O.J. Simpson was granted parole by the Nevada board of commissioners Thursday after a unanimous vote at a hearing and may be free as soon as Oct. 1.
Simpson served nine years for a Las Vegas robbery in which he tried to steal memorabilia items he claimed were initially stolen from him.
The parole hearing lasted several hours Thursday morning and included statements from Simpson, family members, and others, including one of the robbery victims.
Here are some of the factors that led to his release, even though he had four years left on his sentence.
1. Simpson is 70 years old.
One moment of levity during the hearing occurred when chairwoman Connie Bisbee was reading the charges he was convicted of and mistakenly said he was 90 years old instead of 70, his actual age. As the mistake was corrected, Simpson said, “I feel like it, though,” The New York Times reported.
2. He has been a model prisoner.
O.J.'s positive prison record was highlighted repeatedly by both Simpson’s lawyers and the parole officers as a reason for his release, including in David Smith’s official statement to press after the hearing, the Times reported.
3. He accepted responsibility and expressed remorse.
Simpson, testifying over video conference from the correctional facility in Nevada, said he wished the robbery never happened and that he takes “full responsibility” for the crime, although he still disputes some of the details of the robbery.
4. His family supported his release.
Simpson’s daughter Arnelle Simpson, 48, gave an emotional testimony, calling her father her “best friend” and her “rock,” ABC News reported. “We just want him to come home,” she said.
5. The parole officers rejected the reasoning of some that he should get a longer sentence because of the previous murder accusations against him, of which he was acquitted.
While having a previous record can lead to longer prison sentences for subsequent convictions, the parole board recognized that it could not use this sentence to punish Simpson for charges of which he was acquitted, ABC News reported.
As usual, Twitter users had a wide range of reactions to his parole.
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