After 8 years in prison, O.J. Simpson was finally given parole by a group of commissioners from Nevada. The former NFL player was imprisoned for armed robbery in Las Vegas, and now is planned to be released on October 1.
Simpson, now 70 years old, rambled the account of his case in front of the parole board. He said he didn’t intend to steal and that he wishes all of it never happened. Throughout the years, the parole board had received lots of versions from Simpson. It is said that one moment he is combative, the next he's jovial. Earlier today, he claimed that his incarceration had humbled him and also expressed his remorse.
In 2008, Simpson was imprisoned because of a robbery he led in Las Vegas. His group tried to steal, at gunpoint, sports memorabilia that belonged to a Nevada hotel and casino. He contended that the memorabilia, as well as the other items they tried to steal, belonged to him.
Simpson said today that he takes full responsibility for what happened.
The Account of Simpson on the Botched Robbery
Via video conference, Simpson appeared remotely in Nevada's Lovelock Correctional Facility, where he served his time for armed robbery and kidnapping. Simpson began by telling the parole board his reason for leading the crime. He told the board he learned there were some guys attempting to "fence" the personal mementos that belonged to him, which were housed in Las Vegas.
"I was in Las Vegas for a wedding and I was told that these items were there," said Simpson. He continued by saying that since he was in the area, he wanted to reclaim these items. He was given names of the people that were in the room. He realized these people were his friends and they had helped him move and store these items.
"When I arrived at the hotel room, spread out everywhere, as I noticed, were my personal items," explained Simpson.
There, Simpson and his 5 accomplices held men at gunpoint because of the confrontation. Simpson said he just wanted to get these items, as they were stolen from him. He insisted he had no idea there were arms involved with their plan. However, he was convicted of a couple of weapon charges.
4 out of the 6 people who were involved in the robbery testified and pleaded guilty. Clarence "CJ" Stewart, a friend of Simpson, was found guilty of 12 charges. Among the many charges were burglary, conspiracy, and assault with deadly weapons.
Simpson would have faced life sentence. However, in December of 2008, he was sentenced to imprisonment of no more than 33 years but no less than 9 years at Nevada's Lovelock Correctional Facility.
There was a victim of the memorabilia robbery who survived. The man said Simpson did not point a gun at him and Simpson should be granted an early release.
