Witnesses say O.J. Simpson had no gun at Vegas hotel

By Dan Whitcomb

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - O.J. Simpson never drew a gun during what prosecutors say was an armed robbery of his own sports memorabilia and may not even have seen one brandished during the incident in a Las Vegas hotel room, a key witness in the case testified on Friday.

Thomas Riccio, an auction house owner who helped Simpson carry out what he called a bid to recover the ex-football star's stolen property, was testifying for a second day in a hearing to determine if Simpson and two others should face trial on a dozen charges.

Riccio, testifying under cross-examination by Simpson's lawyer, said he and the one-time "trial of the century" defendant spent weeks planning the September 13 confrontation with two sports collectors at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino.

Asked by Simpson attorney Yale Galanter if guns were ever mentioned during the planning, Riccio said: "No, never at any time in the whole six weeks did he ever mention a gun."

Riccio said Simpson, 60, never had a gun during the incident and when it was over repeatedly said he hadn't seen any firearms in the hotel room.

"He said over and over again that he didn't see a gun and there was a good chance he didn't see it," Riccio said. "He was three or four feet in front of the guy with the gun. There was a good chance he didn't (see it)."

Simpson has attended both days of the hearing so far but has not addressed the court and at times on Friday closed his eyes at the defense table, seeming to struggle to stay awake.

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