http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001214/ts/crime_simpson_dc_1.html

Thursday December 14 2:49 PM ET

OJ Simpson Case Back in Court in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The O.J. Simpson case returned to the spotlight on Thursday when lawyers for the former football star asked an appeals court to reverse a $33.5 million civil judgement for the wrongful deaths of his ex-wife and her friend.

Simpson, who was acquitted of the 1994 murders in a criminal case but found liable in 1997 for the wrongful death of Nicole Brown-Simpson and Ron Goldman, was not expected to attend the Los Angeles hearing.

He has made a new home with his children in Florida, far from the city where the controversial ``Trial of the Century'' shocked and captivated the nation and the world.

Simpson's lawyers were to argue before the 2nd District Court of Appeals that the judge in the civil trial admitted prejudicial evidence including prior incidents of alleged physical and verbal abuse by Simpson toward his ex-wife.

``The introduction of this evidence was designed to show the jury that Simpson was a 'bad person' who had resorted to violence in the past and therefore must have done it,'' the lawyers said in court documents.

Opening briefs in the appeal were filed in July 1998 but Thursday's court hearing was expected to be the first full airing of the case.

Fred Goldman, father of Ron Goldman, was furious when the appeal was first filed; ``This is proof positive that the monster does not want to be punished for his actions,'' Goldman said in 1998.

Some of Simpson's belongings, including furniture, rugs, and sporting trophies, were auctioned off to help pay the $33.5 million wrongful death judgement but the vast majority of the money is still outstanding.

-- I'm Here, I'm There, (I'm Everywhere,@So.Beware), December 15, 2000