O.J. Simpson meets the Nevada penal system
Who knew that jurors arriving at dramatic late-night guilty verdicts didn't die out with the Brothers Karamazov? I wish I had been there. Some hard workers were present including the LA Times' Ashley Powers, who offered an accounting of what happened in the room as Simpson's fate was announced.
Even Dostoyevsky would be confounded by the truly bizarre timing of this conviction on robbery and kidnapping charges on the very anniversary of Simpson's acquittal 13 years ago on double murder charges.
After the announcement of the guilty verdict, as the defense lawyer and retired judge Dayvid Figler had predicted to me back at the start of the trial, Judge Glass immediately ordered Simpson directly to jail pending sentencing. She did not have to do that: Glass could have let him stay free on bail until sentencing. One assumes she will keep Simpson incarcerated through the appeal process as well.
After the controversy over jury selection (the jury, excluding alternates, had no African American members) guaranteed at least one appeal by the defense if there was a guilty verdict, Figler, like the other defense attorneys I spoke to on the topic, told me that the standard wait for the Nevada Supreme Court to hear and decide an appeal is about 2 years. But the Nevada Supreme Court can take as long as they want to take and often take longer.
So, now, even if Simpson were to succeed in appealing the jury verdict and have that verdict vacated by the Nevada Supreme Court, those two or so years will likely be spent behind bars. Even then, under a best-case scenario, if Simpson emerges victorious and the verdict on every charge is vacated by the Nevada Supreme Court, the decision on whether Simpson would stay in jail pending his new trial would be in the hands -- in all likelihood -- of Judge Glass again. No obvious scenario plays out that allows Simpson to walk free after last night's conviction in the short term.
So, as of now, Simpson is no longer a free man, and that will be the case for quite some time. Simpson will stay in jail until sentencing in December and then he will be sent to prison in Nevada. These are likely to be very hard years for Simpson. Nevada's prison system is not meant for celebrities. Because of the seriousness of the charges, there is the real possibility he will ultimately have to be sent to Nevada's maximum security prison in Ely. And there Simpson would likely spend years totally isolated from his fellow prisoners for his own safety.
I reached Figler early this morning to find out how long Simpson is likely to be sentenced by Judge Glass, and ask what Simpson's chances are on appealing the verdict. Figler noted that judges in Nevada have a very wide discretion for sentencing. Simpson could get anywhere from a few years to a possible life sentence. If a gun had not been involved in the case, Figler says, even probation would have been a possibility.
As for the jury verdict and the appeals, Figler noted: "The kidnapping is a hyper-technical finding and I expect that to have a good chance on appeal." But that is only one of the charges, and Figler believes the reality at this point is that that the 61-year-old Simpson could spend many of his remaining years in the prison system of Nevada.
(Photo: Daniel Gluskoter/AFP/Getty Images)
It's the system. The same judical system that freed him 13 years ago, now put him back in jail again. The bottom line is that how could a clever, rich, famous man like OJ could be so stupid to do things like that in Vegas? I guess it's his fate. May God keep an eye on him.
Posted by: Fairjustice | October 04, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Thank nGod we may never have to look at his ugly golf swing again!!!!
Posted by: bob harrigan | October 04, 2008 at 11:14 AM
I hope he drops the soap in jail. Throw him in with the population.
Posted by: Alexandra | October 04, 2008 at 11:19 AM
OJ Simpson is a lowlife who should feel right at home in prison. Good.
Posted by: Casey | October 04, 2008 at 11:22 AM
jury selection is supposedly" jury by/of your peers". oj associated and lived amoung the white community most of his adult life, so no problem that it was an all white jury. because he himself like to think of himself as white
Posted by: lee | October 04, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Dear OJ, remember:
"What happens in Vegas stays at High Desert Correctional."
Posted by: Dermot Ryan, Las Vegas | October 04, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Harry O you are an idiot - and angry too :) OJ is a narcissistic murderer and bully - constantly getting in trouble. So now he can spend years in a state prison, in a small cell by himself. Perfectt!!!!
Posted by: Steve | October 04, 2008 at 11:39 AM
It is a very sad day for America. I believe most White Americans will say he finally got what he deserved. Most Black Americans will say they expected this to happen because he had an all White jury.
The division of Americans on this issue is very disturbing. We have not made many strides in changing our thoughts about each other. I do not feel any person should have one race of people being their judge. I believe we should have a mixture of races so the scale does not have a chance of showing any bias or the chance of bias.
There will always be some sort of bias in the races and that can not be helped but that bias should have a chance to be mitigated with a mixture of the races on a jury. How can anyone say this jury was of his peers? My peers are from all races not just whites, blacks hispanic, asian etc. Maybe I truely believe in the melting pot of America...or is that a dream I had????
Today White America has finally gotten what it wanted-a black man whom they believed guilty for one crime against a white person over ten years ago. How little we grow. I see double jeopardy being played out and that is what makes me feel very sad for my country. I hope I never have to be in a situation where the jury is one race of people. If I am not their race I might as well not even try to prove my innocence and tell my lawyer I will be waiting in the cell.
For those who will say he got a fair trial with his peers (mostly from whites) are really living in a dream world. Anytime you have a situation where most white people believe a black man is guilty for killing a white woman and he gets off, you can not have a jury of only white Americans and call that fair or his peers. If you believe that, you are crazy and you just want the man to go to jail for anything.
America should be outraged for this whole trial and get over itself.
Sad, sad, sad.
Posted by: eddie | October 04, 2008 at 11:40 AM
I live in Las Vegas, retired to Vegas about 4 years ago from So Cal. We don't have any wack job Downtown LA Superior Court juries here. Here, "you do the crime, you do the time." I hope this gives some small amount of closure to the Brown & Goldman families.
Posted by: Duane | October 04, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Finally! Justice for the Goldman Family and Nicole Family. After 13 years OJ will spend the rest of his life in prison, where he should have been 13 years ago.
Posted by: Joe | October 04, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Interesting that one of OJ's former lovers (alleged) Walter Alexander turned on him. Indeed there is no honor among thieves. At one time it was strongly rumored that something "silly" was going on between OJ & Goldie. You know what I mean by silly.
Posted by: robert g | October 04, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Looks like the "Juice" is finally going to get sqeezed. With all the ironies of his 2 cases set aside, those of you who feel sorry for OJ think about this. He's been a free man for 13 years, walking around on our streets - a free ride for OJ. Justice delayed is better than no justice at all. This time, "if the glove fits, you gotta convict."
Posted by: Dave | October 04, 2008 at 11:57 AM
He made a big mistake by killing a Jew and now he is going to feel the full wrath of the American "Jew"dicial system. Even the goyim could care less about that shiksa whore who loved shvartze, but when it came time to punish him for Ron they nailed that animal to the wall.
Posted by: Joe Israel | October 04, 2008 at 12:08 PM
How does it make sense to say, "Black Americans will say they expected this to happen because he had an all White jury."
So what's your point ... that Black Americans would have automatically let him off, no matter how much evidence he had against him? Sorry, but I would hope that most Black Americans have a greater sense of fairness and intelligence than that. How does letting off a known guilty person help you or your race anyway -- the only person who would have benefited was O.J. Simpson.
Heaven help us if we've come to the point in our history where people consider it their duty to acquit anyone who happens to be the same color they are.
Posted by: Upon Further Review | October 04, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Vegas did in 2 weeks what LA could not do in two years and millions of dollars.....and that is to convict a piece of GARBAGE....LA you are such a JOKE
Posted by: glad I moved from LA | October 04, 2008 at 12:23 PM
Now the frightened, frothing at the mouth white masses can get on with their revengeful pathetic lives! OJ Simpson is a fool for needing white approval, he didn't realize that sleeping with snakes ensures that they will bite you.
Isn't it just like frightened sick folks to allude to rape in prison - since these are the type of folks who raped, mutilated, burned, lynched, and murdered thousands of blacks during and after slavery - taking body parts as souvenirs, etc - do we need to get over it? not until you do!
Regarding justice in Las Vegas, wonder if anyone considers that when you bend the law to suit your revenge, you have compromised the integrity of that very same law. Someone should recall this spiteful petty judge ...who should not be sitting in judgment of anyone, less so a black person who is pitiful with need ...
Posted by: Gotcha | October 04, 2008 at 12:39 PM
So in an ironic way, justice finally arrives for O.J.
Posted by: RA | October 04, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Too much press. This story should have been somewhere on page 15 - without a photo. Fortunately, there won't be any more publicity for this guy. Sad, really.
Posted by: David in Los Angeles | October 04, 2008 at 12:56 PM
I agree with PA, let me add to her comment: This man got away with murder and instead of keeping a low profile and staying out of trouble continued to think that he was above the law. Who in their right mind would try to retrieve personal items with a bunch of thugs? "I didn't see any guns" what an idiot. He got what he deserved, If I was the Prosecutor, after the verdict, I would of given him all his family picture so he can hang them in his cell.
Posted by: Nelson | October 04, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Hey Cromag,
Did you even read my post you imbecile? Read it again and take your time.
Posted by: Rick Baker | October 04, 2008 at 01:08 PM
Rick, you have some nerve blaming Simpson's guilty verdict on the fact that he had an all white jury. It looks like the SOB decided to commit a few felonies in the wrong state. Do you think it's someone's fault that there are a small percentage of blacks in Nevada? I raed that Nevada has a very tough penal system, so it looksl like Simpson is in for a nice little ride in a steel and concrete castle.
Are you really surprised? This piece of grabage has been involved in all of the following since his glory days: murder trial, road rage, "If I Did It" book, dealing in theft of satellite t.v. transmissions, endangering manatees in speed boat, armed robbery & kidnapping.
Let me guess Rick, all of these things spontaneously happened because Simpson is black. You need to take responsibility for your careless comments, and Simpson needs to take responsibility for his reckless and arrogant ways. Feel sorry for him? If so, take your butt to prison with him so that you can console him.
Posted by: Scotty Wildpin | October 04, 2008 at 01:10 PM
You OJ bashers should back off. We all know that the man had only good intentions when he planned this caper. He simply wanted to recover valuable property & turn it into cash in order to pay down the Goldman verdict.
Posted by: casual observer | October 04, 2008 at 01:16 PM
You fools citing the "lord" and "god" are idiots. This is called fate. There is no god. If there was, Simpson's ex-wife and waiter friend would not be dead today.
Posted by: Prantin Wells | October 04, 2008 at 01:33 PM
Well, well, well - Isn't it great he is where he belongs finally? Too bad he didn't pay the Goldmans. I can't help but wonder, did he kill anyone else we didn't find out about or would he have if he were free.
Justice is served - finally!
Posted by: Larz | October 04, 2008 at 02:03 PM
I think that the system has come full circle. As a retired police chief I think that at this trial the jury was fair. To all those who say there were no blacks on the jury I say, OJ's atty. help pick the jury. He is allowed a number of objections with out cause, then he has to say why he does not want a jurer to sit on the jury. I feel they got it right this time. There is a legal way to retrieve stolen items and it is not with a gun.
Posted by: Chief David Galena Ret. | October 04, 2008 at 02:20 PM