Defendant Agrees To Testify Against Simpson, Plead Guilty
LAS VEGAS, NV(AP) – A co-defendant in the O.J. Simpson armed robbery case told a judge Monday he would plead guilty to a felony and testify against Simpson and four others in the hotel room theft of sports collectibles from two memorabilia dealers.
The plea agreement with Charles Cashmore, 40, of Las Vegas, ups the ante in the prosecution of Simpson. Cashmore can testify that guns were involved in the Sept. 13 confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers at a Las Vegas casino hotel room, his lawyer said.
Simpson and his lawyers have denied guns were in the room. “In District Court, he’ll be pleading guilty to accessory to robbery,” Clark County District Attorney David Roger told the judge.
“He’s agreed to provide truthful testimony.” Cashmore waived his preliminary hearing. Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure Jr., set arraignment for Oct. 23. He and the prosecution did not agree on a possible sentence before Monday’s hearing, said Cashmore’s lawyer, Edward Miley.
He faces up to five years in prison. Simpson and the others, Walter Alexander, Clarence “C.J.” Stewart, Michael McClinton, and Charles Ehrlich, are due in court for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 8 and 9. Bonaventure will decide then whether there is enough evidence to send the case to trial in state court.
If asked, Cashmore will testify if asked at the preliminary hearing that Alexander and McClinton were armed when they entered the room with Simpson, Miley said. Simpson claims at least some of the items taken from collectors Alfred Beardsley and Bruce Fromong belonged to him, and his lawyers have maintained that no guns were used.
Simpson and the others are charged with kidnapping, armed robbery, assault, burglary and conspiracy. Cashmore was introduced to Simpson and most of the others in the group for the first time minutes before the alleged robbery, Miley said.
“He didn’t know anyone. He didn’t know what was going on,” Miley said. “He didn’t have a gun.” Cashmore, a journeyman laborer, bartender and disc jockey, surrendered to authorities six days after the encounter, and after police released images from hotel security videotapes showing him carrying a box from the room at the Palace Station hotel-casino.
Cashmore didn’t look at everything in the box, but said some items included lithograph prints of football great Joe Montana, his lawyer said. Cashmore should have immediately gone to the police and turned over the items he carried out of the room, Miley said.
“He should have done something, but he didn’t,” Miley said. Alexander’s lawyer, Robert Dennis Rentzer, declined to say whether Alexander had a gun in the room, but expressed doubt Cashmore could say Alexander was armed.
Rentzer said he was scheduled to meet later Monday with Roger, the district attorney. McClinton’s lawyer, Bill Terry, did not respond to requests for comment.
By KEN RITTER Associated Press Writer
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
