Alleged O.J. Accomplice 'Shocked' Weapons Were Used

Sept. 17, 2007 — -- The man who claims he helped organize the alleged confrontation between O.J. Simpson and a souvenir dealer in Las Vegas told ABC News when he and Simpson planned the "sting" guns were never mentioned as part of the incident.

Tom Riccio said he was shocked when some of Simpson's friends pulled weapons Thursday after they allegedly stormed into a hotel room to confront two sports memorabilia dealers and retrieve items from the former football star's NFL career.

Riccio tape recorded the entire encounter and sold it to the Web site TMZ where Simpson can be heard shouting orders. Simpson will likely remain in jail for at least another two nights even though he is accused but not yet officially charged with armed robbery with a deadly weapon.

Simpson, who lives outside Miami and has no family ties in the Las Vegas area, may be considered a flight risk.

According to Judge Nancy Oesterle this is not uncommon.

"It happens all the time," she told ABC's Jim Avila. "Some states allow them to sit [in jail] longer than three days."

While Simpson remains in jail, one of his alleged accomplices, Walter Alexander, is in Los Angeles today meeting with his attorney, and some believe he is well on the way to making a deal to testify against the man he used to call a friend.

"Right now I'm sure O.J. thinks I'm the worst person in the world," Alexander said. "He probably wants to blame all of this on me, but O.J. created this mess."

A third man was arrested Monday evening in Las Vegas. Clarence Stewart turned himself in to authorities, according to his attorney Rob Lucherini. Lucherini said his client was charged with two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of burglary with a deadly weapon, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery with a deadly weapon.

Lucherini told ABC News his client has known Simpson for a few years, saying they are golfing friends. He added that Stewart told him that he did not see guns during the Thursday incident.

Also in the hotel room at the Palace Station Casino during the encounter Thursday was Bruce Fromong, who told ABC News he was robbed at gunpoint.

"The door burst open, and in came, running in, almost commando style, O.J. Simpson and some of his people, with guns drawn," Fromong said.

But Fromong says Simpson was not carrying a weapon himself, a point the football star will seize on when mounting his defense. But when it comes to armed robbery does that matter?

"If the people that are agreeing to do the act with you are carrying guns then you could be held responsible for your co-conspirators," said attorney David Chesnoff.