Judge: No postponement of Simpson trial

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Next month's trial of former football great O.J. Simpson and a co-defendant will go on as scheduled despite defense opposition, a Las Vegas judge has ruled.

While the attorney for co-defendant Clarence Stewart asked that the robbery and kidnapping trial be delayed in order to potentially divide the defendants, Clark County District Judge Jackie Glass refused the request and plans on starting the Sept. 8 trial as scheduled, Las Vegas' KNXT reported Friday.

Simpson, once the target of infamous double-homicide charges, and Stewart have been accused of being involved in an attempted robbery and kidnapping incident in a Las Vegas hotel in Sept. 2007. The incident revolved around sports memorabilia that Simpson claimed had been stolen from him.

Stewart is seeking to be tried separately from Simpson, who he alleges would stop him from receiving a fair trial due to his public notoriety.

His legal motion is awaiting a Nevada Supreme Court hearing and his attorney sought the delay in the district court trial in order to await a ruling on the matter, KNXT said.