Clarence “C.J.” Stewart, left, Charles D. Jones, listens as a verdict of guilty on all counts is read following his trial at the Clark County Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas on Friday, Oct. 3, 2008.
Saturday, Dec. 25, 2010 | 1:03 p.m.
Sun archives
- Nevada Supreme Court grants extension to O.J. Simpson attorneys (11-8-2010)
- O.J. Simpson appeal denied by Nevada Supreme Court (10-22-2010)
- Nevada Supreme Court hears arguments in O.J. Simpson case (6-11-2010)
- Supreme Court: Media has right to jury question forms (12-24-2009)
- Dealer robbed by OJ Simpson seeks civil damages (9-14-2009)
- Nevada Supreme Court denies O.J.’s bid for release (9-4-2009)
A plea deal has been reached to avoid a retrial for a former O.J. Simpson co-defendant who remains in a Nevada prison despite having his conviction overturned in their 2007 robbery-kidnapping case.
An agreement could be finalized before the end of the year freeing Clarence "C.J." Stewart and avoiding another airing of the evidence that convicted him with the 63-year-old former football star, Clark County District Attorney David Roger and Stewart's attorney told The Associated Press.
"I believe the district attorney and Mr. Stewart have reached an agreement as to the terms," defense attorney Brent Bryson said. "The terms would include an amount of time still on house arrest, followed by a period of probation."
In separate interviews, Bryson and Roger confirmed a deal was pending, but declined to provide specifics before it goes to Clark County District Court Judge Jackie Glass.
Glass presided over the 2008 jury trial and would handle Stewart's retrial.
She sentenced Stewart to 7 1/2 to 27 years and Simpson to nine to 33 years in state prison for their convictions on kidnapping, armed robbery, conspiracy and other charges in the botched 2007 armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers at a Las Vegas casino-hotel.
Glass this month set Stewart's bail at $150,000 pending retrial. Stewart, who has served more than two years in prison, hasn't been able to raise bail.
Neither Bryson nor Roger would specify the exact charges agreed upon. Both made it clear the agreement involved at least one felony and would call for Simpson's 56-year-old former golfing buddy to be released from prison to serve time on house arrest and then probation.
Neither said whether Stewart would plead guilty or seek an equivalent of a no contest charge. The so-called Alford plea wouldn't admit guilt, but would acknowledge that prosecutors could win conviction.
"Mr. Stewart will have to pay for his role in the attacks," Roger said. "The deal will not be the same as was offered during trial."
Four other men who took part in the heist with Simpson and Stewart, including the two who brought guns, pleaded guilty to felonies before trial, testified against Simpson and Stewart, and received varying terms of probation afterward.
Only Stewart stood trial with Simpson in a proceeding shadowed by the famous former actor and advertising pitchman's acquittal in the 1994 slayings in Los Angeles of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
The state Supreme Court ruled in October that Simpson's presence in the Las Vegas courtroom tainted Stewart's conviction.
"Arguably, Stewart was tried with one of the most notorious public figures in this country _ Simpson," the court said. "The jury could not have reasonably been expected to weigh the individual pieces of evidence against each defendant."
In a separate ruling, the court upheld Simpson's conviction.
Simpson's lawyers are seeking a rehearing, and a ruling from the state high court is pending.
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy