Former US football star and actor OJ Simpson has been granted parole after nine years in a Nevada prison.<\/p>\n
“Thank you!” said the 70-year-old, bowing his head as the board approved him for release in October.<\/p>\n
Simpson is serving time for armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and 10 other charges over a 2007 confrontation at a Las Vegas hotel.<\/p>\n
He was acquitted in 1995 of the murders a year earlier of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.<\/p>\n
The former Hall of Fame running back was found guilty in 2008 of the botched Las Vegas robbery – exactly 13 years to the day after he was sensationally cleared in the so-called trial of the century.<\/p>\n
He and a group of five others stormed into a hotel room to confront two sports-memorabilia collectors and seize items that he claimed belonged to him from his career.<\/p>\n
The hour-long hearing for Prisoner 1027820 took place at the Lovelock Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison in the Nevada desert.<\/p>\n
Simpson told parole officials on Thursday the objects he took from the Las Vegas hotel room were later ruled by officials to legally belong to him.<\/p>\n
“I’ve spent a conflict-free life,” the prisoner said during the hour-long hearing.<\/p>\n
However, in 1989 Simpson admitted spousal abuse after police responded to a domestic violence call at his home.<\/p>\n
According to police records, his wife had run from the house screaming to officers: “He’s going to kill me!”<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Bruce Fromong, who was one of Simpson’s victims in the robbery a decade ago, testified in favour of his release.<\/p>\n
“I’ve known OJ for a long time,” said Mr Fromong. “I don’t feel that he’s a threat to anyone.<\/p>\n
“He’s a good man. It’s time to give him a second chance.”<\/p>\n
Simpson appeared to dab a tear.<\/p>\n
The prisoner told the commissioners he had helped establish a Baptist prayer meeting in prison, adding: “I could have been a better Christian.”<\/p>\n
The prisoner also rejected suggestions he had an alcohol problem.<\/p>\n
“I’ve done my time,” he said. “I’ve done it as well and as respectfully as anybody can. I think if you talk to the wardens they’ll tell you.<\/p>\n
“I’ve not complained for nine years. All I’ve done is try to be helpful\u2026 and that’s the life I’ve tried to live because I want to get back to my kids and family.”<\/p>\n
The Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners said it had received hundreds of letters for and against Simpson’s parole.<\/p>\n
In 2013 the board granted him parole on some of his convictions, but not for the more violent charges.<\/p>\n
His daughter, Arnelle Simpson, choked up as she told the parole board: “My experience with him is that he’s like my best friend and my rock.”<\/p>\n
She added: “He is remorseful, he truly is remorseful.”<\/p>\n
But Simpson’s legal problems are likely to continue after he is released.<\/p>\n
An attorney for the family of Ron Goldman vowed to pursue him for due payment of damages.<\/p>\n
Despite the 1995 not-guilty verdict, a civil court jury held Simpson liable for the deaths of his ex-wife and her friend, awarding $33.5m (\u00a325.8m) to their families.<\/p>\n
Two years ago a court enlarged that judgment to about $58m, but it remains largely unpaid.<\/p>\n
Legal experts say the families could claim a portion of Simpson’s future earnings, such as book deals or television appearances.<\/p>\n
However, under federal law Simpson’s estimated $20,000 monthly pension from the National Football League is out of reach to creditors.<\/p>\n
Following his playing career, he appeared in television commercials before taking roles in movies like the comedy The Naked Gun.<\/p>\n
Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"