face. ... I think he was hurt that his property was there," Beardsley said.

In earlier testimony, two of Simpson's friends, Walter Alexander and Michael "Spencer" McClinton, who accompanied him to the hotel room, disputed the former football player's statements that no weapons were used during incident. McClinton testified Tuesday that he "carried a gun at the request of O.J. Simpson."

The two men, along with Charles Cashmore, have pleaded guilty to reduced charges in exchange for their testimony.

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