Skip to main content

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
Anonymous 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
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A 40 Caliber Nightmare Is Caught On Tape.

So you’re confident that that .40 caliber S&W service round will keep you safe. Maybe you’ll have second thoughts after you see this video. One hot summer night in 1994 Tempe and Mesa Arizona police were involved in a pursuit with this suspect who ran into a stranger’s apartment to hide after being shot TWICE in the chest. He was shirtless and you can see the blood pumping out of those two wounds. What’s really frightening is just how agile this fellow is as he struts to the ambulance. If he was not handcuffed and had a knife or a gun, ask yourself if he could still hurt you, your partner or a hostage? If your jurisdiction demands that officers carry either the 9MM or the .40 Caliber S&W it’s time to show this video to your bosses and lobby to have the .45 ACP round authorized. The switch may well reduce the screaming by self-appointed community activists about how many rounds police had to use on a suspect. The really talented and courageous video journalist, Karen Ke...
64 comments
Read more

The origin of the feature film, COME FRIDAY…

CLick On the pictures to see full size versions. Long ago there was a young lady I had the hots for in a big way (Yes, I know that hots is not a word). She was pretty, incredibly bright, and had some real elegance about her. She had a love for children and basic kindness that you don’t often see in someone her age. I met her parents and could understand she came from a much more stable home than mine. I was raised by a single, welfare mom and suddenly found myself way out-classed. For whatever reasons things did not workout they way I had hoped. Sadly for me, we went on our separate ways. From time to time I’d run into this lady in various places where our job had taken us. Whenever this happened my heart would skip a beat or two. I left my hometown Chicago, and moved to Arizona where I founded my detective agency. As a private eye and soon a TV news producer too, my career took me to the highest profile criminal events in Arizona and throughout the country. There’s no question that ...
40 comments
Read more

Fired LAPD Officer, Obama Lover and Committed Gun Control Advocate is Being Sought In Revenge Killings!

Christopher Dorner Fugitive Killer  6 feet, 270 lbs Los Angeles, CA —A bitter former cop, Chris Dorner has vowed more revenge killings of cops and their family members.   Dorner was a Naval reserve officer and has all of the latest greatest weapons and explosives training.   Doner is the object of a desperate manhunt at this hour.   Dorner was fired for allegedly making a false report against a training officer alleging brutality during an arrest.   Donor sought help at a police board of rights hearing from former LAPD Captain Randy Quan .  Quan was unable to save Dorner’s job.   Dorner now blames Quan for the failed outcome.  Apparently in an act of revenge Dorner stalked and murdered Quan’s daughter, Monica , 28 and her fiancée Keith Lawrence , 28 in Irving, CA Sunday night.  They were both shot multiple times. Doner has also vowed to exact revenge on numerous additional officers and their children.  ...
53 comments
Read more