After being acquitted of murder in 1994, OJ Simpson was back in court in 2007, charged with robbery and kidnapping. He and a group of other people stole sports memorabilia that Simpson claimed belonged to him. The former NFL star was given a 33-year sentence but only served nine. On Sunday, September 30, he was released from Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada.
Although he might have other plans, CNN confirmed that Simpson must live in Las Vegas “until a parole officer approves any planned move outside the state."
Fall from glory
Simpson, whose real name is Orenthal James Simpson, gained notoriety years ago as an NFL running back, broadcaster, spokesman, and actor. Some of his memorable roles were in “Roots” and "The Naked Gun” trilogy. Nicknamed “The Juice,” Simpson was briefly jailed as a teenager after he joined a street gang called the Persian Warriors. After marrying Nicole Brown Simpson, police were alerted to incidents of domestic violence at their home several times.
In 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were stabbed to death outside Simpson’s home. During the “Trial of the Century,” Oj Simpson pleaded that he was “100 percent not guilty” and was acquitted in 1995. The families of the victims sued him for wrongful death and he was ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages. According to Monday’s edition of the Daily Mail however, Simpson has yet to pay the sum.
Florida doesn’t want him
Following his release on Sunday, September 30, sources close to Simpson revealed that he eventually planned to move to Florida to be with his family. Attorney General Pam Bondi was livid, however, at the thought. CNN says she penned a lengthy letter to Florida’s State Department of Corrections, asking that he be restricted from living there.
She wrote that police and Floridians’ safety could be at risk and that “our state should not become a country club for this convicted criminal." Simpson’s lawyer Malcolm La Vergne was outraged and maintained that Simpson “has every right to go to Florida.” Speaking to the Daily Mail, he added that “the days of telling black people where they can and cannot live is long gone.”
Starting over
The fall from grace has been hard on Simpson. Following his much-publicized trial, many of his friends stopped speaking to him. The circumstances of that trial and what followed thereafter were documented in several TV specials, including a Netflix feature released in 2017, titled “The People v OJ Simpson.” Many are wondering how Simpson will spend his time as a parolee.
Longtime friend Tom Scotto told CNN, “he’s not going to hide.” Mr. Lavergne also remarked to "SportsCenter" that Simpson planned to "re-acclimate to normal life, enjoy the very simple pleasures, have good food, enjoy time with family, friends, catch up on technology, try to get through all of that, and wear regular clothes again."
As a parolee, Simpson cannot associate with convicted felons or drink alcohol in large quantities. CNN revealed on Monday that until he can leave Las Vegas, he will live with friends in an expensive gated residence.