OJ Simpson released after charged with kidnapping (Roundup)

Sep 19, 2007, 20:30 GMT

O.J. Simpson enters the courtroom at the Clark County Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on 19 September, 2007. The former US American football star was arraigned for multiple felony and misdemeanor counts including kidnapping and burglary. EPA/JAE C HONG / POOL

Las Vegas, Nevada - Former American football star OJ Simpson was granted bail of 125,000 dollars Wednesday and allowed to leave a Las Vegas jail, one day after being charged with kidnapping and seven other offences for allegedly organizing an armed raid to recover memorabilia he claimed had been stolen from him.

Simpson has been in jail since Sunday but was released in a media frenzy reminiscent of the coverage of the notorious 1995 murder trial, in which Simpson was acquitted by a jury of murdering ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.

Simpson, 60, who did not enter a plea, appeared in court wearing a blue prison uniform, answering questions from the judge in a low voice. The Las Vegas courtroom was besieged by hundreds of journalists and onlookers.

Simpson was arrested Sunday on suspicion of two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count each of burglary with a firearm and conspiracy to commit burglary.

On Tuesday, prosecutor David Roger formally announced the charge of kidnapping as well as conspiracy to commit kidnapping, in addition to the previous charges. Simpson, who was charged along with three other men involved in the incident, faces life imprisonment if found guilty.

The defence and prosecution agreed to the bail amount, which was confirmed at a brief hearing before Justice Court Judge Joseph Bonaventure.

'What we came here to do we got accomplished,' Simpson's attorney Yale Gallanter said after the hearing. 'Our goal was to get in my opinion a fair and reasonable bond to allow Mr Simpson to go home and be with his family.'