OJ Simpson has been released on parole after serving nine years in a Nevada prison for armed robbery and assault at a Las Vegas hotel in 2007. The former American football player, now aged 70, was granted early parole back in July with a release date set for 1st October. The Nevada Department of Corrections released a photo and video clip of OJ being released on their Facebook page.
Credit: Facebook/ The Nevada Department of Corrections
Their statement read: "The Nevada Department of Corrections, in an effort to ensure public safety and reduce the potential for incident, released Orenthal James Simpson #1027820, on October 1, 2017, at 12:08 AM from Lovelock Correctional Center."
OJ’s lawyer Malcolm LaVergne told ABC news that his client’s first wish on release is to go and see his family in Florida. He said: "He wants to eat seafood, he wants to eat steak. He wants to enjoy the very simple pleasures that he hasn't enjoyed in nine years." OJ’s friend Tom Scotto also told the news station that his friend isn’t going to hide away now he’s a free man. The BBC reports that OJ will now face up to five years supervised parole.
OJ made his name playing for America’s National Football League in the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers and appeared in several TV shows and films. Things turned sour for OJ when he was arrested for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and friend Ron Goldman. He was acquitted of the crimes but later found liable for the wrongful death of Nicole and Ron and was ordered to pay damages to the families.