Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

OJ Simpson could be released within months and free to cash in on his multi-million dollar NFL pension

A parole board hearing on July 3 is expected to recommend his release based on good behaviour

Rebecca Flood
Sunday 26 February 2017 09:51 EST
Comments
OJ Simpson during a court hearing in Las Vegas on May 14, 2013.
OJ Simpson during a court hearing in Las Vegas on May 14, 2013. (Ethan Miller/Associated Press)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

OJ Simpson could walk free from jail in a few months after serving less than a third of his sentence before cashing in on his multi-million dollar NFL pension.

The former American football star could be released exactly nine years into his 33-year sentence after he was jailed for a string of crimes including armed robbery and kidnapping in 2008.

A parole board hearing on 3 July is expected to recommend the 69-year-old’s release based on good behaviour.

If the board votes in his favour he could be a free man by 3 October, the earliest possible date for his release.

He needs to secure recommendations to be released from at least four of the seven commissioners at the hearing, something Las Vegas criminal defence attorney Daniel Hill was confident of.

“He’s the kind of person who gets paroled," Mr Hill told he The Daily Express. “He has done a significant amount of time and, by all accounts, hasn’t caused any problems."

The athlete turned film star was controversially cleared of the brutal murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her lover Ron Goldman in 1995. The pair were viciously stabbed to death.

Nicole Brown
Nicole Brown (FILES/AFP/Getty Images)

The football player rose to stardom in the NFL in the late 1960s, and was later immortalised in the sport’s Hall of Fame.

He went on to pursue a successful acting career in Hollywood in the Naked Gun franchise.

Nicknamed ‘The Juice’, the disgraced star is reported to have amassed a fortune while behind bars thanks to his NFL pension.

The convict reportedly receives almost £20,000 a month while serving his sentence at the Lovelock Correctional Centre in Nevada.

Amounting to £240,000 a year, he will have an estimated fortune of £2.16 million by the time of his expected release.

But under the America’s Employee Retirement Income Security Act the fund cannot be touched by creditors despite Simpson owing almost £27 million.

The bereaved families of murdered lovers Mr Goldman and Ms Brown launched a civil suit against the football player in 1997 after the shock not-guilty verdict.

A judge awarded the then-record amount of $33.5 million – equating to roughly £27 million – after a civil jury found Simpson liable for their deaths.

Despite the landmark damages, the families claim they have seen only a “mere fraction” of the amount.

Simpson was found guilty of kidnapping and robbing at gunpoint a sports memorabilia broker in a Las Vegas hotel room.

The former sportsman accused the deal or stealing a trove of personal NFL mementos.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in