Attorneys for O.J. Simpson, Charles Ehrlich and Clarence Stewart argued today before District Court Judge Jackie Glass that charges of kidnapping and robbery should be dismissed, while prosecutors outlined why the charges should remain.
In the end, Judge Glass ruled there is enough evidence to present the facts of the alleged kidnapping and robbery to a jury. Therefore, the judge denied Mr. Simpson’s writ requesting that the charges of kidnapping and robbery be dismissed.
In addition, Judge Glass determined that charges levied against Defendants Ehrlich and Stewart will remain.
The defendants face a total of 12 counts including conspiracy, kidnapping and robbery. The charges detail an alleged kidnapping and robbery Sept. 13, 2007 of two memorablia dealers at the Palace Station Hotel in Las Vegas.
Regarding Ehrlich and Stewart’s motions to sever the trial and provide the defendants a seperate trial date, Judge Glass determined that concerns about prejudice and antagonistic defenses do not outweigh the need for the alleged co-conspirators to be tried together and she denied the motions.
Also today the judge found that the case requires more time to prepare evidence and provide discovery to the defendants requiring the trial to be continued to September 8, 2008.
“It was a quick setting from the date of the preliminary hearing and I anticipated we would be ready to go. I told you then that I would not continue this again,” said Judge Glass. However, the judge added that the need to provide more time to process evidence required the change. The judge then set status check dates leading up to the September trial date to ensure all discovery is provided and to prevent the court from having to continue the trial again. The first status check was scheduled for April 10, 2008.
The judge set aside six weeks for the trial.
