O.J. Simpson made his own case Wednesday for a new trial on armed-robbery charges with testimony that he relied on the advice of his trusted attorney when he tried to reclaim mementos from his football glory days.
“It was my stuff. I followed what I thought was the law,” the 65-year-old former NFL star and actor said. “My lawyer told me I couldn’t break into a guy’s room. I didn’t break into anybody’s room. I didn’t try to muscle the guys. The guys had my stuff, even though they claimed they didn’t steal it.”
According to Associated Press: Simpson said he took the advice of his longtime former lawyer, Yale Galanter, and didn’t testify in his Las Vegas trial at which he was convicted in 2008 of armed robbery, kidnapping and other charges and sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison.
“Mr. Galanter advised me not to testify,” Simpson reiterated. “You made a decision to follow Mr. Galanter’s advice, rather than Mr. Grasso’s, and not testify?” H. Leon Simon, attorney for the state asked. “Yes,” Simpson said.
Simpson did acknowledge that he didn’t have a legal right to take some things from the Palace Station hotel room where he and five men confronted two sports memorabilia dealers — including baseballs signed by Pete Rose and Duke Snyder and lithographs of football great Joe Montana. Simpson said he thought those items would be returned later. He said he didn’t remember taking a hat from one of the dealers. He said he knew the memorabilia dealers, had no fear of them and certainly didn’t need guns.
