O.J. Simpson appears before a Las Vegas judge later Thursday for a crunch hearing that will decide if the disgraced American football star stands trial for robbery and kidnapping.

The 60-year-old has been charged with a string of felony offenses in connection with an incident in Las Vegas on September 13, when he and a gang of men are alleged to have burst into a hotel room and seized sports memorabilia worth 80,000 dollars at gunpoint from two dealers.

Simpson’s lawyers have said the former sports star is innocent of wrongdoing and that no guns were involved. Simpson has said he was recovering property that had been stolen from him.

Liberal radio host Randi Rhodes was mugged on Sunday night on 39th Street and Park Ave, nearby her Manhattan apartment, while she was walking her dog.

According to Air America Radio late night host Jon Elliott, Rhodes was beaten up pretty badly, losing several teeth and will probably be off the air for at least the rest of the week.

Of course the liberal blogs are going crazy speculating that the attack on Rhodes was yet another example of the “Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy.”

Elliot told listeners that she was wearing a jogging suit and was not displaying a purse, which is highly suspicious.

“Is this an attempt by the right wing hate machine to silence one of our own,” he asked. “Are we threatening them. Are they afraid that we’re winning. Are they trying to silence intimidate us.”

I’m sure Conservative radio is just looking for a way to shut down Air America. With an audience of probably less than 10 people, the idea that Conservatives would plot to assault Randi Rhodes to keep her off the air is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

UPDATE: The NY Daily News is reporting that Rhodes never filed a report and never claimed to be the victim of a mugging.

Rhodes’ lawyer told the Daily News she was injured in a fall while walking her dog. He said she’s not sure what happened, and only knows that she fell down and is in a lot of pain. The lawyer said Rhodes expects to be back on the air Thursday. He stressed there is no indication she was targeted or that she was the victim of a “hate crime.”

Another brilliant example of the ridiculous paranoia and blatant dishonesty served up all day long on the far-left.

UPDATE #2: Newsday is now reporting that Air America has issued a statement to correct the record, and radio host Jon Elliot retracted his statement blaming the so called the “right wing hate machine.”

Air America released a statement saying that “the reports of a presumed hate crime are unfounded.” Elliott followed that up with a retraction.

“I shouldn’t have speculated based on hearsay that Randi Rhodes had been mugged and that it may have been an attack from a right wing hate machine. I apologize for jumping to conclusions based on an emotional reaction,” he said in a written statement.

Attempts by The Hot Joints to contact the “Right Wing Hate Machine” for comment were unsuccessful.

-Chris Jones

Prison time for O.J. Simpson is looking more likely by the day! A co-defendant in the O.J. Simpson armed robbery case told a judge Monday he would plead guilty to a felony and testify against Simpson and four others in the hotel room theft of sports collectibles from two memorabilia dealers.

The plea agreement with Charles Cashmore, 40, of Las Vegas ups the ante in the prosecution of Simpson. Cashmore can testify that guns were involved in the Sept. 13 confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers at a Las Vegas casino hotel room, his lawyer said.

-Chris Jones