Disgraced American football star O.J. Simpson, whose racially charged 1995 murder trial riveted the nation, was released from jail on parole early Sunday after nine years behind bars for armed robbery.
Simpson, 70, left the Lovelock Correctional Center in the western state of Nevada just after midnight local time, prison spokesperson Brooke Keast said. “I don't know where he was headed,” Keast told AFP.
Simpson was granted parole at a hearing in July and his earliest release date was set for October 1, but he had widely been expected to be freed no earlier than Monday. Why the early release? “To ensure public safety and avoid possible incident,” Keast said, commenting on Simpson's release at eight minutes past midnight (0708 GMT Sunday). Simpson plans to relocate to Florida following his release from the medium-security prison where he has been serving his sentence, Malcolm LaVergne, his lawyer, said. - AFP
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