Simpson likely to plead not guilty to 12 charges

Controversial former American football star O. J. Simpson is likely to plead not guilty to 12 charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery of two sports memorabilia in a Las Vegas hotel room.

London, November 28 : Controversial former American football star O. J. Simpson is likely to plead not guilty to 12 charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery of two sports memorabilia in a Las Vegas hotel room.

Simpson's lawyers claim that their client did not display guns, and that he only wanted to retrieve items that had been stolen from him.

These items are said to include several photographs, football awards and the suit that Simpson was wearing on the day when he was acquitted of murdering his wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1995.

Two other men-Clarence Stewart and Charles Ehrlich-are also involved in the case along with Simpson.

Defence lawyers have already failed in getting the charges dismissed in the preliminary hearing, despite claiming that the allegations have been levelled by con artists and crooks.

Simpson's attorney Yale Galanter said the arraignment should be brief.

"If this goes like all other standard arraignments, it will last about five minutes," the Daily Express quoted Galanter as saying.

He, however, added: "There's nothing in this case that has been standard."

Galanter said that he would seek a trial date "sometimes next year", but refused to be more specific.

The newspaper also reports that defence lawyers may challenge an amended complaint filed on Monday listing Stewart and Ehrlich as possible witnesses, but not Simpson.

Attorneys for Stewart and Ehrlich were unavailable for comment.

ANI