O.J . Simpson is staying behind bars . The former football star and media celebrity -- who some know best for his having stood trial in the killing of his ex-wife -- on Tuesday lost his latest legal fight , as a Nevada judge upheld his conviction on kidnapping , armed robbery and other charges . Simpson 's legal team 's bid , which followed an unsuccessful `` direct appeal , '' asked for a new trial on 22 specific grounds related to his trial and appeal . But they did n't sway Clark County Judge Linda Marie Bell , who sided against Simpson point-by-point-by-point . `` Given the overwhelming amount of evidence , '' Bell wrote , `` neither the errors in this case , nor the errors collectively , cause this court to question the validity of Mr. Simpson 's conviction . '' His current legal team expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling . `` We 're shocked and disappointed , '' said Patricia Palm , one of his attorneys . `` We 're convinced the law provides relief for Mr . Simpson . '' The Heisman Trophy winner , as college football best player , and Pro Football Hall of Fame member had starred as a TV commentator , in commercials and in movies after his retirement from the sport . Simpson pleads with Nevada parole board to cut prison term . Yet he found himself accused of murder in 1994 , following the killing of his ex-wife , Nicole Brown Simpson , and Ronald Goldman . After a lengthy , high-profile trial , a jury acquitted him in that case . But Simpson 's life hardly returned to normal . He lost a civil trial brought against him in the deaths , and was ordered to pay millions in punitive damages -- including $ 33 million to Goldman 's estate , according to Tuesday 's ruling . Years of legal fights ensued ; by 2007 , the Goldman and Brown families had yet to collect any money from Simpson , according to their lawyers . That September , Simpson and several others went into a Las Vegas hotel room to get sports memorabilia Simpson said belonged to him . The six men confronted the dealers Bruce Fromong and Al Beardsley , brandishing weapons , but not firing them . Simpson , 66 , insisted he was going after what was rightfully his , saying he regrets only bringing along men `` who I did n't know and one I did n't trust . '' The jury did n't trust his side 's arguments , finding Simpson guilty on 12 counts , including kidnapping and armed robbery . He was sentenced to up to 33 years in prison . A parole board partly reduced his sentence early this year , though he still has at least four more years to serve . This latest appeal attempted to throw out the conviction for several reasons , most of them related to his defense team . Simpson claimed his one-time lawyer , Yale Galanter , had a conflict of interest in the case , his lawyers improperly advised him not to testify , did n't tell him of prosecutors ' plea offer and did n't present `` voluntary intoxication '' as a defense . One of the grounds was particularly sweeping , with Simpson asserting that his attorneys did n't properly address `` judicial misconduct , prosecutorial misconduct and the admission of prejudicial evidence , '' before citing several specific instances . But as with each of the other claims , Bell did n't accept his arguments . `` Mr. Simpson has failed to provide any evidence supporting his claim for ineffective assistance of trial counsel , '' she wrote about this matter , specifically . `` Consequently this claim is denied . '' Documentary : Serial killer , not O.J. , killed Simpson and Goldman .
O.J . Simpson had asked for a new trial , 5 years after his first , kidnapping conviction . He cited 22 specific grounds , chiefly saying that his lawyers failed to represent him well . The grand jury rules against him , refusing to ` ` the overwhelming weight of evidence '' One of Simpson 's current lawyers says ` ` we 're shocked and disappointed ''