O.J. Simpson Shocks 'Playboy' Writer

N E W   Y O R K, Aug. 20, 2003 -- — O.J. Simpson believes Scott Peterson and Robert Blake are being convicted in the media, just as he says he was, according to Playboy magazine's David Sheff, who conducted an extensive interview to appear in the October issue.

Simpson, the man at the center of the "trial of the century," was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, eight years ago.

"He feels that they [Peterson and Blake] are being tried by the media," Sheff said on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America today. "He says that it's something he relates to and he feels it's very unfair."

Peterson has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the death of his wife, Laci, and their unborn son. Blake has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the May 2001 fatal shooting of his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley.

According to Sheff, a contributing editor for the magazine, Simpson had some advice for Blake and Peterson.

"'No lie detector test,' he [Simpson] was advising them," Sheff said. "He said he understood, related to Robert Blake in particular, how he would like to tell his story to the public. But just as he was advised not to by his lawyers, he would counsel against that."

Yet despite Simpson's words of unsolicited advice for the accused men, Sheff said Simpson didn't seem to believe their stories. While the ex-defendant wouldn't tell him exactly what he thought during their interview, Scheff said his feelings came through.

"He thinks in both cases they're guilty, certainly Peterson," Sheff said.

O.J. a TV Commentator?

Sheff said Simpson has enjoyed watching high-profile legal cases unfold in the wake of his own, the most publicized case in United States history.

Simpson was acquitted of killing his ex-wife and Goldman in a 1994 knife attack, but a civil jury later held him liable and ordered him to pay the victims' survivors $33.5 million.

Simpson doesn't currently work for a salary, since his earnings would go to the Brown and Goldman families. Sheff noted that Simpson lives off his $300,000 a year pension, which he doesn't have to share with the Browns and Goldmans.

But Sheff says he believes the former football star would like to be professionally involved in the discussion of high-profile legal cases.

"Just wait. I would predict he will become a commentator on something like Court TV," Sheff said.

Playing Golf and Parenting

Simpson says he spends most of his time playing golf and looking after two teenagers, Sydney, 17, and Justin, 15.

The two teens were young children when their mother was stabbed to death. Since Simpson was acquitted, he and daughter Sydney have had some publicized squabbles, including one that ended with a call to 911 this past January.

She was crying when she called the 911 dispatcher and said "I don't want to be with my father." When police arrived, the teenager said she and her father "got into an argument over family issues," according to the one-page police report. No charges were filed and the girl left the house to calm down, the report noted.

Simpson told Sheff the incident was not a big deal, but a typical argument between a father and his daughter. When Sheff asked him why his daughter was upset enough to call 911, he said such actions are typical of teenagers.

"He [Simpson] said it happens all the time," Sheff said.

Simpson says he gets positive reactions from people who spot him in restaurants and on the golf course, where he spends the majority of his time these days.

"He [Simpson] suggests rather than getting the thing people expect, people calling him a murderer and other names, he says most people are supportive. He goes to dinner and it's rare someone doesn't pick up the check," Sheff said.

Simpson also claimed to be more popular than ever with the ladies, Sheff added. "He said, 'When I was famous as a football player, I got a lot of attention from women. But when I became notorious it's like I have some Spanish fly emanating from my body,' " Sheff said.

Sheff said his full interview with Simpson for the article, which appears in the October issue of Playboy, lasted more than four hours.

"It was an extraordinary event to sit down with him and to talk," Sheff said. "He said some things that were absolutely shocking."