O.J. Simpson has a rather long rap sheet
In prison since 2008, O.J. Simpson was granted parole Thursday and will be eligible for release from his Nevada penitentiary in October. The former star running back is currently serving time for a 2007 armed robbery and kidnapping.
Thirteen years prior to his 2008 guilty conviction, Simpson was at the center of the “most publicized” trial in history: People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson. Simpson was found not guilty for murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and and her friend Ron Goldman.
While the 2008 case is the one that landed him in prison and the 1995 case is the one that is most well-known, neither tell the full story of Simpson’s criminal past, which stretches all the way back to his adolescence.
1963/1964: Simpson’s first run-in with the law — though no exact date is available — came when he was just 16. As a member of the youth gang “Persian Warriors,” Simpson was taken to juvenile detention for a weekend. The exact nature of the offense remains murky, too. Simpson says it was for fighting. Friends say it was for stealing beer — petty larceny — for a party. On the scene, Simpson told police his name was Burt Lancaster, per his autobiography.
January 1, 1989: Simpson’s wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, calls the police after being beaten by Simpson. Upon the LAPD’s arrival, Brown Simpson ran toward the cops crying, “He’s going to kill me, he’s going to kill me,” per a police report. It wasn’t the first time the cops had been called to the residence — far from it — and O.J. was confused as to why he was being arrested this time around, calling the beating a “family matter.” Brown Simpson went to the hospital with severe bruising and cuts.
Four months later, Simpson pleaded no contest to spousal abuse. His punishment? A 200-dollar fine, a $500 dollar mandatory donation to a shelter for abused women, 120 hours of community service and two years worth of probation. There was no jail time.
October 25, 1993: O.J. breaks into Nicole’s rental home in Brentwood, Calif., where she lives with her and O.J.’s two kids. Nicole and O.J. divorced in 1992. Nicole calls the police, asking for assistance. One line from Nicole sticks out: “He always comes back.” She stays on the line with the dispatcher until police arrive. The entire call can be heard here.
June 12, 1994: Brown Simpson and Goldman are stabbed to death outside of a condominium. The next day, Simpson is determined to be in Chicago. He flies back to Los Angeles shortly thereafter.
June 17, 1994: The LAPD tell Simpson’s attorney, Robert Shapiro, to surrender Simpson over on first-degree murder charges of both Brown Simpson and Goldman. The deadline is 11 a.m. Shapiro heads to a San Fernando Valley residence, but Simpson leaves shortly thereafter with former teammate Al Cowlings. In the early afternoon, Simpson is declared a fugitive.
At 5 p.m., Shapiro holds a press conference and reads what seems to be a suicide letter from O.J. Less then an hour later, O.J. calls 911 from the famed Ford Bronco and leads the police on a low-speed chase that eventually ends at Simpson’s Brentwood residence. He is taken into custody. The LA Times recounts the entire day here.
October 3, 1995: After over eight months of testimony and evidence presentation, Simpson is found not guilty.
February 4, 1997: In a civil suit, a Los Angeles County Superior Court jury rules that Simpson is liable for Goldman’s death. He is ordered to pay the family $8 million. The jury also finds Simpson guilty of beating Brown Simpson on the night of the murder. Six days later, the same jury rules that he owes $25 million more in punitive damages to the families of the murder victims.
Simpson did not have anywhere near that amount of money. In November 1998, the two parties decided upon a split of the money made by auctioning off Simpson’s sports memorabilia. In February, 1999, the auction of his sports artifacts, including a Heisman Trophy, garnered nearly $400,000 dollars.
September, 2000: Simpson’s girlfriend, Christine Prody, accuses him of stealing from her during a break-in. No charges were filed, but it was one of several times the cops had to respond to Simpson breaking into the house.
December 5, 2000: Simpson gets into a confrontation with a motorist after supposedly running a red light. Jeffrey Pattinson says Simpson berated him and ripped off his glasses. Simpson is arrested on battery and auto-burglary charges.
October 25, 2001: Simpson is acquitted.
December 4, 2001: The FBI, DEA and other officials search Simpson’s home in connection with a drug-smuggling scheme. The team also searches for signs of money laundering and counterfeit satellite equipment. The team confiscates some satellite equipment, but no charges or indictments came of it. Later, a wire tap from the FBI connects Simpson strongly to cocaine.
July 4, 2002: Simpson speeds through a manatee zone on a powerboat. He pays a $130 fine.
July 27 2005: DirecTV wins a civil case against Simpson for signal-stealing, which arose out of the 2001 FBI search. Simpson is ordered to pay $25,000.
September 13, 2007: Simpson is arrested for armed robbery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit a crime. Simpson and a group of men had broken into a Las Vegas hotel room to take memorabilia that Simpson claimed belonged to him.
October 2, 2008: Simpson is found guilty on weaponry, robbery and kidnapping charges.
December 5, 2008: Simpson is sentenced to 33 years in prison with parole after nine years. His team’s appeal in 2009 fails.
July 31, 2013: A Nevada parole board grants Simpson parole on several charges, but he remains in jail based on the weapons charge.
July 20, 2017: A Nevada parole board votes unanimously to grant Simpson parole. He could be released as early as Oct. 1.
More O.J. Simpson coverage from Yahoo Sports:
• O.J. Simpson granted parole, can be freed in October
• Twitter reacts to Nevada parole board’s Simpson decision
• A parole board member heard Simpson’s case wearing a Chiefs tie