O.J.'s Robbery, Kidnapping Co-Defendant About To Be Sprung
BURBANK (CBS) — Clarence "C.J" Stewart, O.J. Simpson's co-defendant in a 2007 robbery and kidnapping trial that led to both men being convicted and sent to prison, will soon be released.
This, according to the victim in the case.
Stewart was about to have a re-trial but instead worked out a plea deal with prosecutors. He's agreed to plead guilty in at least one felony in exchange of house arrest followed by probation.
Alfred Beardsley, a resident of Burbank, said Nevada authorities told him about the pending release because he was the victim of the hold-up.
The Nevada Supreme Court recently ruled that Stewart should have been tried separately. He was granted a new trial but unable to come up with $150,000 in bail.
Simpson was sentenced to nine to 33 years for his role in the robbery. Simpson and Stewart held a gun on Beardsley to strong-arm him into returning some Simpson football memorabilia.
Beardsley said he was "pleasantly surprised" that Stewart was getting out.
He also said had O.J. Simpson simply called him on the phone and asked for his property back, he would have returned it. "He did things completely the wrong way and should have thought before he did what he did."
Simpson was acquitted in the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman in 1995. He lost a wrongful death civil lawsuit for the same murders two years later.
The victim's families, most especially the Goldmans, have gone after Simpson for his assets ever since.
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