After a hearing, a brief parole board deliberation, and a unanimous vote today, O.J. Simpson was granted parole and is eligible for release from a Nevada state prison as early as October 1. Simpson has been incarcerated for the past nine years for taking part in an armed robbery, during which he attempted to pull off a sports-memorabilia heist. He is serving time on charges of robbery, burglary, conspiracy, assault, and coercion.
In addition to expressing remorse for his part in the robbery, Simpson shared details about his life in prison during his testimony, including that he has taken courses called “Alternative to Violence” and “Victim Empathy.” Simpson stressed his aversion to conflict and his people skills several times. The parole board did not challenge those statements.
The media circus surrounding the hearing was also referenced. Once with Simpson saying, “There’s nothing I can do about this kind of media circus that’s going on right now, but I could do something about the whole thing in the beginning.” Later, when Arnelle Simpson, Simpson’s eldest daughter, said she was nervous before her testimony, one member of the parole board responded, “So are we.”
The hearing was broadcast live by several news outlets including NBC News, ABC News, CNN, the New York Times, TIME, and the Washington Post.
