OJ Simpson testifies in courtroom bid for freedom 15 May 2013 Last updated at 20:43 The BBC's Alastair Leithead: "The media attention isn't anything like it was some years ago" Former football star and actor OJ Simpson has testified at a Nevada court hearing on his request for a new trial in an armed robbery case. Simpson, 65, convicted in 2008 of a Las Vegas hotel robbery of what he said was stolen personal memorabilia, said he did not knowingly break the law. He is currently serving a nine to 33-year sentence over the 2007 incident. Simpson was famously acquitted of the murder of his former wife and her friend in Los Angeles in 1995. The current five-day hearing seeks to determine if Simpson's complaints of ineffective representation by his original lawyer, Yale Galanter, will win him a new trial. 'Ineffectual' lawyer One of Simpson's new lawyers said earlier his client was "excited about telling his story." The former star NFL running back-turned-actor was accompanied by five other men as he tried to reclaim family pictures and footballs peddled by sport memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room. Simpson - who appeared older and heavier after five years behind bars - said from the witness box on Wednesday that he had only tried to reclaim what he believed were stolen goods. It was my stuff. I followed what I thought was the law," he told the court. I didn't break into anybody's room and didn't attack or muscle anyone. During the incident, two of the men with Simpson carried guns. "There was no talk of guns at all," Simpson told the Nevada court, saying he did not ask anyone to bring weapons. He was also asked about his relationship with former defence lawyer Mr Galanter, who Simpson says was ineffectual at the trial. He claims Mr Galanter had a personal interest in keeping private his own advice to Simpson. "Yale had a good relationship with the media," said Simpson. I was in the media a lot. He was able to refute many of the tabloid stories. Mr Galanter, according to Simpson, had repeatedly assured him that he could take back items related to his sporting career - items Simpson believed had been stolen - as long as no-one trespassed and no force was used. The lawyer also convinced the football player not to testify at his own trial and did not mention a plea deal from prosecutors that would have reduced his prison sentence, Simpson said. The court has already heard testimony from Mr Galanter's co-counsel, Gabriel Grasso. Mr Grasso has testified that it was Mr Galanter's decision for Simpson not to testify. The lawyer also accused Mr Galanter of lining his own pockets, while telling him the "shoestring" defence could not afford to hire expert witnesses. Simpson is expected to answer questions from his legal team on each of the 19 points in support of his request. He is then set to face cross-examination from government lawyers who want to keep him in prison. Back in 1995, in what was dubbed the trial of the century, Simpson was acquitted of the stabbing murders a year earlier of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. A civil jury in a wrongful death lawsuit later found him liable for their deaths, awarding their families $33.5m (£22m) in damages.