Saturday, January 12, 2008

Bail Revoked for O.J. Simpson

In his latest dumb stunt, O.J. Simpson bought himself a ticket back to jail by trying to contact a co-defendant in the Las Vegas armed robbery case, prosecutors said.
The disgraced football great was taken into custody Friday by his bail bondsman in Miami for allegedly violating the terms of his release.
The pair then flew to Sin City, where cops took Simpson in handcuffs from the airport to the Clark County Detention Center.
Police said Simpson, 60, would be kept apart from the other 3,300 inmates until a hearing Wednesday, when District Attorney David Roger plans to ask a judge to revoke Simpson's $125,000 bail and keep him in jail until the trial starts in April.
Prosecutors described in court papers how Simpson flagrantly violated his bail terms by reaching out to accused accomplice Clarence (C.J.) Stewart.
In a secretly recorded voicemail message, the Juice spewed profanity as he seemingly urged the bondsman, Miguel Pereira to get a message to Stewart.
"Hey Miguel, it's me - I just want C.J. to know that the whole thing all the time he was tellin' me that [stuff], ya know, I hope he was telling me the truth," Simpson supposedly said.
"Don't be tryin' to change the [expletives] now . . . but I'm tired of this . . . fed up with [expletive] changing what they told me. All right?"
Prosecutors claim that Simpson's goal was to dissuade Stewart from "testifying and cooperating with law enforcement" as some suspects in the case have.
Simpson refused to comment on the charges before he boarded a westbound plane.
"I can't talk to you guys. I cannot talk to you guys," he said.
News cameras captured Simpson as he walked through the Miami airport - looking considerably less relaxed than he did in his old ads for Hertz rental cars.
Wearing a golf shirt and visor, he chatted on a cell phone and asked for directions with agitation, at one point elbowing a young woman out of his way.
Simpson is charged with robbery and kidnapping in connection with the Sept. 13 gunpoint raid on two sports memorabilia dealers at a casino hotel. He has pleaded not guilty.
After he posted bond, he promised a judge he would have no contact with his co-defendants or witnesses - even through a third party or a "carrier pigeon."
Two days after a preliminary hearing - which ended with a judge ruling that he should stand trial - Simpson violated the court order, authorities said.
It was unclear if Pereira, who runs You Ring We Spring Bail Bonds, played any role in tipping off investigators to the call.
Pereira chauffeured Simpson and his relatives to court dates - and said he was confident the athlete wouldn't skip out.
"He's not a flight risk. I have a gut feeling and I'm good at my job," Pereira told reporters after O.J.'s release in September.
Simpson, who was acquitted in the 1994 murder of his wife and her friend, faces up to life in prison if convicted in the heist case.
Three buddies who said they burst in on the memorabilia dealers at the Palace Station have cut deals to testify against Simpson.
Stewart and Charles Ehrlich didn't flip and are still slated to face trial with him.

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