O.J. Simpson has today been granted parole on some charges stemming from his 2008 kidnapping and armed robbery convictions involving the holdup of two sports memorabilia dealers at a Las Vegas hotel.
The Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners on Wednesday released an order approving the former NFL star’s parole request.
But the order doesn’t mean Simpson will be leaving Lovelock Correctional Center anytime soon.
Because he was convicted on multiple charges, the 66-year-old still faces at least four more years in prison on sentences that were ordered to run consecutively. Simpson appeared before a two-member parole panel last Thursday to plead for leniency.
He expressed regret for his actions and said he has tried to be a model inmate while behind bars.
Prison officials said he has had no disciplinary actions against him.
The 66-year-old was handed down a harsh
33-year sentence for the charges stemming from the 2008 incident.
"I just wish I never went to that room," he told the parole board last week.
"I wish I just said keep it."
"I missed my two younger kids who worked hard getting through high school, I missed their college graduations. I missed my sister’s funeral. I missed all the birthdays."
"I promised prison officials I would be the best prisoner they have ever had here, (and) I think, for the most part, I’ve kept my word on that."
Simpson also said his case is not the same as the other prisoners convicted of robbery.
|The difference between all of their crimes and mine is that they were trying to steal other people’s property, they were trying to steal other people’s money," the former actor said.
"My crime was trying to retrieve, for my family, my own property."
|My intent was not to rob from anybody. I knew both of these guys who had my stuff. I was a little upset with them, and I think I wasn’t as civil as I should have been."
Among the reasons listed for granting Simpson parole on the kidnap and robbery charges were that he has no prior convictions, has participated in programs within the prison and has a positive institutional record with zero disciplinary write-ups.
In addition, the board ruled Simpson a low risk to commit another offense, the Nevada Appeal reported.
Simpson was convicted of a slew of charges against him on October 3, 2008 – the 13th anniversary of the day he was controversially acquitted of killing his ex-wife Nicole brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
Simpson appeared for 15 minutes before Parole Commissioner Susan Jackson and hearing representative Robin Bates.
While Simpson remains behind bars, his best chance at freedom lies with Clark County District Judge Linda Marie Bell, who is considering whether he deserves a new trial.
During a hearing in May, Simpson’s current lawyers Patricia Palm and Ozzie Fumo argued his trial attorney, Yale Galanter, botched Simpson’s defense and had a conflict of interest in the case.
Bell is yet to issue a decision. If she rules in Simpson’s favor, prosecutors will have to decide wither to retry him, offer a plea deal, or set him free with credit for time served.
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