His voice forceful and animated, his shoulders squared as he faced the bench, O.J. Simpson pleaded "absolutely, 100 percent not guilty" when formally arraigned Friday in Superior Court on twin charges of first-degree murder.
The arraignment, the point at which the accused in a case officially responds to charges, was the last major judicial step before Simpson goes to trial in the June 12 killings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald L. Goldman.No date was set at Friday's hearing for beginning the trial, which promises to be one of the most closely watched in decades. Defense and prosecution lawyers were ordered to return to court next Friday to set a trial date.
Both sides have indicated they would like to begin sooner rather than later, perhaps as early as Sept. 20.
The job of presiding over the trial was assigned to Judge Lance Ito of Superior Court, a 43-year-old former prosecutor.
Friday's brief, nationally televised arraignment began with the presiding judge of Superior Court, Cecil J. Mills, explaining to Simpson that he faced two first-degree murder charges because it had been alleged that "you did, with malice aforethought, murder Nicole Brown Simpson, a human being," and "Ronald Lyle Goldman, a human being."
"Do you understand the charges against you, sir?" Mills asked.
Simpson, dressed in a dark blue suit, quickly and forcefully replied, "Yes, Your Honor."
Then Mills went to the heart of the day's work.
"How do you plead?" he asked.
Simpson declared, "Absolutely, 100 percent not guilty."
A few minor legal exchanges and asides followed between Mills and the lawyers. Among other things, the judge noted that the defense team, already stacked with nationally renowned criminal lawyers, had added another, Johnnie Cochran Jr. of Los Angeles.
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Additional Information
Charity banks on O.J. in ads
While many advertising agencies have backed away from O.J. Simpson in the wake of murder charges, a Canadian charity is raising money for Rwandan refugees by using the name of the football star.
Oxfam Canada advertisements in national newspapers that appeal for aid by using Simpson's name have raised $20,000 Canadian ($14,530 U.S.) to date, Roger Musselman, a spokesman for the charity, said Friday.
The ad's boldface headline, covering most of the page, reads: "O.J. SIMSPON LIMITED TO TEN VISITORS A DAY."
In small type underneath, the ad said: "In other news: 500,000 Rwandans slaughtered. Another half million fighting for their lives in refugee camps." Musselman said, "It's been an incredibly successful ad in two different ways. It's brought in a lot of donations for an ad. The other thing is it's got us a . . . lot of media attention. The phone has just been ringing off the hook today."