Two of O.J.’s robbery cohorts get probation. Two men who were accused of carrying handguns into a hotel room while accompanying O.J. Simpson on a mission to take back sports memorabilia sentenced on Tuesday to probation, according to The L.A. Times. Meanwhile, the former NFL great was sentenced last week to at least nine years in prison. But Michael McClinton and Walter Alexander – who testified against the NFL Hall of Fame running back – avoided prison time. Bruce Fromong, the collectibles dealer whose items Simpson sought when he and the other two men barged into Fromong’s hotel room at the Palace Station on Sept. 13, 2007, cried out “You’ve got to be joking me!” as the judge handed down McClinton’s sentence, the Times reported. He was subsequently removed from the hearing. Once in the Fromong’s hotel room, McClinton pulled out a .45-caliber Ruger and barked orders at the dealers, as Simpson purportedly told him to do, the Times reported. Afterward, McClinton secretly taped Simpson asking whether he pulled out “the piece” in the hallway. Jurors convicted Simpson of kidnapping, armed robbery and other charges in the incident and said McClinton’s tape was among the prosecution’s strongest evidence. A fourth man, Clarence Stewart, who didn’t negotiate a plea deal, also was sentenced last week to at least 7 ½ years in prison.

Family wants football legend’s jewelry.

A judge has ordered one of the men who O.J. Simpson was recently convicted of robbing to produce a Hall of Fame ring worth about $50,000. Lawyers for Fred Goldman, father of Ron Goldman, who was murdered along with Simpson’s ex-wife, want collector Alfred Beardsley to give up the bling. Though Simpson was acquitted after being accused in the 1990s murders of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson, a civil jury found him liable. Fred Goldman has sought, by pursuing Simpson’s assets, to collect on a hefty financial settlement awarded to the family. The Hall of Fame football player was recently convicted of robbing and kidnapping Beardsley and his partner in Las Vegas last year.

Attorney claims Vegas cops are out to get O.J.

O.J. Simpson’s lawyer claims the cops in Vegas were out to get his client. Simpson’s lawyer, Yale Galanter, said authorities were in a rush to judgment in the kidnapping and armed robbery case against the ex-NFL star. Galanter said during the investigation a year ago, a recorder captured comments by one of the officers saying, “They didn’t get him in California; we’re going to get him now.” A detective questioned by Galanter said the officers did make some comments, but he didn’t remember exactly what was said. Galanter claims police quickly made Simpson the focus of their investigation into a hotel room confrontation and might have been out to “get” him. The recorder was hidden in the Las Vegas hotel room where Simpson and five other men allegedly robbed two memorabilia dealers at gunpoint last year. Simpson and a co-defendant have pleaded not guilty to 12 charges, including armed robbery, kidnapping and other charges.  Do you agree with Simpson’s lawyers that the cops are out to get the former baller?

MLK Memorial Closer to Being a Reality

A memorial to Martin Luther King, Jr., may be one step closer to being a reality.  The group working on the project says it plans to apply for building permits after getting positive feedback on the project’s overall design, The Associated Press reports. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts says there are still some details to work out, but there has been enough progress to seek the building plans. The group must have its construction permits OK’d by Nov, 12th, when its authorization from Congress expires, AP reports. The head of the memorial group says if needed, the organization will seek an extension from lawmakers.

Ex-football star’s co-defendant cops a plea, will testify against him.

Charles Ehrlich will testify against football Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson in his upcoming trial on robbery and kidnapping charges after Ehrlich pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Ehrlich is the fourth co-defendant to take a plea deal in the incident last year when Simpson and several of his acquaintances allegedly ambushed two memorabilia collectors in a Las Vegas hotel room, taking thousands of dollars in valuables connected with Simpson’s football career. Simpson has said that the items were stolen from him and that he only reclaimed his property. But various accounts and an audio recording of the incident suggest that one or more men carried guns and that Simpson intimidated the collectors. Ehrlich has pleaded guilty to being an attempted accessory to robbery and attempted burglary. Simpson and Clarence Stewart still face charges of kidnapping, armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. The trial is set for Sept. 8.