O.J. Simpson's former lawyer dealt a harsh blow to his one-time client on Friday, even as the disgraced football player hopes for a new trial. Attorney Yale Galanter testified that Simpson knew his crew had guns on them when he went to a hotel room to reclaim some sports memorabilia, which led to his conviction in 2008, the Associated Press reported.
Galanter took the stand to refute Simpson's claim that he was so badly represented by the attorney, in hopes of getting his conviction thrown out. Galanter contradicted much of Simpson's testimony from the day prior. In the process, he also defended his handling of the case.
Galanter said Simpson confided to him that he had asked two men to bring guns to the hotel room confrontation with two memorabilia dealers in 2007 and "he knew he screwed up," news reported.
The attorney denied giving Simpson the go-ahead to try to retrieve the items, which included photos and signed footballs that Simpson believed had been stolen from him. He said he advised Simpson not to take matters into his "own hands."
Simpson also said that Galanter never told him about a plea bargain. This claim was also disputed by Galanter. A plea bargain could have drastically reduced his sentence.
Simpson was convicted in 2008 of kidnapping and armed robbery over the hotel room episode and was sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison. He and his new lawyers, Patricia Palm and Ozzie Fumo, alleged Galanter poorly represented his case.
District Judge Linda Marie Bell has not indicated when she will rule on the request for a new trial.
"When he first mentioned it, it just went over my head," Galanter said of Simpson's plan. "About a minute or two later, I leaned over and said, 'What are you talking about? What are you doing?'"He told me he finally had a lead on some personal pictures and memorabilia that was stolen from him years earlier," Galanter testified. "I said, 'O.J., you've got to call the police.'"
"No deal. No way," Simpson reportedly said, according to Galantar. Later, during the trial, Simpson turned down an even better offer, Galanter said.
"I went out in the hall and said to O.J, 'There is an offer of two to five.' He said, 'See if they will take a year,'" Galanter testified. "I discussed a year with them, and they said no and the trial went on."
If Simpson succeeds in getting his armed robbery conviction thrown out, prosecutors will have to either retry him or offer a plea bargain. If he loses, he will be sent back to prison and will probably appeal to a higher court. He will be 70 before he is eligible for parole, news reports said.
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