LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AFP) — An angry Las Vegas judge reprimanded O.J. Simpson for attempting to contact a witness in his armed robbery and kidnapping case here Wednesday before doubling his bail to 250,000 dollars.
Judge Jackie Glass accused disgraced former football star Simpson of "arrogance or ignorance" over his efforts to indirectly contact a co-defendant in his criminal case, due to go to trial on April 7.
"I don't know what the heck you were thinking Mr Simpson, or maybe that's just the problem -- you weren't thinking," Glass told Simpson, famously acquitted of the 1994 murders of his ex-wife and her friend.
"I don't know if it's just arrogance or ignorance but you've been locked up since Friday because of arrogance or ignorance, or both," Glass told Simpson, who was remanded in custody on Friday after the bail breach came to light.
The judge doubled Simpson's previous 125,000 dollars bail and ordered that he not be released from Clark County Detentions Center until 15 percent -- around 37,500 dollars -- had been raised as security.
Glass warned Simpson -- who appeared in court wearing a blue prison jumpsuit -- that any future incident would result in his bail being permanently revoked.
"Let me make sure that you understand that if you violate those rules and anything like this happens in future it won't matter what (defense lawyers) tell me you'll be back locked up," Glass said.
Asked if he understood, a chastened Simpson replied: "Absolutely, 100 percent your honor."
Prosecutor Chris Owens earlier urged the judge to revoke Simpson's bail or place him under house arrest, accusing the former sports icon of treating the justice system with contempt.
"Mr Simpson has treated the court's largesse with contempt. He clearly violated a condition of his release, a condition that was set down very clearly," Owens said. "Mr Simpson's conduct has been contemptuous."
Simpson faces a trial in April over a confrontation at a Las Vegas hotel in September when he allegedly robbed two sports memorabilia dealers.
The 60-year-old and two associates face 12 charges relating to the alleged robbery and could be jailed for life if convicted.
Simpson pleaded not guilty to the charges at an arraignment hearing in November and was freed on bail on the condition that he have no contact with anyone involved in the case.
One of the most famous American football players of his generation during a glittering 1970s career, Simpson was the prime suspect in the brutal murders of his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman.
Simpson, who has always vehemently denied the killings, was acquitted of murder after a racially charged Los Angeles trial in 1995, a verdict that was greeted with widespread outrage across America.
Simpson was subsequently found liable for the deaths in a 1997 civil suit and was ordered to pay damages to the victims' families totaling 33.5 million dollars.
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