Sep 19, 2007 3:06 pm US/Pacific
EXCLUSIVE: Alleged Simpson Robbery Victim Arrested
by David Goldstein
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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Beardsley was on parole for a 2005 stalking conviction and was not allowed to leave the state of California without permission.
CBS
Alfred Beardsley, one of two victims in the alleged armed robbery involving O.J. Simpson, has been arrested on a parole violation in Las Vegas.
Beardsley, 46, was on parole for a 2005 stalking conviction and was not allowed to leave the state of California without permission.
He appeared in Las Vegas Justice Court, where a court official said he waived extradition.
Meanwhile, Bruce Fromong, a key witness in the Simpson robbery case, remains in critical condition after suffering a massive heart attack.
Fromong's wife said the 53-year-old was near death Tuesday night.
Fromong was in the hotel room when Simpson and two other suspects reportedly tried to steal sports memorabilia.
Authorities allege that Simpson, Walter Alexander, 46, and Clarence Stewart, 53, went to the room on the pretext of brokering a deal with Beardsley and Fromong. According to police reports, the collectors were ordered at gunpoint to hand over several items valued at as much as $100,000.
Beardsley told police that one of the men with Simpson brandished a pistol, frisked him and impersonated a police officer, and that another man pointed a gun at Fromong.
"I'm a cop and you're lucky this ain't L.A. or you'd be dead," the man said, according to the report.
"One of the thugs -- that's the best thing I can call them -- somebody blurted out 'police!' and they came in military style," Beardsley said Wednesday on NBC's "Today" show. "I thought it might have been law enforcement or the FBI or something because I was ordered to stand up, and I was frisked for weapons."
"At no time did Mr. Simpson hold any type of firearm at all," he said.
Beardsley also cast doubt on the authenticity of a recording of the confrontation made by Tom Riccio, the man who arranged the meeting between Simpson and the two collectors. Riccio reportedly sold that tape to celebrity gossip Web site TMZ.com.
"I do not believe that these tapes are accurate," Beardsley said. He said information was missing and the recordings should be professionally analyzed.
"Simpson confronted me, saying 'Man what's wrong with you, you have a turn-over order, you have a turn-over order for this stuff, man,'" Beardsley said, but he said that part wasn't on the tapes.
A judge set bail Wednesday at $125,000 for O.J. Simpson in connection with the alleged armed robbery of sports memorabilia collectors at a Las Vegas hotel. His attorney later said he expected the former football star to be released within hours and return to Florida.
Simpson did not enter a plea.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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