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Former DA who prosecuted O.J. Simpson says parole board made right decision

Former D.A. speaks about putting O.J. in jail
Posted at 6:51 PM, Jul 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-21 11:28:44-04

UPDATE JULY 20: David Roger spoke to 13 Action News after the parole board made its decision.  

He says he agrees with the board's decision because after serving 9 years and having no disciplinary record in prison, he thinks parole was appropriate.

But Roger says it did catch his attention that Simpson seemed defensive about his actions during the robbery.

"Everyone knows what the evidence was," Roger says.  

However, he doesn't think Simpson should come back to Las Vegas again once he's freed.  

"I hope not," he says.  

He joked that during the initial trial, Simpson used to golf at Red Rock where Roger goes and would sometimes talk about possibly moving to Vegas.  

"I don't want to see him teeing at my course on a Saturday."

ORIGINAL STORY

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) -- The former District Attorney responsible for putting O.J. Simpson behind bars is speaking to 13 Action News as the parole hearing for the 2007 Las Vegas robbery draws near.

David Roger remembers the day the guilty verdict came down on Simpson for the 2007 Las Vegas robbery.

"The look on his face like, 'Oh no, the worst case scenario is happening'," Roger said.

News clippings of the verdict now hang throughout Roger's office as a reminder of his victory.

"I remember O.J. Simpson took his watch off, took his wallet out of his pocket, turned around and handed it to his sister," Roger said. "And that's a moments I will never forget."

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Roger said the publicity of an O.J. trail made the case tougher to prosecute, but the winning evidence were tape recordings of Simpson planning the crime.

"He came to Las Vegas and chose to commit a robbery in our town and it was important for us to hold him accountable," Roger said.

Some would argue this is the only time Simpson has been held accountable.

In 1995 he was acquitted for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.

"I had seen what LAPD had done and what the LA County DA's office had done and I didn't want to see what happen in our town," Roger said.

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Roger made clear he never took into consideration the murders of Brown-Simpson and Goldman, because he was solely prosecuting a robbery case.

"I'm sorry he wasn't convicted in Los Angeles, but in Nevada we have to seek justice for the crimes committed in Nevada and we did that," Roger said.

The former District Attorney believes Simpson will be paroled, but questions if he can make it as a free man.

"Wherever he goes in the United States to do his parole time, people will be watching," Roger said.