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Jurors hear audio of OJ Simpson robbery

LAS VEGAS, September 20 – Jurors have listened to an audio recording of American football great OJ Simpson and several friends as they burst into a hotel room and confronted two memorabilia dealers who were attempting to sell personal items belonging to the star.

"Don’t let noboby out of here!" Simpson yelled on the recording heard Friday. "Think you can steal my s— and sell it?" he said. "I trusted you man!"

It was the fifth day of testimony in the robbery trial of Simpson and a colleague who are accused of stealing more than 700 sports-related items at gunpoint including personal mementos such as family photographs, trophies and plaques.

Prosecutors allege that Simpson was accompanied by five men, two of whom waved guns at the startled dealers while Simpson demanded the return of his items in a sting operation set up by Thomas Riccio, an acquaintance of one of the dealers and Simpson friend.

Riccio testified that Simpson was only interested in retrieving personal items that had been stolen following the 1994 murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.

Riccio had secretly recorded the setup, execution, and aftermath of the raid because he wanted proof of the event so he could be compensated, he testified.

Jurors heard hours of recordings including initial plans to have a Simpson friend pose as the buyer and then bring Simpson into the hotel room later.

Jurors also heard several followup taped conversations between Riccio and Simpson in which Simpson denied seeing anyone wielding a gun.

"I never saw a gun, I wouldn’t let anyone in with a gun," Simpson was heard saying.

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The trial continues Monday with cross examination of Riccio.

Simpson was acquitted in 1995 by a Los Angeles court in the double murder of his ex-wife and her friend.

A civil jury in 1997 found him liable for the deaths and ordered him to pay 33.5 million dollars to the families of the deceased.

In this case, Simpson and friend Clarence Stewart have been charged with 12 counts of robbery, conspiracy, kidnapping and assault that could result in life prison sentences if they are convicted.

The other four men who accompanied Simpson have pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

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