O.J. Simpson: Acting Out for Absolution?

Is O.J. gradually confessing to the murders of Nicole and Ron Goldman? Not according to the former football pro himself. I didnt do it, so Ive never thought about confessing, he told the Associated Press Tuesday. But Daniel Petrocelli, the lawyer who successfully sued Simpson two years ago for $33.5 million over the deaths, claims to see evidence of a creeping confession in O.J.s media appearances. His biggest piece of evidence: An interview to be broadcast today on British television, in which Simpson jokingly attacks presenter Ruby Wax with a banana. That was astonishing behavior, says Petrocelli, even if youre an O.J. believer... if he were truly an innocent man, he would be incapable of jesting about this.

Petrocellis exhibit B is the now-infamous Esquire interview, in which Simpson puts forward the theory that if he had committed the crime, it would have to be because I loved [Nicole] very much. And his motive? Hed like to win back the public, Petrocelli suggests, and if admitting it would get him there he might do it. O.J. says Petrocelli has a motive of his own -- to drum up controversy for his new book.