European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 28, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes the . Simpson Case l thursday july 28,1994 often found to Post Bernard Gimbel shows the $250,000 Check that he is adding to the $500,000 Reward put up by . Simpson. Los Angeles apr from a hand lettered sign offering $20 for the return of a lost cat to the $13.5 million Bounty for the capture of drug lord Pablo Escobar rewards Are As much a part of life As crime itself. Many were not surprised then when , Simpson offered $500,000 for information leading to the conviction of someone else in Toje slayings of his former wife and her Friend. People who study rewards however say the Money rarely helps catch criminals a and often is put up by the perpetrators. But for those tips that do Lead to convictions Legal experts say the Promise of a Reward is As Good As a contract. Paulette Cooper co author of the Book Reward about offers in 60 crimes said its common for the accused to offer a Reward to project an air of innocence. That s Why she and her husband and co author Paul Noble were surprised it took Simpson More than a month to make his offer. A every Day we were looking at each other and saying a Why Hasni to this Man posted a Reward a a Cooper said monday. She said rewards often involve More posturing than crime solving. After All a anybody can set up a Reward a she pointed out. Anybody indeed. New Jersey real estate magnate Bernard Gimbel travelled to los Angeles last weekend to add a $250,000 Check to the Simpson pot. Gimbel 54, said he was a Friend of Simpsons. Gimbel hoped others would pitch in. A with 3 or 4 million someone would come Forward and squeal on their Mother a he said. Simpson lawyer Robert Shapiro called the Reward a very generous a but he declined to endorse it. A we re not working with him a Shapiro said. Another offer is from the Globe tabloid which peppered the nations supermarket checkout lines with the headline a who framed .? $1 million Reward. The proposition is simple Tell the Magazine whodunit and As Long As it Isnit Simpson the Magazine will pay $1 million. The catch the Money will be paid the article said a provided the informant Grants Globe exclusive broadcast screen and print rights to their  Law professor Peter arc Ella of the University of California los Angeles doubted whether the main goal of the Simpson Reward is finding a new suspect. A the likelihood that  turn up usable material for a criminal investigation is probably pretty Small a Arenella said. A the Reward press conference was just that a a press conference designed to portray or. Simpson As a factually innocent  if someone does exonerate Simpson however that person will be in for a Windfall.  Are legally binding said w. David Slawson a Law professor at the University of Southern California los Angeles. A you would regard those like an offer to buy a used car or anything else a Slawson said a if any member of the Public complies with their terms they d be contractually obligated to comply with the  while not As numerous As Calls to Simpsons toll free tip line Reward offers Are still common. Actress Winona Ryder put up $200,000 last year for the Safe return of Polly Klaas the 12-year-old girl kidnapped from her Home and later found dead. President Bush offered $1 million a which was never paid a for help ferreting panamanian strongman Manuel Antonio Noriega out of the Vatican diplomatic Mission in his  country. And combined offers put a $13.5 million Price tag of the head of Escobar the drug lord before he was killed last year by colombian authorities. The colombian governments portion of the award was shared by the men who hunted him Down and by widows and orphans of his victims. A some stores to sell cheesy 10-card set Boston apr How far will people go to make a Buck off . Simpson too far say some. Retailers of sports Memorabilia who Are refusing to sell a trading card set exploiting the Case. The 10-card set a in Pursuit of Justice features highs and lows from Simpsons life such As his signing As a Rookie with the Buffalo Bills acting in the movie naked gun and playing Golf with sportscaster Howard Cosell. There s also a picture of Simpson and his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson As a Happy couple. A a they re pretty cheesy a said Peter Leven Hal owner of . Tea party sports cards in Boston. A i thought they were junk a the Quality of the card and what a printed on there a said Dave Johnson of Plaza sports card in Chicago. The a in Pursuit of Justice set is manufactured by Interlink news in Phoenix. Tragedy in an athletes life usually increases interest in his playing cards said de Donigan owner of Davis Square collectibles in Somerville mass. When Pete Rose was arrested for gambling and Jose Canseco was involved in a car Accident sales of their baseball cards increased. Donigan compared Public interest in Simpson tothe response last year when Boston celtic Star Reggie Lewis died of heart disease a the body Wasny to even cold and they were calling up about his cards a he said. A a it a a Little macabre a Little  from wire reports los Angeles a . Simpsons Legal defense team is costing him More than $15,000 a Day sources say. And that a just for his top layer of lawyers. Simpson has hired seven lawyers to defend him against charges that he murder / de his sex wife and her Friend june 12. Oil Friday Simpson 47, entered pleas of a absolutely 100 percent not guilty at his arraignment on two counts of first degree murder. One lawyer who has handled recent High profile Long term cases said that by the end of the year Simpsons defense will be at least $3 million. A it really does no to matter to him How much it costs a said Veteran los Angeles defense attorney Harland Braun. A if he loses he loses  Simpsons team includes los Angeles criminal defense lawyers Robert Shapiro and Johnnie Cochran jr., who regularly Bill at least $300 an hour and Are putting in 10 and 12-hour Days on the Case. Shapiro has two assistants working with him who Bill $200 an hour according to sources and Cochran recently said he plans to hire assistants to help him prepare for trial. In addition to Cochran and Shapiro Simpson is being advised by constitutional Law expert Gerald Melmert Harvard University Law professor Alan Dershowitz and noted defense attorney f. Lee Bailey who colleagues said do not come cheap. Another lawyer Robert Kardashian a Friend of Simpsons who reactivated his Law License shortly after Simpson was arrested is working for free but he is the Only one volunteering his time. Simpson also has hired three leading private investigators All of whom Bill up to $100 an hour not including staff time and expenses. And his defense team has lined up top forensic blood and Dan experts to help with the Case and provide testimony at his trial. The experts can earn As much As $5,000 a Day according to one lawyer who has worked with them in the past. In his 1992 divorce proceedings Simpsons wealth was estimated at $10.8 million. Defense attorney Robert Shapiro righting a los Angeles courtroom monday with client . Simpson regularly Bills at least $300 an hour. In the weeks after his june 17 arrest Simpson consolidated his resources. On june 29, he officially transferred his $5 million Brentwood estate which was paid for last october into a company overseen by his longtime personal lawyer Leroy Taft according to deeds filed with the los Angeles county recorders office. That company pigskins inc., and three others a orenthal productions inc., Rockingham enterprises inc. And . Simpson enterprises inc a Are companies Simpson and Taft Are involved with that handle the football Hail of Famero a financial interests including holdings in hotels and restaurants in and around los Angeles in one recent Effort to save Money Simpson put on hold his memberships in three country clubs. While he is behind bars he will not have to pay the thousands of dollars in dues. Simpson also has resigned from the Board of directors of the company that imports and distributes Swiss army Brand knives a company spokesman said. Simpson wrote a letter of resignation july 13, effective As of that Date while in los Angeles county jail Donald r. Dwight a spokesman for the Forschner group inc., said monday. The letter was written on an . Simpson enterprises Letterhead. Simpson was re elected to the Board at the company a annual meeting june 9, just three Days before the knife slayings of his sex wife Nicole Brown Simpson 35, and her Friend Ronald Goldman 25. . Simpson attended the meeting. He has been on the Forschner Board of directors based in Shelton conn., since 1990 Dwight said. He was paid $10,000 a year plus $1,000 for each meeting he attended