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October 1, 2008
O.J. mistrial?
Posted: 08:45 PM ET
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Paul Vercammen
CNN Senior Producer

The testimony in the O.J. Simpson kidnapping and robbery trial exploded with an 11th hour loud cry for a mistrial from defense lawyers.

Lead detective Andy Caldwell blurted out, "Mrs. (Sabrina) Scotto," (the wife of key defense witness Tom Scotto) was allegedly kicked out of the Simpson preliminary hearing for witness tampering.

Only after a recess and court review, was it determined that Caldwell was talking about Mrs. Scotto and not Mr. Scotto.

Before sorting out the Scotto mess, a visibly angered judge Glass immediately stopped the trial and moved the jury out of the courtroom.

While she denied the motion for a mistrial, Glass firmly admonished Caldwell saying "you put my case in jeopardy with the defense calling for a mistrial."

Glass then warned Caldwell about giving "spontaneous answers."

Simpson lawyer Yale Galanter said he could not "unring the bell" after Caldwell's alleged witness tampering comment before the jury.

12 Comments
12 Comments
simon   October 1st, 2008 8:52 pm ET

come on people. we know that OJ is being tried for a crime he was aquitted for. and to make sure he is prosecuted on jacked up charges. they get an all white jury. not saying that he cant be fiound innocent by them . i highly doubt it. this goes back to the days in the south where black men were put in jail by the all white locals in theer town even though there were other people not white.

Carole   October 1st, 2008 8:53 pm ET

That is one image that's going to give me nightmares.

Bret Peters   October 1st, 2008 9:10 pm ET

A simple legal tactic when you know there is a big chance you could lose. I do believe that this should be treated by the public as a completely separate case than those brought before him. Innocent until proven guilty. If convicted he should be sentenced according to the out come of similar cases, without celebrity. If the sentence is bias, I feel that would be as criminal as the crime. Our system is not perfect, but based on fairness.

Pat   October 1st, 2008 9:49 pm ET

Well, OJ isn't all that innocent. Bottom line, OJ acts before he thinks. This case is just about his STUPIDITY!

rich   October 1st, 2008 10:14 pm ET

how much did o j pay the guy?

Texas   October 1st, 2008 10:18 pm ET

This was "much a'do about nothing" by Gallant. Just another ANTIC that he has tried trough ou the trial. The whole issue was just not heard correctly by the court.

Ron-AZ   October 1st, 2008 10:36 pm ET

Pat,

If one of those guns would have gone off and killed someone, would the case still be about OJ's stupidity? Most violent crimes are committed by stupid people.

Ned Watson   October 2nd, 2008 8:11 am ET

Once again, he will get off due to his race. This is an open and shut case. He showed up with guys with guns. What is in question?

Marianne Di Gioia   October 2nd, 2008 12:16 pm ET

my comment is. when this man is going to walk without prison he need to go to jail for the rest of his life.if he walk out is he going to kill another wife or a girlfriend or is he going to do what he did in Las Vegas?the man is a bad person and he need to be locked up for ever.

J.C.   October 2nd, 2008 2:56 pm ET

This trial is a joke. For one thing, the charges are ridiculous...kidnapping? really? The alleged "victims", who testified for the prosecution (or was it the Defense?? Hard to tell at times), stated that they "weren't scared" and did not appear to be what I would call a "kidnapping victim". Also, since when does the man who ACTUALLY brandishes a gun get a deal in order to testify against someone who was, by all accounts, UNARMED?? This is witch hunt that really needs to end. OJ has children, whom everyone seems to disregard, even though they are the true victims. We see Fred Goldman on his talk-show hopping quest for revenge but we don't ever think that this guy has kids- who have lost their mother and could possibly lose the only parent they have because the prosecution wants a Vegas spectacle. If this were anyone else it would never have gone to trial. The prosecutors look like fools trying to get their witnesses to actually support their case.
The American public needs to forget about OJ, forget about superfluous nonsense and worry about the things that actually affect us: a Presidential election in 5 weeks, the fragile state of our foreign relations and Hmm... the ECONOMY? How about making the greedy bank and investment firm execs stand trial for ROBBING the average American of his LIFE SAVINGS and putting our country in a tremendous financial crisis?? That is criminal and dangerous. If you knew that one of those slimy opportunists had all of your investment money and savings in an office on Wall Street....Would you go get your "stuff" back? I would. And I'd bring the scariest looking guys I know!

G.D.   October 2nd, 2008 5:14 pm ET

J.C
You just don't get it – do you? OJ thinks he's above the law and can do ANYTHING he feels like, criminal or otherwise. Nobody said he was completely stupid, as noted, he had two other guys carry the guns. However, these other people would not have gone to collect this "stuff" if OJ hadn't set them up to do it. This "stuff" didn't mean a damn thing to any of the other people involved. Normal people would have sued to get this back. But not OJ, probably because he was being deceitful to start with by hiding the stuff, and couldn't go the legal route. Don't you think that deals should be made to get the "ring leader", which again I reiterate, was definitely OJ.
This guy is nothing but a slim ball (being polite) and will go to every extreme to get what he wants, including killing his wife so no one else can have her. Open your eyes, he needs to go down hard this time and then we won't have to think about this devil ever again.

cb   October 2nd, 2008 5:40 pm ET

Ned get real! he will not walk because of his race if the judge and the
"12 white jurors have their say" he will be charged with something but
because of the disgraceful conduct of that hypocritical judge who had
the nerve to say to the jury not too be biased, and not jugde this trial by the one 14 years ago really showed her true colors! she is nothing but phoney!

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