O.J. Simpson Responds: Memorabilia Was Mine

http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/14112984/detail.html</p><h1 class="Headline">O.J. Simpson Responds: Memorabilia Was Mine</h1>POSTED: 5:21 am PDT September 14, 2007<div class="updated">UPDATED: 11:38 am PDT September 14, 2007</div>

<strong class="Dateline">LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- [/b]O.J. Simpson has told The Associated Press he took memorabilia that belonged to him from a casino hotel, but didn't break into the room.</p>Simpson said he was conducting a "sting operation" to collect his belongings when he was escorted into the room at the Palace Station casino.Las Vegas police confirmed early Friday morning that O.J. Simpson has been questioned after someone alleged that he was involved in a theft at Palace Station casino. Police say the former NFL star, who was in town for a friend's wedding, is a suspect in the reported break-in.

Las Vegas police confirmed early Friday morning that O.J. Simpson has been questioned after someone alleged that he was involved in a theft at Palace Station casino. Police say the former NFL star, who was in town for a friend's wedding, is a suspect in the reported break-in.</p>

Simpson's accuser, whom police have not yet publicly identified, alleged that sports memorabilia had been stolen, but neither Simpson nor several others who were questioned have been arrested or charged in connection with the incident, said police spokesman Jose Montoya.</p>

FOX5 News has interviewed a man, Thomas Riccio, who claims to have witnessed the incident which sparked the allegations. Riccio said he works for Universal Rarities, an auction house based in California, and that a customer had contacted him about one month ago and claimed to have "personal possessions" that had belonged to O.J. Simpson. The customer claimed to have confiscated the items from Simpson because Simpson owed him money, Riccio told FOX5 News.</p>

After the conversation, Riccio said he contacted Simpson -- whom he had met previously -- about the items. "He had said that it was stolen from him," Riccio said.</p>

Riccio said he met with the potential customer Thursday night in a Palace Station hotel room. While surveying the items, Riccio said Simpson entered the room with several others and reclaimed the items in question. While someone reported the act as a theft to police, Riccio implied that Simpson believed the items were rightfully his own. Simpson did not use force when entering the room, was unarmed, and never acted violently during the ordeal, Riccio said.</p>

The allegations against Simpson are garnering national headlines, coincidentally, on the same day that his controversial new book "If I Did It," is scheduled to be released. The book is Simpson's response to prior allegations that he had killed his ex-wife, Nicole Brown-Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. Both were found stabbed to death outside Brown-Simpson's home in June 1994. Simpson was charged with murder but was famously acquitted during trial. Goldman's family, however, filed a civil suit and won, with a jury finding Simpson civilly liable for both deaths and ordering him to pay $33 million in damages.</p>Simpson was supposed to give a deposition today in Miami in a bankruptcy case involving his eldest daughter. It was canceled, because Simpson had told attorneys that he would be out of town, officials said. Keep up with the latest on this breaking news story on FOX5 and KVVU.com.