Las Vegas ? Jurors who have been told to refrain from judging O.J. Simpson on his past heard about a recording Thursday of a police employee exulting: “This is great. … California can’t get him. … Now we’ll be able to.”

Police detective Andy Caldwell conceded the statement referring to Simpson’s 1995 murder acquittal was made as a team of officers examined a casino hotel room where Simpson is accused of having led a kidnapping and armed robbery.

The statement was read to him by defense lawyers from a transcript of comments picked up on a digital recorder that had been secretly placed by Thomas Riccio. Riccio had arranged a meeting in the hotel room between Simpson and two sports memorabilia dealers that escalated into a confrontation last year.