Three is definitely not the magic number as far as O.J. Simpson's concerned.
A third of Simpson's alleged accomplices announced Monday he was turning state's evidence, telling a judge that he would cop to lesser changes in exchange for testimony stating that the former football star plotted an armed heist of two memorabilia dealers.
Appearing before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Joe M. Bonaventure, Michael McClinton said that Simpson asked him to bring two guns to the Palace Station Hotel and Casino on Sept. 13.
The 60-year-old Naked Gun star claims he was running his own "sting operation" on the dealers, Bruce Fromong and Alfred Beardsley, and that he was simply reclaiming souvenirs, worth between $80,000 and $100,000, that had been swiped from him.
"The real bad guys are pointing a finger at O.J.," Simpson attorney Yale Galanter said following McClinton's court appearance.
The 49-year-old Vegas security guard said he will plead guilty to robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery on Nov. 19. Depending on the prosecution recommendation, Bonaventure could sentence McClinton to anything from probation up to 11 years in prison.
Clark County District Attorney David Roger has previously signaled that he will recommend probation for the other two accused codefendants to flip, Walter Alexander and Charles Cashmore. Both were arraigned last week.
According to the authorities version of events, McClinton brought two guns to the Sept. 13 shakedown at the off-Strip casino. During the confrontation, McClinton pretended to be a cop and waved one of his guns. He kept one for himself and handed the other to Alexander, one of Simpson's golfing buddies. Alexander claims he kept the gun in his waistband. Cashmore helped haul out boxes of the disputed cache, which included footballs autographed by Simpson, photos of him with his Heisman Trophy and various celebrities, framed awards, baseballs signed by Pete Rose and Duke Snider and lithographs of Joe Montana.
As part of his plea deal, McClinton agreed to surrender his concealed weapons permit. Bonaventure in turn released McClinton from the house arrest he had been under since posting $32,000 in bail a month ago.
Galanter said the prosecutor was building a case on a shaky foundation.
"I look forward to cross-examining these cooperating witnesses at next week's preliminary hearing," Galanter said in a statement.
"The D.A. has given away the courthouse to make these deals. We fully intend on testing the credibility of these people and the story they have told."
The preliminary hearing, set for Nov. 8-9, will determine whether there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial.
Simpson and two more codefendants, Clarence Stewart and Charles Ehrlich each face 12 felony charges, including kidnapping, armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy and coercion, and one gross misdemeanor, conspiracy to commit a crime.
If convicted, the men could face up to life in prison.