O.J. Simpson is one of the most well-known defendants in the United States legal history. In 1995, O.J. Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. His criminal trial was publicly televised for eleven months. Due to an acquittal of the criminal charges, Simpson was civilly sued by the victims’ families. A jury found Simpson liable for both deaths. The jury awarded a $33.5 million dollar verdict against him.
Nearly ten years after these trials, Simpson found himself in a court room again in 2008. This time around, he was found guilty for criminal charges. A jury found Simpson guilty of robbery and kidnapping. He was sentenced for thirty-three years in prison with a nine-year minimum sentence. 2017 marked the minimum of nine years for serving his time. In July 2017, a parole board unanimously granted Simpson parole and was set to be released from prison October 1, 2017. Parole is the temporary or permanent release of a prisoner before the completion of a sentence on the premise of good behavior.
The Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners granted him release because they found him to be a low risk inmate and had community support to a stable release plan. Simpson resides in Florida and wishes to go back there to live. Simpson cannot change where he lives without first getting permission from the Nevada Division of Parole and Probation as stated under the terms of his parole. Another term of his parole is to not drink excessively. Simpson carries a breathalyzer to monitor his blood alcohol content. Violating any terms of his probation could be grounds for mandating Simpson to go back to prison.
The Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision staples their mission to promote public safety. These commissions are present throughout each state in the country. If the Nevada Division of Parole and Probation grant him permission to move back to Florida, the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision in Florida would take over the responsibility of monitoring Simpson. Each commission implicates strict rules and terms of probation. Some of these terms include warrantless searches, random drug and alcohol testing, and close monitoring by probation officers. O.J. Simpson must continue to be on his best behavior or he could find himself back behind bars.
The Goldman family released a statement that they will continue to pursue a civil judgement against Simpson to collect the money they were awarded in 1997. That amount has accrued to nearly $60 million dollars due to interest. Simpson’s net worth is estimated to be between $250,000-$3 million which is far under the $60 million dollars he owes. Under Florida law, Simpson’s pension of $25,000 a month from the NFL is protected from seizure by creditors and is judgment proof. While Simpson already served his time in prison, he may be able to have a get out of jail free card on the civil debt he owes to the families.
Sources:
https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/07/20/oj-simpson-pension-net-worth-parole-hearing
Image: http://deadline.com/2017/07/o-j-simpson-parole-hearing-never-pulled-weapon-1202132070/