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Former football star O.J. Simpson, who was found liable for the murder of his wife in a civil trial, expressed sympathy in an interview released on Friday for Scott Peterson, who is accused of killing his pregnant wife.
"Look at Scott Peterson," Simpson told Playboy Magazine. "Ask anyone in America about him. They'll say the guy is guilty. But we haven't heard one shred of evidence."
Fertilizer salesman Peterson of Modesto, California, is accused of killing his wife Laci last Christmas Eve and dumping her body into the San Francisco Bay. A preliminary hearing in the case starts next month.
In what was one of the most widely reported criminal trials in recent years, Simpson was acquitted in the 1994 murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman, but in a civil trial Simpson was found to be responsible for their deaths.
Simpson saw parallels between his case and Peterson's, which has also generated national headlines.
"I heard that Scott Peterson had $10,000 on him when he was arrested. Well, they said I had $10,000 when I was arrested, but I had $8 or something. You never hear about it when it proves untrue," he said.
Simpson blamed the media for creating the impression that Peterson was guilty.
"They created the impression that he was fleeing, so he's guilty," the former football star and actor said. "I'm not saying the he isn't, but I don't pretend to know."
Peterson's playing golf on the day his wife's remains were identified -- after which he was arrested -- was a normal activity, said Simpson.
"Scott Peterson was out playing golf, and people were saying, 'What kind of guy is this. These may be his wife's remains and he's going to play golf,"' he said.
"Well, when I got home from Chicago the week Nicole was murdered, I wanted to get on a golf course. I wanted to get away from ... all the hurt, all the pain."
"Look at Scott Peterson," Simpson told Playboy Magazine. "Ask anyone in America about him. They'll say the guy is guilty. But we haven't heard one shred of evidence."
Fertilizer salesman Peterson of Modesto, California, is accused of killing his wife Laci last Christmas Eve and dumping her body into the San Francisco Bay. A preliminary hearing in the case starts next month.
In what was one of the most widely reported criminal trials in recent years, Simpson was acquitted in the 1994 murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman, but in a civil trial Simpson was found to be responsible for their deaths.
Simpson saw parallels between his case and Peterson's, which has also generated national headlines.
"I heard that Scott Peterson had $10,000 on him when he was arrested. Well, they said I had $10,000 when I was arrested, but I had $8 or something. You never hear about it when it proves untrue," he said.
Simpson blamed the media for creating the impression that Peterson was guilty.
"They created the impression that he was fleeing, so he's guilty," the former football star and actor said. "I'm not saying the he isn't, but I don't pretend to know."
Peterson's playing golf on the day his wife's remains were identified -- after which he was arrested -- was a normal activity, said Simpson.
"Scott Peterson was out playing golf, and people were saying, 'What kind of guy is this. These may be his wife's remains and he's going to play golf,"' he said.
"Well, when I got home from Chicago the week Nicole was murdered, I wanted to get on a golf course. I wanted to get away from ... all the hurt, all the pain."