OJ Simpson – the former NFL star best known for being acquitted in an infamous double murder – has been granted early release from his prison sentence for a subsequent armed robbery.
He will be released as early as 1 October of this year, thanks to a majority Nevada parole board vote in his favour.
Mr Simpson was given a nine-to-33-year sentence in 2008, just 13 years after being acquitted in the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. He was arrested in Las Vegas on charges of assault, kidnapping, and armed burglary after attempting to steal pieces of of his own sports memorabilia from a hotel room.
Since then, the former athlete and actor has been described by officers at Nevada’s Lovelock Correctional Centre as a “model inmate”. Mr Simpson testified on Thursday that he had taken computer classes and a non-violence course while incarcerated.
“I told the warden when I got here … that I would be no problem; I believe in this jury system, I will honour what the jury said, and I will be no problem,” he said. “And I think I kept my word.”
Thursday’s hearing marked the first time Mr Simpson was eligible for parole. He made his case from prison, via video conference, with four parole board commissioners located in Carson City, Nevada.
(via: MSN)
