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OJ Simpson robbery trial begins OJ Simpson robbery trial begins
(about 3 hours later)
The robbery trial of former US football star OJ Simpson has got under way in the city of Las Vegas. The robbery trial of the former US football star, OJ Simpson, has opened in Las Vegas with prosecutors urging the jury to unmask his "true face".
Mr Simpson, 61, is accused of robbing two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint a year ago. Mr Simpson is accused of robbing two sports memorabilia dealers a year ago.
He faces 12 charges including kidnap, armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. If found guilty of kidnapping, he could receive a life sentence.He faces 12 charges including kidnap, armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. If found guilty of kidnapping, he could receive a life sentence.
Mr Simpson, who denies the charges, was acquitted of murder in 1995, in what was dubbed the trial of the century. Mr Simpson, who denies the charges, was acquitted of murder in 1995 in what was dubbed "the trial of the century".
He had been accused of murdering his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. The verdict shocked many in America. He had been accused of murdering his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1994. The not-guilty verdict shocked many in America.
Mr Simpson was later found liable for the deaths in a civil case and ordered to pay millions to the family of Mr Goldman. Mr Simpson was later found liable for the deaths in a civil case and ordered to pay $33.5m to the victim's families.
The sporting icon has remained a polarising figure in American popular culture ever since, correspondents say.The sporting icon has remained a polarising figure in American popular culture ever since, correspondents say.
Audio evidenceAudio evidence
OJ Simpson smiled and gave a thumbs-up sign to a handful of onlookers as he arrived at court on Monday.OJ Simpson smiled and gave a thumbs-up sign to a handful of onlookers as he arrived at court on Monday.
The charges against Mr Simpson and co-defendant Clarence Stewart, 54, stem from a confrontation with two collectibles dealers in a Las Vegas hotel last September. The charges against the 61-year-old and his co-defendant Clarence Stewart, 54, stem from a confrontation with two collectibles dealers in a Las Vegas hotel last September.
You can think what you want about his past, and you all as jurors have agreed to ignore that ... what you're going to hear in this courtroom is not a case about hiding anything from anybody. It's a case about recovering personal items Defence lawyer Yale Galanter
Mr Simpson is accused of storming the room with five other men - some of whom were armed - and leaving with hundreds of items largely relating to Mr Simpson's sporting career. The dealers say the items were theirs to sell.Mr Simpson is accused of storming the room with five other men - some of whom were armed - and leaving with hundreds of items largely relating to Mr Simpson's sporting career. The dealers say the items were theirs to sell.
Defence lawyers are expected to argue that Mr Simpson was at the hotel to retrieve personal property that had been stolen from him years before. He has denied guns were involved. In his opening statement, Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Owens said Mr Simpson showed "a pattern of arrogance coupled with hypocrisy" and urged jurors to unmask his "true face."
As part of his opening statement, Prosecutor Chris Owens played an expletive-filled audio recording of the hotel room incident. Mr Owens then played an expletive-filled audio recording of the hotel room incident.
"The audio will show threats, it will show force, it will show demands and it will show the taking of property from the victims in this case," he told the court."The audio will show threats, it will show force, it will show demands and it will show the taking of property from the victims in this case," he told the court.
Defence lawyers say, however, that the audio will also show OJ Simpson telling people who had stormed the room with him not to take things that were not his. Opening the case for the defence, Yale Galanter asserted that the evidence would not show Mr Simpson had intended to commit a crime, but rather that he went to the hotel to retrieve personal property that had been stolen from him by "hustlers".
An all-white jury was sworn in last week to hear the case. "This was a recovery; this wasn't a robbery," he said.
Only those jurors who said they could put aside any strong opinions about Mr Simpson's previous trial were allowed to serve. Mr Galanter also said that the audio played by the prosecution also showed his client telling people who had stormed the room with him: "Don't take any things that aren't mine."
The trial is expected to last five weeks. Four of the gang have struck plea deals in exchange for testifying against Mr Simpson.The trial is expected to last five weeks. Four of the gang have struck plea deals in exchange for testifying against Mr Simpson.