O.J. Found Guilty!

 

O.J. SIMPSON has been found guilty of all 12 counts in his armed robbery and kidnapping trial - 13 years to the day since he was acquitted of the double murder of his wife NICOLE and her friend RONALD GOLDMAN.

A jury in Nevada reached the verdict after late-night deliberation on Friday, 12 days after the trial began.

Simpson, 61, and his co-defendant Clarence Stewart now face life imprisonment.

The charges stemmed from a heist Simpson and Stewart took part in at the Palace Station Hotel in Las Vegas last year.

Prosecutors alleged Simpson led a group of men in an armed raid on a suite rented by sports memorabilia dealers BRUCE FROMONG and AL BEARDSLEY for what they thought was a transaction meeting.

Guns were allegedly brandished and the two hotel guests were threatened as Simpson and his associates filled two pillowcases with items the former American football star and actor claimed had been stolen from him.

Four of Simpson's former co-defendants testified for the prosecution.

But the trial's ending was not without drama - after the verdict was read out, Simpson's sister CARMELITA DURIO collapsed in the gallery and had to be treated by paramedics, while his daughter ARNELLE sobbed as her father was led to the cells.

Simpson's lawyer YALE GALANTER requested his client remained free on bail until sentencing later this year, but Clark County District Court Judge Jackie Glass rejected the motion.

Galanter claims Simpson plans to appeal against the conviction, which he admits "was not a shock" - blaming his 1995 acquittal for the murder charges for tarnishing the star's reputation.

He adds, "We knew it going in, there was a lot of baggage."

Simpson and Stewart are currently being held in a Las Vegas jail. They are due to be sentenced on December 5th.