TIM CORNWELL
Washington
OJ Simpson's return to public life took a step backwardsyesterday when he cancelled at the 11th hour his first televisioninterview, scheduled for live broadcast across the US and the worldlast night.
'It has become clear that NBC has . . . concluded that thiswould be a time and an opportunity to retry me,' he said in astatement read by his attorney Johnnie Cochran. 'I look forward toaddressing all questions at a time when reason can prevail.'
The NBC network said Mr Simpson's attorneys objected to thefree-wheeling format envisaged for the interview.
Mr Simpson was acquitted last week of the murders of his ex-wifeNicole and her friend Ronald Goldman.
The NBC news anchor, Tom Brokaw, said that despite a 'clearunderstanding' that nothing was off-limits, Mr Simpson's attorneyspersuaded him to withdraw, concerned the interview could be used incivil suits brought against him by the victims' families.
The former football star had agreed to be interviewed by MrBrokaw and the morning television host Katie Couric on the networkthat used to employ him as a sports commentator.
It would have been his first appearance before an Americanpublic that widely believes him to be a murderer, despite thejury's verdict. Earlier plans for an interview broadcast on apay-per-view basis were dropped after major cable distributorsrefused to be involved.
Mr Simpson, who recently hired another prominent lawyer, RobertBaker, to defend him in the civil suits, looked again yesterdaylike a man defended at every move by expensive attorneys.
After NBC announced the interview, its switchboards were jammedwith more than 10,000 mostly angry phone calls.
Mr Simpson did not testify at his trial, and has only spokenbriefly by phone to one television show since his acquittal.
