Trial Ends in Simpson Custody Case

The trial to determine who will have custody of O.J. Simpson’s children ended Wednesday, leaving the decision in the hands of Orange County Superior Court Judge Nancy Wieben Stock.

Both the football Hall of Famer and his former in-laws emerged from the Betty Lou Lamoreaux Justice Center just before 5 p.m. smiling and appearing relieved that the four-week, closed-door proceedings were over.

Neither Simpson nor Louis and Juditha Brown, the children’s grandparents, would discuss the day’s closing arguments or the likely outcome.

“I can’t make a comment about it,” Simpson said as he exited the courthouse to face a crush of TV crews and other media waiting in the rain.

Denise Brown, sister of the late Nicole Brown Simpson, the children’s mother and Simpson’s ex-wife, told reporters, “There’s a 50-50 chance.”

The Brown family left court arm-in-arm with their attorneys, Natasha Roit and Eric L. Lagin, and hugged them goodbye in a parking structure away from the cameras.

Attorneys said they could not predict how long Stock will deliberate before ruling on who should have custody of Sydney, 11, and Justin, 8. A court administrator would say only that the judge has taken the matter under submission and will issue a written opinion later.

In her closing argument before Stock, Roit focused on allegations of domestic abuse involving Simpson and his ex-wife.

Citing experts, Roit said that witnessing domestic abuse or its results is harmful for children, a source related. The attorney then cited alleged incidents of domestic abuse in chronological order.

Roit also rebutted testimony by Simpson’s friends that the former football star had never hit his ex-wife, sources said.

Stock reportedly listened intently to Roit’s argument but asked no questions, sources said. Simpson, meanwhile, appeared irritated, throwing his hands up in disbelief at one point and loudly voicing his concerns to his attorney, Bernard A. Leckie.

But another source, who has been close to Simpson throughout the proceedings, described him as “a gentleman, like he always is,” and said Simpson is greatly relieved that the case is nearly over.

Roit was followed by Leckie, who argued that Simpson should have custody of the children because he is their father, a source said.

Marjorie G. Fuller, appointed by the court to represent the children, also made closing remarks Wednesday. Sources said she has made clear that she thinks the children should live with their father.

The children have been with the Browns in Dana Point since Simpson was arrested in 1994 on suspicion of killing his ex-wife and her friend Ronald Lyle Goldman. Simpson was acquitted of those charges in October 1995.