O.J. Simpson is a ’completely free man’ after he was discharged from parole two months early.
O.J. Simpson is a “completely free man”. The former NFL star had been on parole since October 2017 after serving nine years in prison for a kidnapping and armed robbery in Las Vegas, but a spokesperson for the Nevada Department of Public Safety have confirmed his behaviour is no longer under supervision.
The 74-year-old retired sportsman’s parole was due to expire on 9 February, 2022, but he was discharged on 6 December.
His attorney, Malcolm LaVergne, said: “Mr. Simpson is a completely free man now.”
O.J. and five other men had been accused of carrying weapons and entering a Las Vegas casino hotel room in September 2007, where they stole memorabilia, and four co-defendants pleaded guilty to felony charges, whereas the sportsman argued he was trying to retrieve previously-stolen personal items.
And at a hearing in 2017, when he was released from jail and granted parole, O.J. maintained his defence, and also said it was important to him to return to his family after being clean during his prison sentence.
He told the court: “I do have four kids. I’ve missed a lot of time with those kids.
“I think I’m a guy who’s always been a giving guy – even on the street. People have always come up to me. My reputation has always been that I’m open to the public. I’m open to everybody. Right now I’m at a point in my life where all I want to do is spend time with my children and my friends.
“I’ve done my time. I’ve done it as respectfully as anyone can…I’ve not complained for nine years…I want to get back to my kids and my family.”
O.J. insisted he would be able to cope with public scrutiny.
He said: “I’m not a guy who lived a criminal life. I’m a pretty straight shooter…I have no problem, none whatsoever, in living with those conditions.
“Wherever we’ve been, it’s always a crowd. This is not new to me. [But] rarely – even in the last 20 years- rarely have I ever had people give me any negative stuff in the street…I’m pretty easily approachable. I’ve dealt with it my whole life, and I really don’t see any problem dealing with the public at all.”
In 1994, the ‘Naked Gun’ star was famously found not guilty of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.
However, in a civil case brought by the victim’s families in February 1997, O.J. was deemed liable for their deaths.
