You Thought Kato Kaelin Was Bad?*

O.J. Simpson's co-defendants, not unlike Michael Vick's co-defendants, are dropping like flies.

The Today Show decided to give one of them, Charles Cashmore (real name?) and his attorney, some airtime.

O.J. co-defendant recalls bust

(On a side note, I love how Matt Lauer questions his guests like they're on the stand. He took Tom Cruise to task for his comments about the use of anti-depressants to treat postpartum depression, and his interview with Cashmore was no different.)

So this guy Cashmore was coming from a job interview and received a call from a friend saying he needed some help getting back some things that belonged to him. At this time, he says he was introduced to O.J.

Lauer asks what his reaction was at seeing guns "brandished" and "on the person" of the other co-defendant. He says it was one of "aweshock." I've heard of "shock and awe," but I think you just made up a word, friend.

Then Lauer asks him about the surveillance video released of him carrying a box. He inquires, quite reasonably, if Cashmore, as a man with a criminal record, was involved in a situation in which guns are being brandished and are on the person of others ("on the person of" screams "I've been coached by a lawyer"), why didn't he go right to the police rather than waiting 6 days to do so?

His response?

"I thought it was friends, [and that it] would basically blow over."

Right. Because when I threaten my friends with a gun for taking my stuff, we usually go bowling a few hours later. And usually, O.J. accompanies us. His lawyer repeats this story, saying his client thought the situation would "blow over."

Since the day he was arrested for double murder, when has anything O.J. Simpson did just blow over? I bet O.J. can't even smile in public without someone coming down on him for being happy while his "victims" are dead.

I already don't like the idea that co-defendants get a break for telling on their fellow co-defendants. How can you trust a guy whose sole motive is to save his own behind? Now, this guy is on national TV discussing his side before O.J. cuts a deal, when he could be a potential prosecution witness if O.J. went to trial. If I were his attorney, I might advise against all this talking, especially if you aren't going to come out looking like the most truthful guy that ever walked the earth.

But the fact remains that O.J. now has two co-defendants willing to tattle on him for their own gain.

Has he depleted his stash of get out of jail free cards? Or was he really just stealing back his own stuff?



*For those not in the know, Kato Kaelin was staying in a guest house on the Simpson property and became a witness during the original O.J. double-murder trial. Kato tried to make a career out of his space cadet showing on the stand, during which he was helpful to neither side. Not dissuaded by this, attorneys called him back for the civil trial against O.J., giving him one more minute of fame to add to his 15. I think Wikipedia can delete that "is an aspiring American actor" because after 30 years of aspirations, perhaps he should aspire to more gainful employment.