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Friend's testimony puts heat on O.J.

By Associated Press
Published November 14, 2007

LAS VEGAS - O.J. Simpson's one-time golfing pal glared at him across a courtroom Tuesday and said the former football star wanted him to bring "heat" to a confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers in a hotel room.

Minutes later, Simpson's lawyer accused the friend, Walter Alexander, of being a liar, and the two wound up in a heated exchange in the third day of a preliminary hearing in the armed robbery case.

Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure will decide after the hearing whether there is enough evidence for Simpson and two other men to stand trial.

Alexander's testimony was the strongest for prosecutors so far. He and Michael McClinton, who also testified against Simpson Tuesday, struck deals with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to lesser charges, as did Charles Cashmore, who testified last week.

"After he asked me if I could watch his back, he leaned forward and it was kind of like, 'Hey, do you think you can get some heat?'" Alexander said. "'Just in case things go wrong, can you bring some heat?'"

Simpson, 60, has maintained that he never saw guns or asked anyone to bring them to the hotel.

Alexander depicted Simpson as the mastermind of the plan to recover his possessions by setting up a sting operation.

[Last modified November 14, 2007, 01:40:47]