O.J. Simpson will likely exit prison in two-plus months.
That’s the conclusion Sports Illustrated’s legal experts Michael McCann and Jon Wertheim drew in February when they assessed the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back’s chances of early release from prison.
A Nevada jury convicted Simpson in 2008 on charges which include kidnapping and armed robbery and sentenced him to 33 years in prison with the chance of parole after nine years. He’ll appear before the Nevada Board of Parole on Thursday, with the opportunity to gain parole and be released from prison on Oct. 1 at stake.
McCann and Wetheim first cited the fact Nevada grants parole in around half the cases it hears involving male inmates when arriving at their conclusion. They then referenced Thomas Patton, a former chairman of Nevada’s parole board, who described the review system the board likely will use to determine whether to release Simpson. They examine the board’s 11 objective factors and issue a score to determine the danger an inmate might pose to society if released.
Those factors are: age at the time of first arrest; prior probation or parole revocations; employment history immediately before arrest; offense leading to current or prior convictions; history of drug or alcohol abuse; gender; current age; active gang membership; completed education, vocational or treatment program during prison term; disciplinary write-ups; custody level.
By all accounts, Simpson has been a model prisoner at Lovelock Correctional Center, and McCann and Wetheim figure he’ll comfortably receive a low-risk score from the parole board.
If that is the case, the United States’ most famous inmate can start counting the days until he leaves prison.
Read SI’s full analysis of Simpson’s parole chances >>
Thumbnail photo via YouTube/CBS This Morning
