O.J. Simpson Released from Jail in Las Vegas Armed Robbery Case

19 September 2007 -- Former U.S. football star O.J. Simpson has been released from jail on $125,000 bail, facing 11 charges related to an alleged armed robbery.

Simpson left the detention center in Las Vegas, Nevada, Wednesday afternoon after appearing in court, where a judge ordered he hand over his passport and refrain from contact with any of his co-defendants, alleged victims, or witnesses in the case.

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The charges against Simpson and three other men include kidnapping, robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon. If convicted, Simpson could end up spending decades in prison. He is expected to plead not guilty at his next hearing, in mid-October.

Prosecutors say the suspects had guns when they burst into the hotel room of a sports souvenir collector Thursday and demanded the return of Simpson's memorabilia.

O.J. Simpson has denied that anyone in his party was carrying a gun. He says he went to the hotel room to get back things that belonged to him.

The award-winning athlete was acquitted in 1995 of charges that he killed his former wife and her companion.

He was later held liable for their deaths in a civil court and ordered to pay the victims' estates $33 million, much of which remains unpaid.

The collector in Las Vegas allegedly had a number of photographs and footballs that Simpson had autographed. He also had the suit of clothes Simpson was wearing the day he was acquitted in 1995.

Another man accused in the incident has told news reporters he believes Simpson was set up by an auctioneer who allegedly made an audiotape of the incident.

(Some information for this report was provided by Reuters.)

Source: VOANews.com