Simpson speaks out after his acquittal

The Associated Press LOS ANGELES -- Speaking out for the first time since his acquittal, O.J. Simpson yesterday assailed prosecutors and legal commentators for distorting the trial evidence to make him look bad. ''My basic anger is these misconceptions,'' Simpson said in a surprise phone call to CNN's ''Larry King Live,'' the latest twist in a case that has shown no shortage of surprises. Earlier, some of his jurors explained for the first time why they acquitted him in the murders of his ex-wife and her friend. One said a cop lied, another was a racist, and the gloves did not fit -- either on Simpson's hands or at his estate -- so she had to acquit. Simpson, who was not seen during his second day of freedom, also offered a brief comment about his first reunion with his two small children, Sydney and Justin, since he was arrested for their mother's murder. ''It's been great,'' Simpson said without elaboration. He then thanked King and got off the phone. Simpson's call came during King's interview with lead defense attorney Johnnie Cochran. The lawyer would not say where the meeting with the children took place, or whether Simpson had to elude the more than 100 reporters camped outside his estate. Simpson called to respond to a woman who called in asking about prosecution claims that a shadowy figure seen moving across the driveway of Simpson's house was in fact Simpson returning from an attempt to hide a bloody glove. He added that prosecutors and legal commentators constantly misconstrued the evidence. ''My basic anger is people I've heard say, 'I followed the case.' I've heard experts say, 'This was the testimony today,' and that wasn't the testimony today,'' Simpson said. ''Fortunately for me, the jury listened to what the witnesses said and not what Marcia Clark's or (Christopher) Darden's or anyone else's renditions of what was said,'' Simpson said. Simpson said he went back to his cell many nights and asked of the commentators: ''Were they in the same court room that we were in today? Did they hear the testimony today?'' Simpson friend Robert Kardashian, meanwhile, was reportedly behind a $1 million photo package offer to the supermarket tabloids that promised exclusive photos of Simpson's post-trial homecoming and the reunion with his children. An unidentified Simpson representative contacted the Globe, National Enquirer and Star to offer the package, said a source at one of the publications who spoke on condition of anonymity. ''Kardashian orchestrated it,'' the source said. ''The Star bought them.'' It wasn't known if the Star paid $1 million for the photos. Star officials declined to comment.