O.J. Simpson, judge and attorneys: actions were ‘stupid’

Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008 | 12:23 a.m.

Simpson Sentencing

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O.J. Simpson, his lawyer, Yale Galanter, and the judge who sent him to jail for 33 years yesterday, Jackie Glass, agree on one thing: O.J. Simpson is behind bars this morning because of sheer stupidity.

A jury on Oct. 3 convicted Simpson of 12 charges, including robbery, kidnapping and assault with the use of a deadly weapon. Though he faced a possible life term, Glass was sentenced him on Friday to 33 years in prison with no chance of parole until 2017.

Though the defense disagreed with the penalty – they were hoping to receive the minimum sentence, six years – both Simpson and his attorney agreed with the judge that the things Simpson did inside a Palace Station hotel room on Sept 13, 2007 were “stupid.”

“I wasn’t there to hurt anybody, I just wanted my personal things and I realize now it was stupid of me,” Simpson said of the altercation involving him and five others who confronted and robbed two memorabilia dealers last fall.

“I’m sorry,” Simpson said. “I didn’t mean to steal anything from anybody and I didn’t know I was doing anything illegal.”

Galanter preceded Simpson’s comments and explicitly volunteered his own thoughts about what unfolded in room 1203 that day.

“My client’s acts were beyond stupid, reeked of stupidity, and I make no bones about it,” he said.

Galanter referenced Simpson’s “stupidity” over half a dozen times during his nine-minute speech. He said “stupid” or “stupidity” eight times during his address, in addition to jabs like “not bright, not smart, not well thought-out.”

While Glass appeared to agree with the men, she said the issue at hand went beyond whether or not Simpson’s actions were dumb.

“I have to tell you now, it was much more than stupidity,” she said before noting the run-in “was actually a very violent event.”

“Earlier in this case at a bail hearing … I said to Mr. Simpson that I didn’t know if he was arrogant or ignorant or both. And during the trial and through this proceeding I got the answer, and it was both,” she said.

The judge reviewed the details of the case against the former NFL great, including the secretly-recorded audio tapes that were used as evidence in the trial, before delivering her sentence.

Instead of life in prison, she sent him to jail for 33 years with parole eligibility after nine years.

Simpson’s co-accused, Clarence “C.J.” Stewart, was given a lesser sentence of 27 years with parole after 7 1/2 years served.

Both defendants will appeal the court’s decision.

Discussion: 6 comments so far…

By halloween

12/6/08 at 1:14 a.m.

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what one does to harm another always comes back on them, it may take awhile but it works. it is good that the judge could see through his con job he was trying to get people to believe.
By vsestini

12/6/08 at 6:02 a.m.

Suggest removal

O.J Simpson believed that he could get away with anything because he was the famous "O.J." His arrogance and pompace ass attitude finally cost him and he got exactly what he deserved....

Welcome to Nevada Prison System O.J. Now, we will see how big you are in your prison jump suit and prison loafers instead of your $2,000 custom, imported suits and Bruno Magli shoes.
Insted of expensive food and wine you will dine on the common man's meal daily...perhaps Cheerios for breakfast, hot dogs for lunch and burritos for supper with a Pepsi chaser.

Good luck and may you rot in Hell....I hope every day behind bars is a living hell for you...Justice, true American Justice finally caught up with you. The evidence did fit and they didn't acquit this time....
By homer

12/6/08 at 8:28 a.m.

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How about the idiot who held a sign a badgered the Goldmans outside of the courthouse? I wonder how long it will be before he joins his hero at the big house?
By johnevegas

12/6/08 at 9:46 a.m.

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"what one does to harm another always comes back on them"

Bingo! It works with doing good things for others as well. It's called karma.

OJ might want to read up on Kali, who just balanced his karma big time.
By Misterbaddass

12/6/08 at 2:03 p.m.

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The real reason O.J. Simpson is in the big house is not because he is stupid, it is because he is an habitual criminal and sociopath.

Let's face it folks, O.J. has been working all his life to get to the big house. From his gang banging youth in San Francisco, to the business in Las Vegas, he is doing what criminal do, engage in illegal activities.

When you look at how he treats women, you get a feel for his hatred to them. That alone tells much about him.

The Brown and Goldman families lived to see this day when finally O.J. Simpson was punished for being whom he is.

A common everyday garden variety criminal!
By jrichard

12/6/08 at 9:35 p.m.

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tonight i heard on geraldo rivera, that oj could have had a plea bargin where he would have done only three years, instead, he went to trial, Lost. OJ IS AN AIR HEAD !