Seven jurors from the case speak out after defense attorneys make allegations of a vendetta against Simpson for 1995 murder acquittal
By Stacey Silberman
Could be years in jail before OJ can appeal
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 10/07/08 – O.J. Simpson’s lead defense attorney Yale Galanter began his campaign for appeal before the trial with complaints about jurors color, made motions throughout, and now that the trial is over, he blasts jurors for bias due to Siimpson’s sordid past. Minutes after the verdict was read, Galanter ramped up criticism to against everyone but his client, who became accustomed to winning court cases on more than one occasion.
District Court Judge Jackie Glass went to great lengths to ensure that the jury pool was wide, allowing for several hundred eliminations, based on the pool’s answers to a questionnaire that queried about Simpson’s well-known past.
After selection was complete, defense attorneys complained that the prosecutors had managed to eliminate all potential African-Americans from the pool, but the prosecution proved they’d removed them due to reasons other than race. And still the defense wasn’t happy.
On several occasions, Clarence “C.J.” Stewart’s attorney argued for a severed trial for his “forgotten” client, based on Simpson’s bad press, but the court repeatedly said no, even after petitioning a higher court.
They also refuted allegations by Stewart’s attorneys, who argued throughout the trial that he could not get a fair trial due to O.J.’s infamy. However, the jurors disagreed with that notion.
“He drove the car. He came out of that room with items that did not belong to him. He let people put these items into his car,” said Juror Michelle Lyons.
Jury foreman Paul Connelly confirmed what we at Hollywood Today believed all along. The fact that jurors put most of their trust in audio evidence that was surreptitiously recorded by Thomas Riccio and Michael McClinton. They also based their decision on the hotel video surveillance tape showing the group of men coming and going from the hotel.
The seven jurors agreed that the evidence made the prosecution’s case irrefutable based on Nevada law. The evidence alone, without witness testimony, left them without a doubt, that Simpson had committed the crimes mounted against him.
“In the beginning of every count we leaned towards not guilty and we researched to come up with the verdict of guilty,” said Connelly.
Connelly added that it might not have been necessary for prosecutors to make plea deals with the four prior co-defendants in exchange for their testimony.
“We didn’t rely on their testimony,” said juror Dave Wieberg.
Jurors ignored both sets of audiotape transcripts from attorneys and “went in and listened with a fresh set of ears,” said juror Teresa Owens. Jurors said they listened to the audiotapes over and over again until they deciphered the words for themselves as a collective.
“We’ve been painted as an all-white jury that hates O.J.,” said Dora Pettit to the Los Angeles Times, one of seven jurors who spoke about the case at a news conference Sunday.
“That’s not true. I think he’s an ordinary man that made a bad decision.”
Pettit told reporters that she prayed for Simpson during the four-week trial and said she feels it’s “unfortunate that he’s facing the same charges as somebody who robbed a bank.”
“Are you worried that people are going to perceive this as make-up for that (1995 O.J. acquittal) no matter how objective you are?” asked a reporter from Action News to juror Owens.
“There are reports right now that we had some kind of vendetta against Mr. Simpson for what he did 13 years ago. And that in no way had anything to do with this case whatsoever. It is terrible,” said Owens.
“They were saying that O.J. was trying to get his stuff back. And that very well may be the truth, but under Nevada Law that just does not matter,” said Pettit.
Jurors said that once they fully understood Nevada laws regarding kidnapping, that the controversial charge became one of the simpler counts to decide.
“I always thought kidnapping was that you had to tie somebody up and transport them somewhere else,” said Wieberg. “After reading what the law was, it painted a clear picture in my mind.” Under Nevada law, that does not apply.
Jurors said the guilty verdicts weighed heavily on their minds, because they do understand, that two men would go to prison for a very long time, as a result of their decisions.
The jurors said they were grateful to not have to decide Simpson and Stewart’s sentencing.
Simpson and Stewart face the possibility of life in prison for their crimes. It is now up to Judge Glass to decide their fate.
In the meantime, Galanter said he is ready to file for the appeal within 30 seconds of sentencing on Dec. 5.
Simpson is being held in the Clark County Detention Center until sentencing. He is expected to be sent to state prison after that time.
Galanter said he will attempt to have Simpson released on bond during the appeals process.
However, due to the seriousness of the charges, Simpson would probably remain in prison during the appeal.
“He is in isolated custody and being protected from other inmates,” Galanter said. “The jail is taking very special precautions to make sure he is safe.”
Galanter said that Simpson is sure to suffer a difficult incarceration in isolation, because “it limits his contacts with other humans.”
The attorney said Simpson was OK during a jail visit Saturday in which they discussed plans for the appeal. “He’s disappointed and a bit melancholy,” he said.
Although two African-Americans sat as alternates, they would not get to cast votes for the verdict.
Hollywood Today wants to know how the alternates would have voted had they been asked. Has anyone had an opportunity to question the two African-American alternates to find out if they would have voted in the case?
It is crystal clear now, that Simpson made a tactical error in thinking that Las Vegas police would just blow this thing over, as was heard on one of the audio tapes used as evidence in the case. And it is evident that Simpson believed he could get away with anything, even murder.
Jurors say they had no idea that Simpson had hit unlucky 13 in so many ways pertaining to this case, in reference to the 13th anniversary of his murder acquittal, 13 hours deliberation by jurors, and 13 days at trial.
It sounds as though Simpson may have been touched by a power greater than the courts.
10 responses so far ↓
1 Black Justice // Oct 7, 2008 at 7:35 am
This is nothing but a modern day lynching. I don’t know if O.J. was guilty of the first crime, but having followed this case closely, it is obvious that the “system” and the white majority felt they had a score to settle. The judge should have declared a mistrial when she heard the police declare him guilty before they even started the trial.
And listening to the tapes, all the jurors would have been clear that O.J. did not intend to take things that did not belong to him. And why didn’t the FBI or local police get involved when they were asked “before” the incident? It seems to me that they wanted something like this to happen.
Well White America, you have your reason to shout. If you keep harboring this hate, you’ll be shouting in the very place of eternal damnation o which you have condemned The Juice.
2 darrin // Oct 7, 2008 at 7:57 am
I keep seeing how these jurors keep trying to explain how they came to the verdict based on the evidence. well I watched the trial locally in las vegas and I dont see how they could have come to the guilty on all counts. Even though I think Oj was stupid to put himself in the situation where white folk could get him.
3 Joe // Oct 7, 2008 at 7:59 am
Why don’t you save your outraged protests for a black man who is actually wrongfully incarcerated? I assure you, you won’t have to look far to find one.
Maybe it was impossible to find a black person for the jury because all those tapped for the pool deliberately made the trial an issue of race than one of justice (like what you’re doing).
Blathering inanely about “White America” and the “system” of white majority damages the cause of civil rights warriors everywhere.
4 Hello Kitty // Oct 7, 2008 at 8:15 am
OJ did it to himself, there is no one else to blame. Plenty of innocent black men sit in jail,with far less evidence against them and does anyone care? We all should care. Why don’t people try to help them? Again, he did it to himself and he had all the resources most black males do not have.
5 SUE // Oct 7, 2008 at 9:26 am
Let’s keep in mind that the jurors are picked from a pool of people. The Defense and the State both interview the jurors and decide who they will sit in the jurors box for the final trial. OJ’s defense is trying to get him off one more time playing the ridiculous “race card.”
6 carl // Oct 7, 2008 at 9:41 am
Keep in mind that the defending attorney helped choose this jury. Could he have allowed the jury to be stacked with whites knowing that if he lost it would be a chance to play the race card upon appeal?
Makes sense to me.
7 Meg // Oct 7, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Ah Black Justice playing the race card. Why is it when a black man is found guilty by a white jury the jury must be racist? If a white man was found guilty and said it was because a black jury is racist there would be hell to pay. OJ is guilty and it’s about time that bastard ended up in jail. I hope he gets the same fate he gave the 2 people HE KILLED 13 years ago. The man is nothing more than a criminal.
8 john // Oct 7, 2008 at 2:25 pm
I am white and i just want to say that in this day and age not every person is racest.
people what ever your race get over it. If there are pople still that stupid thats there falt. and if you comit a crime and go to trial then its your piers that judge you.
lets look at people and not race. just cause they were all white dosn’t mean anything.
9 Emmanuela // Oct 7, 2008 at 4:50 pm
It looks like O.J. Simpson going to spend the rest of his life in jail. I remember back in 1995, watching the whole O.J. murder trial. Johnnie Cochran was an amazing lawyer. When he said, “If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit”, I thought O.J. was getting away while murder. I still be believe to this day that O.J. did murder his wife and her friend. But now, after a 13 day trial, a 13 hours of deliberation and 13 years to the day after being acquitted, he is found guilty of robbery and kidnapping and now facing 60 years in prison. Talk about what goes around comes around, and the unlucky number 13. Was the race card played in this trial? Just because the entire jury was white, doesn’t mean that the race card was played. O.J. knew exactly what he was doing when he entered that Las Vegas hotel. If you believe someone as stolen your personal belongs then you call the police, and not just take actions into your own hands. The sentencing doesn’t take place until December, so we don’t know how long O.J. will be in jail. I just hope and pray that he will be okay, and that the last judgment belongs to God.
10 Wily Trax // Oct 7, 2008 at 5:53 pm
He shouldn’t have any trouble finding someone to play the ‘back nine’ with him.
http://www.wilytrax.com
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