O.J. Simpson to make case for freedom before Nevada parole board

[July 20, 2017]  By Steve Gorman

CARSON CITY, Nev. (Reuters) - O.J. Simpson will plead his case for parole on Thursday inside a Nevada prison, nine years after he was jailed for a bungled armed robbery in which he attempted to steal mementos from his own legendary sports career.

The retired Hall of Fame football player, who parlayed his gridiron success into a Hollywood career as a pitchman and actor, remains a notorious figure two decades after he was acquitted of double murder in what was known as the "trial of the century."

Simpson, 70, whose on-field nickname was "The Juice," should be an ideal candidate for parole, based on his conduct in prison and other typical factors, according to legal experts.

But the four parole board members who will determine his fate may find it hard to avoid memories of the sensational case that captivated the country, when Simpson was charged with killing his wife, Nicole, and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1994.

The same board delivered Simpson a favorable parole ruling in 2013 on some of the robbery-related charges, leaving him with four years to go on his minimum sentence. A similar decision this time would clear the way for Simpson to walk out of prison on Oct. 1.

Simpson will appear before the board by live video feed from the Lovelock Correctional Center, about 100 miles (60 km) from the parole board's office in Carson City, the state capital. Simpson will be joined by supporters including his daughter, sister and one of his robbery victims.

The board, which normally takes days to render a decision, has said it will announce its ruling the same day in light of the high-profile nature of Simpson's case.

O.J. Simpson takes his glasses off during his evidentiary hearing testimony in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. on May 15, 2013. REUTERS/Jeff Scheid/Pool/File Photo

Despite Simpson's 1995 acquittal in the murder case in Los Angeles, he was later found civilly liable for the deaths and ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages to the victims' families, a judgment that has gone largely unpaid.

Exactly 13 years after his acquittal, Simpson was found guilty of storming into a Las Vegas hotel room with four others to retrieve at gunpoint items that he claimed were rightfully his from two sports collectibles dealers.

Simpson won the Heisman Trophy, the award for the top college football player, in 1968 while attending the University of Southern California. He played more than a decade in the National Football League, becoming the first player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season.

Following his playing career, Simpson became known for his work as a pitchman in television commercials for companies like Hertz and for roles in movies like the comedy "The Naked Gun."

(Additional reporting and writing by Joseph Ax in New York; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Leslie Adler)

[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.