New clues in OJ Simpson murder mystery

OJ: Cleared of the murder of ex-wife Nicole and waiter Ron Goldman

By Malcolm Brinkworth, producer of a BBC programme which sheds new light on the case of former American football star OJ Simpson.

Despite his repeated protestations of innocence, in the eyes of many OJ Simpson was and remains a guilty man. OJ - The Untold Story reveals that clues that some believe pointed away from Simpson as the killer were dismissed or ignored and highlights two other leads which could shed new light on the case.

Dr Lee: Crime scene was "contaminated"

Our film shows that the court only heard part of the real picture - that crucial evidence was tampered with and destroyed, the police so contaminated the crime scene that the evidence was unsafe and that six months before her murder, someone was offered money to kill Nicole.

Dr Henry Lee, one of the world's most respected forensic scientists, states in his interview for the programme that the crime scene was "out of control", was contaminated and that the police had destroyed so much at the murder scene that it was impossible to reconstruct what happened that night.

Dr Lee also reveals that the police failed to take crucial blood samples from Nicole's back which might have helped solve the case.

Who did kill Nicole Simpson?

We also commissioned two independent British scenes of crime experts to review and analyse the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) procedures at the crime scenes. Their testimony reveals a host of errors which caused them to have no faith in the integrity of the crime scenes.

It is their view that the evidence was seriously compromised and would have been rejected by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service.

Potential new suspect

The film also explores new areas, which have not been fully investigated by the authorities. It features private investigator Bill Dear and follows his enquiries into Jason, Simpson's son from his first marriage, whom he regards as a potential suspect that the police overlooked in their investigation.

Jason: History of violence

He reveals that Jason had a history of violent outbursts, including attacking people with a knife and had a criminal record.

The programme examines the evidence that shows that six months before her murder, Nicole was put under surveillance.

A man called Bill Wasz, who he says, had supplied cocaine to Simpson, Nicole and friends, had been hired by one of Simpson's friends to follow her and take photographs of Nicole with any man she might meet.

He recorded his surveillance in a notebook. In an interview from prison, where he is currently serving a jail term for armed robbery, Wasz explained that 10 days after handing over the photographs, he had been asked by Simpson's same friend to a meeting for a new assignment.

At that meeting, Wasz says, Simpson's friend then hired him as a hitman to kill Nicole.

Police ignored 'hitman' claims

The programme reveals that the police were made aware of Wasz's story just a few weeks after the murders and despite recommendations by senior detectives to pursue it, the prosecution decided to dismiss it.

Both the defence and the prosecution put out the story that Wasz had made the story up and that the notebook was a forgery.

However, the programme also goes on to show that four years later, the Wasz story was re-investigated again. The police and the District Attorney's office accepted that the notebook was genuine and that Wasz had been telling the truth.

However, after further investigation, the District Attorney's office dismissed the matter once more, despite promising leads that pointed to a possible plot to kill Nicole.

After a detailed investigation, OJ - The Untold Story, shows that a new investigation may be able to solve the crime.

With accusations of corruption within the Los Angeles Police forcing the reopening of hundreds of other cases, the truth about the deaths of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman could still be told.

You can watch OJ - The Untold Story at 2125GMT/2225BST here at News Online or on BBC One.