Nevada's top court opposes Simpson ruling

CARSON CITY, Nev., Dec. 25 (UPI) -- The Nevada Supreme Court said a judge in Clark County, Nev., should have given the media access to questionnaires from ex-athlete O.J. Simpson's robbery trial.

The Nevada Supreme Court voted 6-0 Thursday that Clark County District Judge Jackie Glass's decision to deny the press access to jury questionnaires from the 2008 trial was ill-advised given the press's First Amendment rights, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Friday.

The state's top court said Glass's promise to jurors to keep the questionnaires confidential "does not supersede the public's and press's First Amendment right to access criminal proceedings."

Court justices said they ruled on the moot matter to offer judges guidance in similar cases involving juror questionnaires that could take place in the future.

As part of the court's decision, Glass was ordered to release all unredacted copies of the questionnaires. The Clark County judge previously released redacted versions of the juror surveys.

Simpson and co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart were convicted of kidnapping and armed robbery.