With his trial nearing its climax, O.J. Simpson rose in court Friday and seized the chance to tell the world, but not his jury: "I did not, could not and would not have committed this crime."

Then, 361 days after jury selection began, lawyers rested their cases and jurors in one of the most sensational murder trials in U.S. history were read the law.Exhibiting the confidence and aplomb he learned as a TV sportscaster, Simpson delivered a speech that seemed targeted to the court of public opinion.

Judge Lance Ito had asked Simpson to state for the record his decision not to testify in his own defense. Simpson's lawyers, ever mindful of the TV audience, maneuvered their client into a position to speak out.

Should the jury be unable to reach a decision, odds are that members of the next jury panel saw the statement.

"Good morning, your honor," Simpson said. "As much as I would like to address some of the misrepresentations about myself, and my Nicole, and our life together, I am mindful of the mood and the stamina of this jury.

" I have confidence, a lot more it seems than Miss Clark has, of their integrity, and that they will find as the record stands now, that I did not, could not and would not have committed this crime."

Prosecutor Marcia Clark, suggesting a defense plan to manipulate public opinion and perhaps send a message to jurors through their families, had implored the judge not to let Simpson speak.

"This is an attempt to get testimonybefore the jury without cross-examination," Clark said. "Please don't do this, your honor. I beg you."

Ito assented to defense attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr.'s plea that "he has a right to speak to the waiver. They can't stop him."

But as Simpson began to talk about his children and how much he misses them, the judge cut him off.

"I have four kids. Two kids I haven't seen in a year. They ask me every week, `Dad, how much longer? I want this trial over," Simpson said.

In the front row, Simpson's grown daughter, Arnelle, sobbed.

Across the room, victim Ronald Goldman's father clenched his hands into fists and muttered, "Murderer. Murderer."

"Mr. Simpson," the judge said, interrupting the monologue, "You do understand your right to testify as a witness and you choose to rest your case at this time?"

Simpson nodded.

"All right. Thank you very much, sir," Ito said.

A furious Clark demanded that Simpson immediately take the stand and let her question him, but the judge didn't respond.

Cochran made a routine motion to acquit the 48-year-old Simpson of charges that he murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend on June 12, 1994. The motion was quickly denied.

The jury then was summoned, and, at last, both sides announced they were resting their cases.

"I'm very pleased to say that we have no further testimony to present at this time, and as difficult as it is, the defense does rest at this time," Cochran declared.

Clark told the jury: "We ask the court to receive all of the people's exhibits, and the people rest."

Ito spent the next 45 minutes instructing jurors in the law and told them they will return Tuesday to hear final arguments on the anniversary of the day jury selection began.

The 10 women and two men on the jury, along with two alternates, have been sequestered at a hotel since Jan. 11. The judge has cited their growing impatience as a reason to end the trial quickly.

The jurors smiled broadly and nodded their heads vigorously when Ito asked if they would be willing to work nights next week to conclude the arguments and begin deliberations. "Yes! Yes!" one of them said.

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"We have one unanimous decision already," Ito quipped.

The Brown family was not in court for Simpson's statement.

Goldman's father was seething when he left the courtroom.

"If he had a statement to make he should have gotten on the . . . stand and said something and not been a coward and been unable to have the prosecution question him," Goldman said, his voice quavering.

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