O.J. Simpson’s parole hearing is set for Thursday at 1 p.m.—and it’s likely he will be granted release. Simpson was convicted in 2008 of 12 counts, including assault with a deadly weapon, after going into a sports memorabilia dealer’s Las Vegas hotel room in 2007 with a gun and taking hundreds of items, claiming they were his property.
Simpson, now 70 years old, has served the minimum nine years of a 33-year sentence. He was granted parole in 2013 on counts of burglary, kidnapping, and robbery, but remained in jail on other counts related to use of a deadly weapon. He is currently in a medium-security prison, Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada.
At his 2013 parole hearing, Simpson was the only person to speak. He emphasized his good behavior while in prison, saying he takes responsibility for the decisions he made.
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“I just wish I had never gone to that, to that room, I wish I didn’t,” Simpson said at the 2013 hearing. “I wish I had just said, ‘Keep it,’ and not worry about it.”
Simpson’s release will depend on what he tells parole officials, a report they will review, and a board’s assessment of his likelihood to commit another crime. The Nevada Board of Parole will give Simpson a score—lower scores correspond with a lower danger risk. Experts told the Associated Press Simpson is likely to receive a 3 on the 11-point scale.
At the time of his 2013 hearing, Simpson had received no write-ups while in prison. Some reports Thursday alleged Simpson may have been written up for masturbating in his cell, and also describe an incident with a contraband cookie.
Simpson’s defense attorney Yale Galanter told USA Today he is confident Simpson will get parole.
“Parole in the state of Nevada is really based on how you behave in prison, and by all accounts, he’s been a model prisoner. There are no absolutes anytime you’re dealing with administrative boards, but this is as close to a non-personal decision as you can get.”
If Simpson is granted parole, he could be released as early as Oct. 1. If he is denied parole, a rehearing will be set for one to two years later. Otherwise, his release date is set for September 2022, as ordered at his original sentencing in 2008.
The public hearing will be held in Carson City, and victims, direct family members of victims, and Simpson may speak. Simpson needs four votes to win his release, and only four of the six current members of the Nevada Board of Parole will be present at his hearing. If any of them oppose , so Simpson would need a unanimous vote from those present to win his release. If needed, the other qualified board members would be consulted remotely.
