O.J. Free After Posting Bond

Walks Out Of Las Vegas Jail After Judge Belittles His "Arrogance Or Ignorance — Or Both"

(CBS/AP)  O.J. Simpson again walked free from a Las Vegas jail late Wednesday, hours after a judge blistered him for "arrogance or ignorance" for breaking bail terms in a robbery case.

Simpson posted bond and was released from jail just after 11 p.m. Simpson walked out by himself and quickly got into a white Mercedes and was driven away without commenting to the dozen members of the news media on hand.

Earlier in the day, with his hands cuffed at his waist and a defeated expression on his face, Simpson listened to a lecture from Clark County District Judge Jackie Glass as she doubled his bail to $250,000.

"I don't know, Mr. Simpson, what the heck you were thinking, or maybe that's the problem - you weren't," Glass said.

Simpson's attorney, Yale Galanter, said before Simpson's release that the former football star would post the deed to his home.

Simpson had been ordered to have no contact with co-defendants or witnesses after he was freed on bail in September on charges of orchestrating the armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers at a hotel room.

Wednesday's brief custody hearing was called because Simpson mentioned co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart while leaving a sputtering, foul-mouthed phone message two months ago for his bail bondsman, Miguel Pereira of You Ring We Spring.

"I just want, want C.J. to know that ... I'm tired of this (expletive)," Simpson said, according to a transcript. "Fed up with (expletives) changing what they told me. All right?"

Though there was no indication Stewart received the message, prosecutor Chris Owens suggested it was threatening. The judge merely said she didn't like the tone.

3"I don't know if it's just arrogance. I don't know if it's ignorance," she said. "But you've been locked up at the Clark County Detention Center since Friday because of arrogance or ignorance - or both."

Simpson, wearing a dark jail shirt and pants with orange slippers, grimaced as Glass announced she was doubling his bail. He spoke only when asked if he understood the terms.

"Yes, your honor," he said evenly.

Simpson, 60, was picked up Friday in Florida by Pereira and taken back to Nevada for violating terms of his release.

Galanter accused Pereira of providing Simpson's bail for the publicity.

"You wanted some notoriety for your company," Galanter said, noting that Pereira had been handing out pens embossed with the name of his company and the words, "O.J.'s way out."

Pereria called Simpson's lawyer "a shark." He also said he gave prosecutors audio recordings of conversations he had with Simpson last Friday while escorting him.

The recordings contain "self admissions to things that were committed," Pereira told The Associated Press late Wednesday. He said he could not provide details "because there's an investigation pending."

A spokesman for Clark County District Attorney David Roger declined to comment.

Galanter denied that Simpson made self-incriminating statements, and said defense lawyers knew Pereira was recording Simpson.

---

Photos: Celebrity Mug Shots

---

"I think the tapes will speak for themselves," Galanter said.

Galanter stipulated during the hearing that Simpson made the call, though he insisted to reporters that Simpson wasn't trying to contact the co-defendant. In court, the lawyer didn't contest the issue.

"I think you need to pick and choose your battles carefully," Galanter said. "I needed to ensure my client would go home."

Glass told Simpson to post his bond, go back to Florida and return April 7 for his trial in an episode strange even by Las Vegas standards.

Simpson was accused of leading a group of men to a hotel room where memorabilia dealers were peddling collectibles associated with Simpson, including the suit he wore the day he was acquitted in the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. He said he wanted to retrieve family heirlooms and photographs, including one of him with former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.

The memorabilia dealers claimed guns were pulled. The man who arranged the meeting made an audio tape of the incident, and one of the dealers contacted a syndicated TV show before calling police. It was not the first brush with law enforcement for most of the men in the room.

Simpson, Stewart and Charles Ehrlich pleaded not guilty Nov. 28 to kidnapping, armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, coercion and conspiracy charges. An armed robbery conviction carries mandatory prison time. A kidnapping conviction could bring a life sentence with the possibility of parole.

Three other former co-defendants have pleaded guilty to lesser charges and testified against Simpson.

Galanter said he was ordering his client to talk to no one but him and co-counsel Gabriel Grasso.

[bakimba]

Some of you people need to get a life and get off of OJ''s JOCK. He did not kill anybody! Also they should not have stole his stuff loosers!

[Krazcarl]

You know my life does not rotate on weather OJ goes to prison. I don''t know if he did it I wasn''t there ,my GUESS is he had a hand in it but there is the drug issue never completly answered. Folks free yourselves from the bondage of hate, To be honest he''s allready in prison just a better bed he''s a broken old man.

[jetlizhan]

i''m so sick and tired of this b.astard getting out of jail/prison. he has ''no money'' but yet these high bails are always paid. i absolutely despise him and it''s hard to even look at him. the face of a MURDERER. please, please if there''s any justice in this world - he will be locked up this time forever. amen.

[nikkicatt1]

Hey, Babykiller - If you are so far above the masses with your reality gig - how come you even bothered to comment?? I bet it took you a long time to come up with your pithy narrative. Don''t bother going back to sleep - GET A LIFE!!!
o.j. committed a crime. Is that not reality? He violated his probation. Is that not reality? As far as taking it personally - I do. Anytime our legal system is violated by someone rich and/or famous, I take it personally and so should you.

[keithle1]

Black men keep lawyers & the courts busy 24-7. Not to mention police & prisons/jails.

[edward1975-2009]

How many cracks at the apple does this idiot get? What a joke.

[devilfly1]

Hey O.J.

Now, you are free on bond. Yeah, what are you going to do next? Autographing?, Celebrating?,and Searching for the killer or killers that butchered your gorgeous wife and her friend?

When will you do that? This week? Dunno, depends on your plans

By the way, you have a lot of time to consider about your life till the Judgement Day. Have the Lord mercy on you! Duh!

[arthurcl1]

OJ CAUGHT IS GOING TO DO TIME IN THE SLAMMER THIS TIME! HE IS GOING TO BE PUNISHED!

[ddaymichael]

GET OVER IT!!
Posted by RealTalk5950

HOW? The two people he butchered are still dead!

[feelfree1]

Re: "...don''t know if it''s ignorance. But you''ve been locked...because of arrogance or ignorance - or both."

Judge,

This man may well have gotten away with murder- literally!

If this IS the case, what else would we expect?

[devilfly1]

Hey O.J,

When are you going to find the killers that murdered your innocent wife and her friend?

You did nothing all you care is about yourself.

Hope you get caught at this time!

[sociallyjust]

If we do not legislate in favor of the victims, we will eventually lose our entire country to the criminal, violent, fraudulent, etc, ''element'' and/or individuals whose sole contribution to society is the following message:
"It doesn''t pay to be honest, non-violent or decent."
Here we have a very well-known evil-doer, and in all likelihood a murderer, who together with his unconscionable lawyers has abused our justice system to the hilt, thereby weakening it further.
If we continue to fail in our mandate to protect the innocent, then we will surely encourage additional criminal behavior.
Write and otherwise press your legislators to enact appropriate measures accordingly. The hour is very, very late!

[denn034]

I''m glad he''s being allowed to bail out. Personally, I don''t think Simpson should''ve even been charged or tried because, the local police knew of his sting operation.

[thisandthat1]

Why doesn''t he just use some of the money he''s been hiding away from the Goldman Family? You know, for murdering their son in cold blood!

[keithle1]

Can we make it through ONE story''s comments without someone making a reference to Dubya? Please. I beg you. I''m not kidding. Have mercy!

[keithle1]

Why would you want to be friends with that murdering punk? He must be spending a nice chunk of change on his legal bills. Funny. Good. Hope he sweats like the pig he is.

[Krazcarl]

Joescrc1....Your not talking about bush are you??? OK you have no knowledge of americain history. But yes that doesn''t excuse OJ.

[ssm9451]

OJ makes me want to puke!

[joesrc1]

yo,realtalk.Every President has had blood on thier hands over time in office its the price of leadership of a nation since nations began.They have spilled some of thier own for it.

[realtalk5950]

By the way I think he did it too. But our president has been responsible for far more deaths than O.J.!!!