O.J. Simpson witness back on the stand

LAS VEGAS Bruce Fromong was there the night O.J. allegedly burst into a hotel room and allegedly stole thousands of dollars' worth of sports memorabilia. The incident occurred last September at the Palace Station Hotel in Las Vegas.

Tuesday morning, Fromong was back in court after suffering from chest pains on Monday. Questioning was put on hold for a time, but the trial continued.

Also on Tuesday, Defense Attorney Gabe Grasso tried to poke holes in the consistency of Fromong's statements.

"You recall that there were five black men and O.J.?" asked Grasso to Fromong in court on Tuesday.

"Four black men and O.J., sir," replied Fromong.

"Do you ever recall saying something different than that?" asked Grasso.

"No sir," replied Fromong who then said, "Actually I did. I take that back. I said there may have been one person in the bathroom. I did not know."

Grasso also asked Fromong if he was trying to profit off of sports memorabilia. Fromong replied, on the stand, that that was not his intent. Grasso then played a recorded phone call after the alleged robbery in which a man, believed to be Fromong, says "I'll have 'Inside Edition' down here for us tomorrow. I told them we want big money."

There was a flurry of objections from both sides Tuesday.

Judge Jackie Glass, who has a reputation of running a tight ship, was quick to jump in and take charge when things appeared to be getting a little out of control.

"This case and this particular examination isn't going to become the free-for-all that it could be, but for the judge that is controlling what's happening here in the courtroom," said Judge Glass.

Fromong was excused from the stand before lunch on Tuesday. He was being questioned under redirect examination by the District Attorney.

Meanwhile, the defense is accusing the prosecution of trying to sneak bits and pieces of Simpson's 1990's civil trial into the current trial as much as possible. In that civil trial, Simpson was accused of double murder.

"Could we please conduct ourselves appropriately with regards to the questions that we are asking these witnesses? Or this is going to be a very, very unpleasant event for everybody here," said Judge Glass in court on Tuesday, after frustration with the constant objections regarding that civil trial.

A security guard was also on the stand Tuesday, showing surveillance video from the Palace Station Hotel.

The trial is likely to last several weeks.

If convicted, O.J. Simpson could face life in prison

 

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