How O.J.'s Plan Went Bad

Reconstructing The Alleged Armed Robbery That Ended Up With Simpson In Jail

(AP)  Standing in a casino hotel room, a fallen football hero played out the final scene of a sting operation to seize prized possessions from his glory days.

But his plan, plotted against the backdrop of a quickie Las Vegas wedding, was suddenly going bad.

There was a gunman impersonating a police officer. Men were screaming at each other. And the prized possessions were being stuffed into pillow cases and cardboard boxes.

In a city where casino heists and celebrity spawn images of Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack and George Clooney flicks, the caper allegedly orchestrated by O.J. Simpson has the glint of Sin City's seedy underside - with shadowy figures and deals gone bad.

Based on a review of police reports and interviews with Simpson, sports memorabilia dealer Alfred Beardsley, police investigators, prosecutors and other authorities involved in the case, the day unfolded in the following manner:

It began with a phone call, police and those involved say, from an auctioneer with a colorful past, an ex-con known for auctioning Anna Nicole Smith's diaries.

Thomas Riccio had helped arrange autograph signings for Simpson. And he knew Simpson believed a former associate had stolen many of his pro football belongings and personal items, such as family pictures and a suit Simpson wore the day he was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.

Sports memorabilia dealers were peddling some of the items, Riccio told Simpson. He faxed a list of items and offered to help Simpson get them back.

The timing could not have been better: Simpson was headed to Vegas as best man at a friend's wedding.

Make the call, Simpson said.

Riccio called Beardsley, an ex-con who by his own account helped Simpson make money with autograph signings and simultaneously profited off his infamy.

Beardsley recalled Riccio telling him: "I have a client, a big O.J. Simpson fan, who wants to buy a lot of Simpson memorabilia." He had no idea it was Simpson.

Beardsley then, according to police, turned to Bruce Fromong, an expert in Simpson memorabilia who testified for Simpson at his wrongful death civil trial.

Fromong had sold Beardsley the so-called acquittal suit and Beardsley offered it to the Goldman family, which has been working for years to collect the $33.5 million wrongful death judgment. They passed on the offer.

Simpson rated little special attention when he arrived at the Palms on Sept. 12 with his longtime girlfriend, Christine Prody, a woman who bears a likeness to his slain ex-wife.

They checked into a $250-a-night, 550-square foot "King Jr." room in the Palms tower rather than the more upscale, Fantasy Tower. Compared to the $40,000-a-night Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, it was no-frills. He was no longer a hot celebrity like some other players at the hotel.

2Most of the wedding party was staying at the Palms, but one out-of-towner, Walter Alexander, was staying elsewhere. He and Simpson were mutual friends of the groom, Thomas Scotto, but had not talked in years, recounted Alexander's lawyer, Robert Rentzer, who once represented Rodney King.

Alexander, 46, and Simpson had once been golfing buddies, and had a unique link: Alexander's uncle was the godfather of a child from Simpson's first marriage, Aaren, who died as a baby in a swimming pool accident.

The two had a falling out after Simpson refused to help Alexander pay for his father's funeral several years ago.

"O.J. says something like, 'Everybody wants a piece of me,' and didn't offer him a dime to help throw the funeral," Rentzer said.

On Sept. 13, though, Alexander accepted Simpson's invite to visit. "You don't hold a grudge forever," said Rentzer.

As Simpson tells it, he asked Alexander for help in a plan unfolding across town at a lower-end casino hotel.

[my2centss]

OJ''s plan went bad when he killed his wife and that waiter, then went on that lowspeed police chase where he threatened to kill hisself. Oops wrong case.

[collette Milligan]

all I can sense see and say, why does jesse jackson have to start A Rally right before o.jays trial, I just see jesse so opposite of Rev martin Luther King. you Just have to pray for those who hurt there brothers and sisters as well as an innocent defenseless four legged animal whom is a gift to man.

JackSteen1

Racist much?

I personally can''t stand OJ but your comments seem little over the edge

[sr31143]

I am so sick of the media overkill on OJ Simpson. Hundreds of murders occur in the U.S. monthly, plus people go missing and kids molested. Yet the moment OJ does something, the media goes into a frenzy and gets Americans all riled up again. Our soldiers are dying daily in Iraq and their deaths don''t get an iota of the coverage OJ gets for crossing the street. Do you really think if he had killed his black ex-wife, this kind of frenzy would have happened? No way! And why do they drag Kato Kalin EVERYTIME something happens with OJ? No one even remembers him ordnarily. I might not like OJ but I don''t think he will get a fair trial because most people feel that this is their chance to put him away for the 1995 murders. Americans are jobless, homeless and hopeless. Can''t we try solving these problems instead? I truly feel that the Iran''s Presidentor perhaps even Bin Laden would be more easily accepted in this society than OJ. People are always getting away with murder, just look at the woman who recently got off from killing her pastor husband. I am not going to be any better off whether OJ goes to jail or not, and neither are you. It simply seems to me that we can use our energy more beneficially dong something constructive than to waste even one moment thinking of OJ.

[Krazcarl]

andomedia,,,If he''s not looking for cash why is he profiting from it. I wasn''t there sounds like you were to be so sure of yourself,

[samthetvcat]

They keep calling OJ the most hated man in America, but as detestable as he is I can think of a couple of others who would probably rank higher in a poll of most hated (lol):

1. Bush
2. Cheney
3. Michael Vick (doggie killer)
4. OJ

[johnshaft4]

THE ONLY reason OJ''s "plan went bad" is because he followed the same formula for "success" as Bush/Cheney in Iraq.

[andomeda]

To "crzmeat":

It''s you, it''s definitely you. OJ was not "set up", he was a KILLER and should be in jail. Mr. Goldman is looking for JUSTICE, not cash.

[naber1961]

THE BAST-ARD SHOULD ROT IN JAIL!

[ssm9451]

I saw OJ on the golf course today.

[Krazcarl]

Is it me or is al this let''s fry OJ getting old anyone that made it through grammer school KNOWS he was set up. Not a fan but this is really getting old I''m sick of it. Let Goldman publish the book make cash and say he''s honering his son but he''s now making a carear of persecuting OJ and be rewarded with cash that''s not honer that''s greed of your dead son. If he hated him so bad why don''t he shoot him that''s right get my foot in the limelight and make some cash, This whole thing is beyond stupid,,,

[jacksteen1]

What a tragedy - that this ugly shaved ape will most likely go to prison for the rest of his life for this *** and yet he got away with two murders because the jury was "...of his peers," other mindless, shiftless, godless voids that don''t count for anything in today''s world.

What a commentary on the ''justice'' system in America.