The New O.J. Simpson Trial
November 16, 2007

It's deja vu all over again, folks. Based on Thursday's ruling by a Las Vegas Justice of the Peace, O.J. Simpson has been ordered to stand trial for what prosecutors deemed armed robbery of sports memorabilia bearing his name. O.J. Simpson will stand trial not only for armed robbery but also for kidnapping and 10 other charges, alongside two of his friends who were also accused in the September 13 robbery of two memorabilia dealers at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Judge Joe Bonaventure found that O.J. Simpson, Clarence Stewart and Charles Ehrlich must stand trial on the 12 charges, and the judge set the first court date of that trial to be on November 28. However, there seems to be very little chance that a trial could start so soon after the preliminary hearing, as defense lawyers will need time to prepare their case. However, don't expect a repeat of the first O.J. Simpson trial, with long, drawn-out delays and other such tactics. Simpson can't afford the same legal team he could back in 1994, when he had to stand trial for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.

In another flashback of sorts to the old O.J. Simpson trial, much of the prosecution's case rests on circumstantial evidence and witnesses with questionable credibility. In his ruling, Judge Bonaventure noted that, "Much time was spent attacking the credibility of witnesses." The judge added that, "There are a number of motive and credibility issues here. However, the ultimate determination of the credibility of witnesses should be left to a jury. For this reason the defense arguments are not convincing." And, following that, Bonaventure turned to Simpson, Stewart and Ehrlich and said, according to Reuters, "Based on my findings today you are ordered bound over and held to answer."

One big difference between O.J. Simpson's double murder trial and the armed robbery and kidnapping trial he will now face comes from the venue. The new O.J. Simpson trial is being conducted in Nevada and not California. When Simpson's attorney, Yale Galanter, spoke to reporters outside the courthouse, he made mention of just why that had such a big impact on this case. "My only regret about being in Vegas trying this preliminary hearing over these four days is that we didn't have a jury seated," Reuters quoted Galanter as stating. "If we did have a jury seated this would be over and my client would be on his way home by now."

The big question remaining for O.J. Simpson comes from the public, and specifically, the 12 members of the public that will make up his jury. There is a belief that some members of the public will want to see O.J. Simpson convicted of these charges, which could carry a life sentence, to see Simpson punished for his acquittal in the Nicole Brown Simpson/Ron Goldman murder trial. The Associated Press quoted Jody Armour, a law professor with the University of Southern California, who noted, "The prosecution could gamble that a jury's judgment may be clouded by a desire to do justice writ large rather than focusing on the particular facts of the particular case before them."

Will O.J. Simpson finally head to jail? Will the testimony of Simpson's accomplices doom O.J. to a guilty verdict? Let's just hope that we don't find out the same way we did in 1994 - in an endless battle broadcast on live TV.