Retired Greenville bondsman Childs had ties with O.J. Simpson

GREENVILLE – A retired Greenville bondsman had close ties with O.J. Simpson’s legal travails.

Harvey Childs, former owner of Bail USA based in Greenville, was Simpson’s bail bondsman and got to know the sports star.

“I met him a few times and thought he was a likable guy,’’ Childs said.

At the time Simpson was charged with the 1994 murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, Bail USA had 200 offices nationwide – including a well-established Los Angeles office.

By the wildest of coincidences, Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. was that office’s attorney. Cochran became legendary as Simpson’s lead lawyer at his murder trail.

“Johnnie and I became good friends,’’ Childs said.

Simpson didn’t turn himself in as required to face the charges. He was declared a fugitive and an arrest warrant was issued.

That led to the famous slow-speed car chase in a white Ford Bronco. Simpson was in the vehicle while his friend Al Cowlings drove.

After their capture, Simpson wasn’t eligible for bond. But Cowlings, charged with aiding Simpson, was eligible and Bail USA wrote a $200,000 bond for him, Childs said. Charges against Cowlings were eventually dropped.

As events unfolded, Childs and his late first wife Linda were in the Los Angeles courthouse during parts of the trial. Cochran was allowed to invite four people to sit in the gallery and gave one spot to the Childs for a week.

“I let my wife go in while I sat outside the courtroom,’’ Childs said. “Cochran escorted my wife hand-in-arm to her seat. Everybody was wondering who this pretty woman was with Cochran.’’

Childs and his wife were in the courthouse on Oct. 3, 1995, when the not-guilty verdicts against Simpson were read.

“That town was pandemonium when the verdict came out,’’ Childs said. “We were invited to a victory party for O.J., but we decided not to go.’’

Childs said he didn’t form an opinion on Simpson’s guilt or innocence.

“I purposely didn’t dig too deep into that,’’ he said.

Several years later, Childs happened upon Simpson at the Gulfstream Park Racing track in Hallandale Beach, Fla., near Miami where Simpson lived.

“He offered to take me out to lunch and I took him up on the offer the next day,’’ Childs said. “We had a good talk.’’

Then in 2007 Simpson was charged with breaking into a Las Vegas hotel room stealing memorabilia at gunpoint. He admitted to taking items, but he said they were stolen from him and denied breaking into the room.

Bail USA bonded Simpson for $200,000.

“He was with a group of people that weren’t very good,’’ Childs said. “If he didn’t have a gun, he would only have been charged with disorderly conduct. I think Nevada really stuck it to him.’’

Simpson served nine years in prison for that crime and was released in 2017.

“The last time I saw him was four years ago in a Las Vegas bar and restaurant,’’ Childs said. “He looked healthy.’’

Childs said Simpson’s life was filled with the ultimate highs and the rock bottom of lows.

“He was a good actor and football player,’’ Childs said. “But I think he had a wasted life.’’