LAS VEGAS (AP) – Any chance that O.J. Simpson will get a new trial will come from the federal level — not from the state of Nevada. That was made official yesterday when the full seven-member state Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal.
That harmonizes with a decision made by a three-member appeals panel — which already had rejected a request to give Simpson another shot at having his conviction overturned.
Simpson is serving nine to 33 years in prison for a 2007 armed confrontation with a pair of sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas casino hotel room. A lawyer for Simpson says he understands that the Nevada court would reject the ex-football star’s plea.
Malcolm LaVergne says “what judge wants to be put in the position that they let O.J. go free?” LaVergne says the defense will now focus on getting the case reheard in the federal court system.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press