In brief: O.J. Simpson loses conviction appeal
Las Vegas – A Nevada Supreme Court panel Friday denied O.J. Simpson’s appeal of his armed robbery and kidnapping convictions, finding his arguments that nearly every phase of the trial was flawed “without merit.”
Simpson’s legal team vowed to fight the decision.
“This is not the end of the game,” said attorney Malcolm LaVergne. “I’m not comfortable with the decision at all.”
Separately, the three-justice panel ordered a new trial for Simpson co-defendant Clarence “C.J.” Stewart. The justices agreed he couldn’t get a fair trial alongside the former football great who had been acquitted of double murder in California.
Because the public widely views Simpson “as a criminal … it is reasonable to conclude that any co-defendant of Simpson’s would suffer from spill-over prejudice,” the justices wrote.
Simpson was sentenced in 2008 to at least nine years in prison for leading a ragtag crew in the armed robbery of two memorabilia dealers. Simpson argued he was merely trying to get back stolen property.
South Brunswick, N.J. – A Florida pastor who drew international criticism by threatening to burn a copy of the Quran picked up a free car on Friday, his reward from a New Jersey car dealer for calling it off.
Former New York Giants tackle Brad Benson, who is now New Jersey’s largest car dealer, offered Florida pastor Terry Jones a 2011 Hyundai Accent worth $14,200 if he would agree to never burn the Muslim holy book. Jones had threatened to do it on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Jones never burned the Quran. On Friday, the Gainesville, Fla., pastor arrived at Brad Benson Mitsubishi Hyundai in South Brunswick to collect a gray 2011 Hyundai Accent, which he promptly donated to a charity.
The pastor said the offer Benson made in one of his dealership’s quirky radio ads was not the reason he decided to cancel the Quran burning, and that he only heard about it a few weeks after Sept. 11.
“We thought if he wants to give a car, then why not take it and pass it on to another nonprofit organization,” Jones said.
Jones donated the car to a Jersey City shelter that helps abused women.