O.J. wanted guns, co-defendant says
O.J. Simpson wanted armed men with him when he confronted two sports memorabilia dealers, according to a co-defendant who has agreed to plead guilty and testify against the former football star.
“O.J. said ‘Hey, just bring some firearms,’ ” Walter Alexander told police, according to a transcript of his tape-recorded statement obtained by the Associated Press.
Alexander told police after his arrest Sept. 15 that he and another man showed up with guns at Simpson’s request, then headed with him into a casino hotel room to retrieve collectibles that Simpson said belonged to him.
Simpson’s attorney, Yale Galanter, said Wednesday that Simpson’s position remains that there were no guns brought to the room and he did not tell anyone to bring guns.
Simpson, Michael McClinton, Clarence “C.J.” Stewart and Charles Ehrlich are scheduled for a preliminary hearing Nov. 8 on nine felonies and one gross misdemeanor charge, including kidnapping, armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy.
WASHINGTON
Military recruited on gay Web sites
The Army, Navy and Air Force unwittingly advertised for recruits on a Web site for gays, who are barred from military service if they are open about their sexual orientation.
When informed Tuesday by USA Today that they were advertising on GLEE.com, a networking Web site for gay professionals, recruiters expressed surprise and said they would remove the job listings.
Capt. Jack Hanzlik, a Navy recruiting spokesman, said his service ordered more than 8,000 ads taken off GLEE, which stands for Gay, Lesbian & Everyone Else. By late Wednesday, most were gone.
Marine Corps ads on GLEE were only for two civilian jobs not covered by the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which allows gays to serve in uniform only if they keep quiet about their sexual orientation.
The ads were placed through GLEE’s parent company, New York-based Community Connect, as part of an alliance with jobs-listing giant Monster.com.
WASHINGTON
Giuliani endorsed by Texas governor
Republican presidential contender Rudy Giuliani won the endorsement of Texas Gov. Rick Perry Wednesday, despite their differences on abortion rights.
Perry said that his biggest concern had been Giuliani’s support for abortion rights but that he was satisfied the former New York mayor would appoint judges who view the issue conservatively.
Perry said when he buys a pickup truck, he doesn’t rule any out simply because they have an option he doesn’t like. He said the war on terrorism is the campaign’s overriding issue and Giuliani is best-equipped to lead a country at war.
The Texas governor, who accompanied Giuliani on a campaign trip to Iowa later in the day, said, “Mayor Giuliani is not the enemy. Rudy Giuliani is a culture warrior.”