One of the stars of the OJ Simpson case today sensationally claimed that the disgraced ex-football star DID kill his ex-wife – 18 years after he was controversially cleared in ‘trial of the century.’

Kato Kaelin, who gave evidence for four days in front of millions glued to their TVs, said Simpson was guilty of butchering Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman – but that he was ‘too scared’ to say so during the 1994 hearing.

Instead, he claims he has waited until now because the statute of limitations has expired.

The bodies of Brown Simpson and Goldman were found at her home, the victims of a vicious knife attack in front of her Los Angeles condominium.

Kaelin’s claims imply that OJ Simpson could know more details about the case that have not yet become public.

And, crucially, his apparent admission today poses the question that if he had he told the whole truth during the court case, Simpson could have been found guilty.

Simpson starred in dozens of film and TV roles both during and after his NFL career, and was most famous for his three-film stint as Detective Nordberg in the ‘Naked Gun’ series.

For 17 years, doubt has hung over his innocence despite the acquittal, and a $33.5million civil case later found him liable for her death and the death of Goldman.

At the trial, Kaelin, a small-time actor and Simpson’s houseguest on the night of the killing, became an oddball celebrity after his rambling testimony about Simpson’s movements and some background information.

He was lampooned on TV shows for his long hair, laid-back surfer demeanor and for being an unemployed layabout.

Critics claim that he held back from telling the jury about Simpson’s bouts of rage or his possessiveness of his ex-wife.

His testimony was so inconsistent that at one point, prosecutor Marcia Clark asked for permission from Judge Lance Ito to treat him as a hostile witness.

He then admitted that Simpson had acted ‘upset’ in the hours before his ex-wife and Goldman were killed.
Simpson is currently serving in a Nevada prison for his role in a Las Vegas robbery case.

He was convicted of being the leader of an armed group that raided a hotel room at the Palace Station hotel in 2007 and robbed a pair of sports memorabilia dealers.

Though Simpson said that he was only taking back what was rightfully his and claimed no weapons were used, he was sentenced to 33 years in jail on October 8, 2008 – 13 years to the day of his 1995 acquittal.

Many saw the especially harsh sentence as retribution for getting off scot-free in the killings.

Now, Kaelin says that he is sure of Simpson’s guilt in the 1994 murders.

He told the New York Post’s Cindy Adams: ‘The statute of limitations has now passed… so I can now say… yes, he did it.’

Asked why he let Simpson get away with it, he said: ‘I was too scared. I was terrified.’

He also claimed that he was not asked in the trial whether Simpson was guilty, so he did not offer his opinion.

The Simpson case recently returned to the headlines when one of the original prosecutors alleged that the lead defense lawyer tampered with a crucial piece of evidence.

Former Los Angeles deputy district attorney Christopher Darden accused the late Johnnie Cochran of ‘manipulating’ one of the infamous gloves that the prosecution said linked Simpson to the crime.

After Simpson struggled to fit the gloves on his hands – in one of the defining moments of the racially-charged trial that captivated the nation – Cochran famously admonished the jury: ‘If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.’

Following Simpson’s acquittal Kaelin, 53, skirted around the edges of celebrity and became a failed reality TV star, appearing in shows like ‘Celebrity Boot Camp.’

He filmed episodes of a series called ‘House Guest’ in which he would stay in the homes of various celebrities, but the show never saw the light of day.

Kaelin also appeared as a contestant on quiz shows and briefly worked in radio.

Elite.