Controversial football star-turned actor, O.J. Simpson is now “a completely free man” following an early end to his parole period in Nevada. The news has been confirmed to the Associated Press by Nevada State Police and his Las Vegas lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne.
Following his release from prison on October 1st, 2017, Simpson, 74, originally had his parole discharge date set at September 29th, 2022. Although that date was recently pushed towards February 9th, O.J. was granted early discharge after a hearing on November 30th, “for good behaviour.” The decision was ratified on Dec. 6, with his parole retroactively up on December 1st, as per Rolling Stone magazine.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Mr LaVergne was overjoyed as he declared; “Mr. Simpson is a completely free man now.” Following the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, O.J. was acquitted a year later.
However, a 1997 California civil court found him liable for their deaths, ordering him to pay $33.5 million to their families (just over €29.5 million). By 2008, O.J. had been convicted on 12 charges, including armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and kidnapping, among others. It had been alleged that Mr Simpson led five men in a 2007 confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers in an off-strip Las Vegas hotel.
During the proceeding court cases, O.J. declared his wanting to retrieve personal mementoes and items stolen from him following his 1995 acquittal. Once convicted, the former Buffalo Bills player served nine years for his sentencing and had been on parole since his 2017 release.
Following his release, O.J. declined to speak with the Associated Press while his lawyer, LaVergne, declined the chance to discuss his client’s future. Simpson, a member of both the college football and pro football halls of fame, currently lives in a gated Las Vegas community.
