O.J. Simpson testifies in Las Vegas in bid for new trial LAS VEGAS, May 15 (UPI) -- O.J. Simpson testified Wednesday he was unaware his companions were armed when they visited a Las Vegas hotel room in to retrieve sports memorabilia. Simpson, 65, convicted for armed robbery and kidnapping in 2008 and sentenced to nine years in prison, testified for several hours Wednesday at a hearing in Las Vegas to determine if his conviction can be overturned, NBC News reported. Simpson and his new attorneys must convince a judge that Simpson's former attorney, Yale Galanter, did shoddy work, never revealed a conflict of interest and didn't inform Simpson of a possible plea deal, KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, said. Wednesday's actions in court were unprecedented. Simpson didn't testify during the robbery trial or at the 1995 trial in which he was acquitted of killing his ex-wide and her friend. Simpson, appearing grayer and heavier than in the past, recounted a day drinking with friends in a Las Vegas hotel, followed by a chaotic face-off with memorabilia dealers, holding allegedly stolen merchandise. Simpson said guns were "never a subject" as he and five colleagues discussed visiting the dealers' hotel rooms to view merchandise he claimed was stolen from him, and said he didn't see anyone exhibit a gun. His purpose in visiting the rooms was to reclaim the memorabilia, saying it belonged to his family and "not to some guy selling at a hotel room in Vegas."