O.J. Simpson was greeted by a familiar media frenzy after leaving a Las Vegas detention centre and returning to South Florida overnight.
As he left the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, his SUV was tailed by a pack of reporters and cameras.
Simpson refused to answer media questions about the case at the airport, but girlfriend Christine Prody reportedly said he was doing "fine."
It was a chaotic scene that echoed the media crush outside the Las Vegas courtroom where Simpson was granted bail.
"As you can imagine there is enormous interest in this case...the fact that it is O.J. Simpson, that of course means a tremendous amount of media interest," said CTV's Tom Walters, describing the scene on Canada AM Thursday.
Simpson did not enter a plea for the 11 charges that could put him in jail for life. He maintained his composure as the charges were read.
Walters, who was in the courtroom, said: "He was composed, he was very sort of confident and direct in his extremely brief answers to the judge...the impression he gave was of someone who almost seemed irritated to be there. But I hasten to add that's an impression."
The charges against Simpson are in connection with an alleged armed holdup of two sports memorabilia collectors at the Palace Station casino.
Police reports say the collectors were ordered at gunpoint to hand over items valued at as much as US$100,000, including football game balls signed by Simpson and Joe Montana lithographs.
However, Simpson claims he was simply retrieving items that had been stolen from him.
The charges Simpson and at least three other men face include:
- Two counts of first-degree kidnapping
- Two counts of robbery with use of a deadly weapon
- Burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon
- Two counts of assault with a deadly weapon
- Conspiracy to commit kidnapping
- Conspiracy to commit robbery
- Conspiracy to commit a crime.
Simpson was released on US$125,000 bail, and was required to surrender his passport, not to travel outside the continental U.S. and have no contact with witnesses, victims or co-defendants in the case.
US Airways emptied a plane for Simpson's flight back to the Miami area so he could board first with his attorneys.
Other passengers reportedly snapped photos with cell phones and cameras as they boarded, and Simpson nodded and smiled from his economy class seat as they passed.
With files from The Associated Press
