A plan by Nevada officials is being finalized to release O.J. Simpson on parole as early as Monday, the Associated Press reports.
The former athlete and actor, who was found guilty for trying to steal his own sports memorabilia in a Las Vegas hotel room, is eligible for parole Oct. 1 after serving nine years of his 33-year sentence.
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As his parole eligibility date falls on Sunday — a day the parole and probation office is not open — Monday, Oct. 2, will likely be the earliest time the release plan would go into motion.
70-year-old Simpson may also be transferred from Lovelock Correctional Center in northern Nevada to a Las Vegas prison before being released. A spokesperson for the department told Fox News it is normal procedure to transfer a inmate to the prison where their crime was committed and the jurisdiction in which the person was tried.
Nevada officials are keeping the details of Simpson’s release quiet as they expect an overwhelming media presence for his transfer and release.
Department officials also stress that the inmate’s release could be delayed based on the level of safety they determine for the public and police officers overseeing the move.
“Any official that has O.J. in their custody is responsible for his health, welfare, and safety, while he’s in their custody,” Troy Slaten, a practicing criminal defense attorney, told Fox News. “Imagine a scenario where paparazzi and media are following and causing traffic hazards for his vehicle and vehicles that may be in any kind of caravan. That could be a problem. What officials don’t want is another Bronco scene that’s carried live on media throughout the world.”
Simpson was unanimously granted parole by four members of the Nevada Parole Board on July 20.
He had been serving a 33-year sentence since October 3, 2008, when he was convicted of multiple charges including kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and burglary.
Once released, he will be supervised by the Nevada’s Division of Parole and Probation until Sept. 29, 2022.
Photo credit: Getty / Ethan Miller / Staff
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O.J. Simpson looks on during a parole hearing at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Lovelock, Nevada on July 20, 2017. – Former American football star O.J. Simpson has spent nearly nine years in prison. A Nevada parole board is holding the hearing to decide whether the former National Football League (NFL) star and actor should be released from prison. (Photo by Jason Bean / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JASON BEAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) -
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O.J. Simpson looks on during a parole hearing at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Lovelock, Nevada on July 20, 2017. – Former American football star O.J. Simpson has spent nearly nine years in prison. A Nevada parole board is holding the hearing to decide whether the former National Football League (NFL) star and actor should be released from prison. (Photo by Jason Bean / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JASON BEAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
