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October 3, 2008
Posted: 09:19 AM ET
NEW YORK — A jury of nine women and three men now hold the fate of O.J. Simpson in their hands as they begin their first day of jury deliberations Friday in the armed robbery and kidnapping trial.
O.J. Simpson departs courthouse after closing arguments In closing arguments on Thursday, District Attorney David Roger was up first. He told jurors that Simpson was the leader of a conspiracy, “there was one person, and that was defendant Simpson. He is the person who put these crimes together. He is the one who recruited these individuals to help him commit the crimes.” Simpson’s lawyer, Yale Galanter, followed, explaining to jurors that the prosecution failed to prove Simpson was guilty and said the case “has taken on a life of its own because of Mr. Simpson’s involvement.” “Every cooperator, every person who had a gun, every person who had an ulterior motive, every person who signed a book deal, every person who got paid money — the police, the district attorney’s office, is only interested in one thing: Mr. Simpson,” Galanter said. “He has always been the target of this investigation, and nothing else mattered.” Galanter reminded the jury of a secret recording of police investigators in the hotel room after the incident. “They’re making jokes. They’re saying things like, ‘We’re gonna get him,”‘ he said. Assistant District Attorney Chris Owens was the last attorney to address the jury. Owens raised the specter of Simpson’s murder trial when he argued that Simpson’s anger in the hotel room was rooted in his belief that his agent Mike Gilbert’s betrayed him by selling his personal items when he was supposed to be hiding them from the Goldmans. The references to the Goldmans and the California civil judgment brought Simpson’s defense attorney Yale Galanter to his feet several times to object vehemently, when the State prevailed, he moved for a mistrial at the close of Owens’ summation. The motion was denied. If convicted of kidnapping, Simpson faces five years to life in prison, or mandatory prison time if convicted of armed robbery. Stay tuned to In Session as we await the verdict. -Bob Regan, In Session senior executive producer, with In Session staff Filed under: Bob Regan O.J. Simpson |
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