Simpson returns to Fla. home

MIAMI - O.J. Simpson slipped back into familiar territory early yesterday - not just the sunny climate of South Florida, but into the center of a media cavalcade fixated on a robbery case that could send him to prison for years.

At the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport, Simpson refused to answer reporters' questions about the case, though girlfriend Christine Prody answered a question about how he was doing with: "He's fine."

The former football star left in an SUV, tailed by a pack of cameras and reporters.

Police allege Simpson led an armed holdup of sports memorabilia collectors; Simpson has insisted he was merely retrieving items that had been stolen from him.

Legal specialists say the prosecution's case could be clouded by issues including who had rightful ownership of the goods and the reputation of witnesses in the sometimes less-than-reputable world of memorabilia trading.

As Simpson flew home to the Miami area, US Airways emptied a plane so he could board first with his attorney, Yale Galanter, and Prody.

Simpson sat in an aisle seat in economy class. Passengers who boarded behind him took pictures with cellphones and cameras. He nodded and smiled as they passed, then slept from Las Vegas to South Florida.

Simpson was arrested Sunday after a collector reported a group of armed men charged into a hotel room at the Palace Station casino and took several items. He spent three nights in jail after being charged with kidnapping, robbery with use of a deadly weapon, burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon, coercion with use of a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit robbery, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Police arrested a fifth suspect in the case Wednesday. Charles Howard Cashmore, 40, surrendered to police and was scheduled to appear in court yesterday. Cashmore brought in items that are believed to have been taken, police said without elaborating.

Authorities allege that the men went to the room Sept. 13 on the pretext of brokering a deal with two longtime collectors, Alfred Beardsley and Bruce Fromong. The meeting was set up by memorabilia dealer Tom Riccio.

According to police reports, the collectors were ordered at gunpoint to hand over several items valued at as much as $100,000, including football game balls signed by Simpson, Joe Montana lithographs, baseballs autographed by Pete Rose and Duke Snider, and framed awards and plaques.