O.J. sentenced to long prison term

O.J. Simpson was sentenced to as much as 33 years in prison for a hotel armed robbery after a judge rejected his apology. AP SI.com legal analyst Michael McCann The case isn't necessarily over. O.J. Simpson's lead counsel, Yale Galanter, has repeatedly stated that his client will appeal. A successful appeal will require Simpson's counsel to identify an alleged error made by Judge Glass in her interpretation of the law or in one of her procedural decisions. One likely source of law will be evidence law. Judge Glass overruled Simpson's objections to various pieces of evidence (and also to the jury instructions); if she erred in her application of a rule of evidence to the legal detriment of Simpson, he can argue that his conviction should be overturned. The odds, however, are stacked against a successful appeal, as most appeals fail. So we probably haven't heard the last of Simpson, but his days as a free man look like they're over for a while.

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The shadow of a murder case known as "the trial of the century" hung over a Las Vegas courtroom Friday as O.J. Simpson was sent to prison for up to 33 years for what many considered a small-time heist of his own memorabilia and family heirlooms.

The judge insisted her sentence for the fallen football hero was not retribution for the 1994 slayings in Los Angeles in which he was acquitted, but to relatives of Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, it was.

Fred and Kim Goldman, the father and sister of the slain man, gloated over Simpson's sorry end and said they hoped their endless pursuit had pushed him "over the edge" into committing an armed robbery last year in a downscale Las Vegas casino hotel room.

In town for a wedding, Simpson organized a band of five men who joined him to confront two sports memorabilia dealers peddling Simpson collectibles. Angry threats were shouted, a gun was drawn and a recorder secretly captured it all for a jury, which convicted Simpson on all 12 counts.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of it," he told the judge Thursday, choking back tears during a rambling, five-minute plea for leniency.

Now the Hall of Fame football star, former TV pitchman and one-time actor is headed to a Nevada state prison. Weary and defeated, the 61-year-old Simpson was led from the courtroom in shackles while the Goldmans celebrated outside.

They were booed by a small crowd that gathered on the courthouse steps, carrying signs saying, "Free O.J."

Defense lawyers promised an immediate appeal -- and to continue seeking bail for Simpson while an appeal is considered -- but the earliest Simpson will be eligible for parole is in nine years.

Simpson lawyer Yale Galanter said later he sympathizes with the Goldmans in their loss but felt it was inappropriate for them to attend the Las Vegas sentencing.

"It really made us all aware that despite our best efforts, it's very difficult to separate the California case from the Nevada case," Galanter said.

Clark County District Judge Jackie Glass went to lengths to separate Simpson's 1995 acquittal and 2008 conviction as she handed down the sentence.

"I'm not here to cause any retribution or any payback. I want that to be perfectly clear," she said.

"I'm not here to sentence Mr. Simpson for what's happened in his life before in the criminal justice system," the judge said. "I have to respect what happened in the case 13 years ago. The jury decided it and there were people who disagreed with that verdict," she said. "That doesn't matter to me. I have respect for that verdict."

But comments after the sentencing immediately elicited the past. Denise Brown issued a statement referring to the date her sister was slain.

"It is very sad to think that an individual who had it all, an amazing career, beautiful wife and two precious children has ended up like this," she said. "Allowing wealth, power and control to consume himself he made a horrific choice on June 12, 1994 which has spiraled into where he is today."

She expressed sadness for Simpson's children, Sydney and Justin, who "once again face the tragedy of yet another parent absent in their lives." She promised that her family would "surround them with the support they will need."

Both are now in college and Simpson said the day before he was convicted in October that he feared he would miss their college graduations.

Another voice from the first trial was Vanity Fair columnist Dominick Dunne, who came to the Las Vegas trial and said he became conflicted about Simpson.

"As much as I feared the wrath of Fred Goldman, I felt I was beginning to like the guy," Dunne said. "Worse, I remembered the awful photographs of the nearly severed head of Nicole Brown-Simpson while his daughter and son were sleeping upstairs.

"For me, the harshness of the sentence for a relatively unimportant crime doesn't matter. If it is an atonement for the murders he got away with 13 years ago, I think he deserves his punishment."

Simpson's sisters and elder daughter, Arnelle, were in court as he stood in blue jail clothes admitting he had been "stupid" in his effort to take back remnants of his storied past.

"I wasn't there to hurt anyone. I just wanted my personal things and I realize that was stupid of me," he said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to steal anything from anybody and I didn't know I was doing anything illegal."

District Attorney David Roger said later: "His words rang hollow to me."

The judge evinced no sympathy. She said she had thought Simpson acted out of "ignorance and arrogance" before and she stood by it.

"It was clear to the court you thought you could do in Las Vegas what you couldn't do elsewhere, you could get your stuff back."

Like jurors who decided the case, she said she was swayed by tape recordings of the events made by memorabilia dealer Thomas Riccio, who arranged the hotel room meeting but was not one of the dealers who was robbed.

"We heard it all," she said. "That was a very violent event."

Riccio said in a phone interview that he made the tapes because he is a promoter and knew he could make money from them. He was paid $210,000 by media outlets.

"It wasn't to get O.J. in trouble. It's weird the way the world works. Don't get me wrong. I love making money but I feel bad about getting O.J. in trouble," he said.

As she left the courtroom, Simpson's sister, Shirley Baker, said, "It's not over."

The family and Simpson are depending on an appeal. Lawyers Galanter and Gabriel Grasso said they would try to "fast track" the appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court.

"He is extremely hopeful that his appeal will release him soon," said Galanter, who promised to renew a request -- rejected by Glass -- for Simpson to be released on bond while the appeal is pursued.

Co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart was sentenced to 7 1/2 years to 27 years after the prosecutor Roger said he considered Stewart "less culpable" in the case.

Both men are first offenders with no criminal records. Their lawyers argued they are not flight risks and should be out on bail but the judge refused. Both men were convicted Oct. 3 of 12 criminal charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery. The judge dismissed two counts of coercion Friday.

On Tuesday, the judge is scheduled to sentence four former co-defendants who took plea deals and testified against Simpson and Stewart.

Michael McClinton, Charles Cashmore, Walter Alexander and Charles Ehrlich could receive probation or prison time. McClinton could get up to 11 years; the others face less.

More on O.J. Simpson

FOR THE RECORD: Chronology of Simpson's sentencing
VIDEO: Simpson's sentencing
Timeline: O.J.'s legal woes
CNN: Simpson's Sept. 13, 2007 arrest report
VIDEOS: Simpson muder trial 10 years later
GALLERY: O.J. Simpson's fall from grace
|GALLERY: Famous athletes who went to jail
SI Vault: The Face-off that never was (10.14.68)
SI Vault: Simpson's SI covers

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.