O.J. Simpson was granted parole from prison on Thursday after serving nine years for a botched armed robbery and will be released in October.
The 70-year-old Simpson, acquitted in a sensational double-murder trial that gripped America two decades ago, appeared before board members by live video feed from Lovelock Correctional Center, about 100 miles (161 km) from the parole board’s office in Carson City.
Simpson bowed his head and appeared to be in tears as the four-member board voted unanimously to grant Simpson his parole. He then stood and clasped his hands as he thanked the members.
During the hearing, board members also heard testimony from Simpson’s adult daughter, Arnelle, and from Bruce Fromong, one of two sports memorabilia dealers he was convicted of robbing at gunpoint on September 13, 2007.
Among reasons the board gave for its decision was that Simpson had complied with prison rules during his incarceration, had no prior criminal convictions and posed a minimal safety risk to the public.
