OJ Simpson to be freed from Nevada prison
Written by icefmonline on July 20, 2017
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After nearly nine years in prison, O.J. Simpson was granted his freedom Thursday by four members of the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners and will leave prison on or after Oct. 1.
The Hall of Famer reacted emotionally and with a smile as each of the four delivered their votes on whether he should be freed after serving nearly nine years of a nine-to-33-year sentence for 12 convictions, including kidnapping and armed robbery, stemming from a 2007 sting operation in which he tried to recover sports memorabilia from two collectors.
Simpson mouthed the words “thank you” as he stood and returned to his cell, where he will remain until fall.
Blessed: Simpson bows his head after the parole board announced their decision
An apologetic Simpson, who has not been publicly seen since being granted parole in a 2013 hearing on lesser charges, appeared far slimmer and more fit than he did then, wearing dark slacks and a blue button-up shirt over a white T-shirt. Simpson cracked up when he was initially told that his hearing is the same that all inmates receive, despite the media attention this hearing is attracting. Unexpected levity followed when a commissioner listed his age as 90, rather than 70. “You look great for 90!” she said.
Nevada parole board member at OJ Simpson parole hearing wearing KC Chiefs tie. (via @MarlaTellez) pic.twitter.com/hFqleRtCj0
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) July 20, 2017
Simpson faced four members of the board — two women and two men, one of whom was rather curiously wearing a Kansas City Chiefs tie.
Offered the chance to make a statement, Simpson apologized. “I’ve come here and spent nine years making no excuses about anything. I am sorry things turned out the way they did. … I tell inmates all the time ‘Don’t complain about your grind. Do your time.’ … I believe in the jury system. I will honor the decision. … I have done my time and I’d like to get back to my friends. And believe it or not I do have some friends. I don’t think anyone could have honored this institution better. … I’m sorry it happened.”
The media scrutiny in the hearing is less intense than it was for the 1995 murder trial in which he was found not guilty of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole, and Ron Goldman, but the possibility that the Hall of Fame running back and former actor soon will be free again has drawn massive attention, including live coverage on multiple networks and platforms.
Broken down: Simpson’s daughter Arnelle, sister Shirley Baker and friend Tom Scotto break down in tears after learning he will be paroled in October
Arnelle Simpson calls father O.J. Simpson “my best friend and my rock” and says he’s “been a perfect inmate.” https://t.co/b11xqirjGa pic.twitter.com/Tl4N86G2qw
— ABC News (@ABC) July 20, 2017
Here goes nothing: OJ Simpson appeared in front of the Nevada Parole Board on Thursday afternoon (above)
