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Citizen’s Arrest Powers and The O.J. Simpson Palace Station Hotel Mess

At the Place Station Hotel two groups of men with lots of personal baggage and strange motives were assembled. Group A consisted of property brokers and dealmakers selling purloined property. Group B consisted of O.J. Simpson along with men helping him recover stolen property and detain a few criminal suspects. Add to Simpson’s group a peculiar insider, and apparent agent provocateur with a tape recorder with his own moneymaking agenda. None of these men are sympathetic figures by any means.

This strange story may yet involve two off-duty cops that were spotted on Palace Station security video. We can count on stranger details to emerge as this tale unravels.

My not so simple legal question is, did Simpson’s group have the legal power to resort to self-help and citizen’s arrest?

The event ended without anyone being hurt in any way. The hot property brokers apparently chose to return the property to Simpson’s group. Did the Simpson group decline to make the citizen’s arrest because they felt the matter was peacefully resolved?

Las Vegas Authorities have moved forward with an Armed Robbery theory that sounds valid on its face until you begin examining the powers citizens were given by law to make arrests and keep the peace. It does seem that Armed Robbery charges and 30-year prison terms are an over-reaction to the reality of the event. `

As I raise this relevant issue I’m not suggesting this was a smart move on the part of Simpson’s posse. Involving authorities and avoiding the conflict was the smart way to proceed. Nobody will ever accuse anyone in either group of being smart.

Comments

HI-CALIBER Private Investigations said…
Paul the moral of this story? Regardless if O.J.s statement to the police was truthful, he was down right stupid. Regardless if in fact he had actual criminal ‘intent’ to commit a crime? The bottom line is ~

If you don’t want the police involved, and desire a clandestine operation, investigation or a “sting operation;” Call the professionals. Call a Private Eye that has experience in undercover investigations, intelligence gathering and more importantly, 'sting operations.' Paul if this investigation only required the 'motel room' phase; you and I would have taken this on for about ohhh I’d say $25,000.00. Expensive? You bet, but it would have been a legal and wiser long-term solution to his problem. O.J had a right to follow up on this lead. But he should have NEVER been part of the process.
September 18, 2007 3:23 PM
justmyopinion2008 said…
Sure, I know we've fast-forwarded a week or so but now that most of the details have surfaced you were right about a lot of things. Guess I've kept my nose clean all these years and have never removed my rose-colored glasses. Anyway, still no mention of these alleged off-duty officers. Any thoughts? I have to admit OJ really gets this country, er...world on its feet! Poor guy can't go anywhere anymore. And all those guys giving so many scenarios, baffles the mind and insults the intelligence. I think the DA really pushed the envelope on all those charges. Wonder if he can make any of them stick?

Just my thoughts.

Thanks for your blog. I read it every day.
September 22, 2007 3:03 PM
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