Jury begins deliberations at O.J. Simpson trial

A Las Vegas jury began deliberations Friday at O.J. Simpson's robbery and kidnapping trial.

Closing arguments before the jury of nine women and three men concluded Thursday. 

Simpson, 61, and co-defendant Clarence (C.J.) Stewart, 54, have pleaded not guilty to 12 charges, including kidnapping, armed robbery and conspiracy.

The co-defendants allegedly robbed two sports memorabilia dealers at a casino hotel room in Las Vegas in September 2007.

Each man could face five years to life in prison if convicted.

Simpson has claimed that the dealers had property that had been stolen from him.

In closing arguments on Thursday, the prosecution maintained that Simpson recruited a pack of men to pull off an armed robbery and kidnapping.

None of the five men initially charged with Simpson cared about the memorabilia, Clark County district attorney David Roger said.

"But there was one person, and that was defendant Simpson," said Roger. "He is the person who put these crimes together. He is the one who recruited these individuals to help him commit the crimes."

The prosecutor also argued that detaining individuals with the intent to commit robbery is kidnapping.

Simpson's lawyer, Yale Galanter, argued the former football star's effort to get items back from the memorabilia dealers was a mistake but not a crime.

"Being stupid and being frustrated is not being a crook," Galanter said.

Galanter also told the Las Vegas court that Simpson was a victim of witnesses with ulterior motives and police who were out to get him.

In 1995, Simpson was acquitted of charges he murdered his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. He was later found liable for the deaths in a civil case.