Last minute details are being put in place for O.J. Simpson to be released from prison. He will be eligible for parole on Sunday, October 1. Because state probation officials don't handle releases on weekends, he will not be taken away from the prison until Monday. Officials will go over the terms and conditions of his parole with him to make sure he understands every detail.
The 70-year-old parolee has served nine years of a 33-year sentence at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada. He was imprisoned in 2008 for kidnapping and armed robbery over what used to be his own memorabilia. Last July, the parole board voted unanimously for Simpson's release.
Some details
No matter which day Simpson is released, he will be driven 400 miles south to the High Desert Prison because it is the main processing center. He has a long list of things he will not be able to do. He will be on parole for five years. That means his life will still be under the supervision of the Division of Parole and Probation until September 29, 2022.
He will be able to drink, but he is prohibited from drinking excessively. He will be subjected to unannounced tests for alcohol and drug abuse. He will not be able to associate with ex-convicts or those engaged in criminal activity. The Nevada Board of Parole also forbids parolees from possessing guns. If Simpson breaks any of the rules outlined by the parole board, he could end up back in prison.
Simpson's plans
Simpson wants to move to Florida where state law will provide additional protection for him to keep his house and other assets. He can't move there right away because there has to be an agreement between the two parole boards in Las Vegas and Florida. However, the Florida Department of Corrections has not received any transfer paperwork, according to spokesperson Ashley Cook.
State Attorney General Pam Bondi says Florida objects to Simpson being on parole there.
Simpson's two youngest children, Sydney and Justin, live in the Tampa Bay area, but he doesn't plan to live with them (or his daughter Arnelle in Los Angeles/son Jason in Georgia). His close friend Tom Scotto offered to let Simpson live with him in Naples, Florida. No matter where he lives, he will be watched. He says he has missed playing golf and that's one of the first things he wants to do.
He doesn't have to worry about money because he has $5 million in his Screen Actors Guild retirement plan and NFL pension. He will also get monthly Social Security checks.