Former O.J. Simpson co-defendants to be sentenced Dec. 9

Associated Press

Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008 | 1:37 p.m.

The judge in the O.J. Simpson armed robbery-kidnapping case said Tuesday that four men who took plea deals and testified against the former football star will be sentenced after Simpson and co-defendant Clarence “C.J.” Stewart learn their fates.

“We're going to set everyone for Dec. 9,” Clark County District Court Judge Jackie Glass told Michael McClinton and his lawyer, William Terry. Charles Cashmore's lawyer, Edward Miley, also attended the hearing.

Simpson and Stewart are scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 5.

A jury found Simpson and Stewart guilty Oct. 3 of all 12 charges against them, including kidnapping, armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy in a Sept. 13, 2007, confrontation two sports memorabilia dealers at a Las Vegas casino hotel room.

Simpson, 61, and Stewart, 54, are being held at the Clark County jail and could face up to life in prison with the possibility of parole on the kidnapping conviction. Each of the two armed robbery convictions carries a mandatory sentence of at least two years and as many as 30.

Lawyers for the two men filed motions last week seeking a new trial and said they intend to appeal the convictions to the Nevada Supreme Court.

The four former co-defendants who stormed the hotel room with Simpson and Stewart – McClinton, Cashmore, Walter Alexander and Charles Ehrlich – each pleaded guilty to various lesser felony charges and agreed to testify for the prosecution in return for a chance at probation.

McClinton, 50, of Las Vegas, faces the stiffest possible sentence, up to 11 years in prison, for robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. Cashmore, 41, of Las Vegas, faces up to five years for accessory to robbery.

Alexander, 47, of Mesa, Ariz., could get up to six years for conspiracy to commit robbery. Ehrlich, 54, of Miami, could get up to five years for attempted burglary and attempted accessory to robbery.

Simpson maintained he went to the room to retrieve personal items, family photos and sports mementos that had been stolen from him years earlier.