JUSTICE FINALLY SERVED!

O.J. Simpson was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison for armed robbery and kidnapping in a failed attempt to recover sports memorabilia from two collectibles peddlers.

There will be the possibility of parole after six years, Judge Jackie Glass said.

His co-defendant Clarence “C.J.” Stewart received the same sentence.

Before the judge handed down his sentence, Simpson apologized to her and the Las Vegas court after learning he won’t be able to be freed on bail if he appeals.

Simpson appeared for his sentencing in a blue prison jumpsuit, shackles and handcuffs.

“I stand before you today sorry,” an emotional Simpson told Glass, fighting back tears. “I am apologetic to the people of Nevada. … When I came here, I came here for a wedding. I didn’t come to reclaim property.”

He said he thought he was taking advantage of an opportunity to retrieve items that were rightfully his.

“In no way did I mean to hurt anybody, to steal anything from anyone,” Simpson said. “I didn’t want anybody else’s stuff. I just wanted my own. I realize that I was stupid. I am sorry. I didn’t know that I was doing anything illegal. I thought I was retrieving property from friends. I’m sorry, I’m sorry for all of it.”

MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

The 61-year-old former football star, who walked away a free man after a celebrated murder trial, faces mandatory prison time of between six years and life behind bars.

Before Glass read his sentence, she ruled that Simpson cannot be freed on bail pending a possible appeal.

She told Simpson that this case was unusual because everything was caught on tape.

“The evidence in this case was overwhelming,” she said. “This was actually a very violent event.”

Neither Simpson, who was acquitted of the 1994 slayings of his ex-wife and her friend in Los Angeles, nor his co-defendant and former golfing buddy, 54-year-old Stewart, testified at trial.

Stewart also spoke at the sentencing hearing and apologized to the state of Nevada. He said he bore no ill will toward anyone involved. He asked the court for leniency and said he prays for forgiveness.

Simpson and Stewart were convicted Oct. 3 of 12 criminal charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery.

Jurors who heard 13 days of testimony said after the verdict that they were convinced of Simpson’s guilt because of audio recordings middleman Thomas Riccio secretly made of the Sept. 13, 2007, Palace Station casino hotel confrontation with sports memorabilia brokers Alfred Beardsley and Bruce Fromong.

Simpson’s lawyers called his actions “stupid” and admitted he broke the law, but said they didn’t rise to the level of criminality that would warrant a long prison sentence. They asked Glass to show mercy.

Glass responded during her statements that she believed “it was much more than stupidity.”

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