Simpson Recordings Were Key, Jurors Claim

Robbery, Kidnapping Conviction Not Payback For 1995 Murder Acquittal, Jury Says

(CBS/ AP)  Jurors who convicted O.J. Simpson of armed robbery and kidnapping said Sunday they did not trust witness testimony in the case, and instead relied on audio and video recordings and other documented evidence to convict him.

Jury foreman Paul Connelly said it was perhaps a waste for prosecutors to have given plea deals to several Simpson co-defendants in exchange for their testimony, since the jury did not rely on it.

Juror Michelle Lyons said the jury listened over and over again to the recordings made by collectibles dealer Thomas Riccio and felt they heard things that had not been fully transcribed by police.

But Lyons said the jury felt they could not trust the credibility of the cooperating witnesses who were given plea deals to testify.

"We felt we could not rely on that witness testimony," Lyons said.

The 61-year-old former Hall of Fame football star could spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted late Friday of charges stemming from a hotel room confrontation more than one year ago. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 5.

Simpson's conviction came 13 years to the day after he was acquitted on murder charges, reported CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker.

Kidnapping is punishable by five years to life in prison. Armed robbery carries a mandatory sentence of at least two years behind bars, and could bring as much as 30 years.

Riccio, who tried to bring in the FBI when he heard that two memorabilia dealers were planning to sell a trove of Simpson
artifacts, helped set up a "sting" by promoting an anonymous buyer who turned out to be Simpson. He told CBS' The Early Show he thought the verdict was unfair and that Simpson's intent was merely to take back the memorabilia.

"It was overkill," Riccio said of the jury's decision.

However, the jurors were unanimous in denying they were trying to punish Simpson for past wrongs and one of them, Dora Pettit, said she prayed for him before and after the case.

"I think he's an ordinary man that made a bad decision," she said. "I prayed for him and Stewart and the attorneys. I don't have any ill feelings and if they walked out tomorrow, so be it."

"We've been painted as an all white jury who hates O.J., and that's just not true," said Pettit.

The seven members of the 12-person jury agreed to their extraordinary news conference two nights after the case ended because they said they were being hounded by reporters seeking to talk to them. They answered questions for one hour in the same courtroom where they tried and convicted Simpson and Clarence "C.J." Stewart.

At the end, they concluded that without the recordings of the hotel room confrontation, the prosecution might not have won convictions.

"It would have been a very weak case," Pettit said. Juror David Wieberg chimed in, "Yes, a weak case," and other jurors nodded in agreement.

Asked why they convicted Stewart, who was seen as a minor player in the events, Teresa Owens said: "The thing that clinched it for me is he drove the car. He walked out with items. He came out that room with items that didn't belong to him."

"He didn't leave," Consuelo Saldivar said. "If he walked in and saw what was going on, he could have walked out."

They then said he continued to participate in a cover up which made him a conspirator.

Pettit said she did not care what sentence would be imposed on Simpson.

"If he walked out of there I don't care," Pettit said. "If he lives his life happily ever after, I don't care."

Simpson's lawyer said Sunday that the former Heisman Trophy winner is hoping for a new trial and a strong bid to reverse his conviction.

Attorney Yale Galanter told The Associated Press that Simpson was being isolated from other prisoners for his own safety, and allowed to see only family members and a few friends. Lawyers advised Simpson to do no media interviews, Galanter said.

Simpson will be held in the Clark County Detention Center until his sentencing and then is expected to be moved to state prison. Galanter said he will pursue a request for Simpson to be released on bond during the appeals process.

But because of the seriousness of the charges, Simpson would probably remain imprisoned during an appeal. Galanter said an appeal cannot be filed until after sentencing.

The attorney said Simpson was OK during a jail visit Saturday during which they discussed plans for the case.

"He's disappointed and a bit melancholy," Galanter said aboard a plane as he prepared to return to his Miami office.

Galanter said he believes Simpson has a strong argument for reversal of his conviction because of legal errors made during the trial, beginning with the jury selection process.

He said issues to be raised on appeal will include the elimination of all African-Americans from the jury and the inclusion of jurors who believed that Simpson should have been convicted at trial in Los Angeles in 1995 of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman.

Lawyers for Simpson's co-defendant, Clarence "C.J" Stewart, have said they also plan a strong appeal with focus on their claim that he was prejudiced by having to stand trial with Simpson.

[roscoezzz]

Did anyone hear snippets of those tapes? OJ should have just kept his mouth shut. He put himself there in that hotel room and it''s ridiculous to blame anyone else for what he has done to himself. I want to hear more tape recordings. OJ sounds like he is trying to be a thug.

[trapbreaker]

An 8 by 12 cell is tough on ones golf game.

[questionnews]

Will Goldman be able to go after the money OJ makes in the prison laundry?? That could add up to $10 to $15 a month!!

[barbaraf4]

You would think that having gotten away with murder you would keep a low profile and thank your lucky stars for your good luck.

That is not how our boy O.J. has played this. Since getting away with the murder of his wife and her friend, he has perceived himself to be bullet-proof and he has been in one skermish after another with the law.

[yellow651]

The rule of law is what makes this country what it is. Simpson broke the law and he will pay. It is a shame that the "jury of his peers" is being challenged because of the racial makeup. Blacks in this country will never be equal until they stop blaming thier color for everything that happens to them. You break the law, you pay.

[cuffhead]

This trial has nothing to do with race. STUPID comes in all races.

[connapa]

The reason he didn''t go to the police is that if it were found that the items legally belonged to him, then the Goldman''s would receive any money from their sale. By not going to police, he could sell the items and pocket the cash. Doesn''t he realize that when he is dead, his entire estate will go to the Goldman''s?

[nothappyatall]

Simpson''s lawyer said Sunday that the former Heisman Trophy winner is hoping for a new trial and a strong bid to reverse his conviction. "

Yep, play the jury lottery in hopes of getting a different jury makeup and one dissenting juror to overthrow it, that''s what a dream team of LAWYERS can do when you have MONEY or fame, the average Joe wouldnt GET a new trial on a whim.

[peacedreamer-2009]

If OJ thought someone was selling items stolen from him (although the person who was selling them said OJ sold him the items to help pay legal expenses from his assault trial), why didn''t he call the police and ask them to investigate? Why didn''t he report the items stolen at the time they went missing?

Instead, it appears he was trying to recover property he legally sold without buying it back--he decided just to steal it back.

He could have left when he found out how his items were being recovered, he could have left when he saw the gun and reported the incident to the police. Instead, he agreeed threats of violence and helped carry the stuff out of the hotel and into his own car.

Did he just not realize that although people get away with that in the movies, in real life, it''s a crime?

[easeup-2009]

He finally gets justice after turning 2 people into Pez dispensers....

[mediabrat60]

Who cares.

[cepe10-2009]

what a lousy jury - I only hopes someone steals from them and they are unable to recover the items from the thieves and then get prosecuted - what a bunch of total morons.

[j_flood]

I cannot conceive of being able to ignore OJ''s history in the jury room. It''s beyond me how someone can do it. But I think some people could. Our minds don''t all work the same. As a white man I''m sure if I could focus solely on the trial evidence, I''d be labelled as making him pay for his past accusations...

I''ll take the word of the jury and hope the conviction stands.

[jetlizhan]

boo-hoo-hoo. you play, you pay, you murderous coward. suffer big boy, suffer. i hope you never see the light of day ever again.