O.J. Simpson has made his case for freedom.
Presenting himself as a family man who has missed dozens of his children’s birthdays while he’s been behind bars and a devout Christian who has “basically spent a conflict-free life,” he pleaded his case Thursday before four members of the Nevada Board of Parole.
The board pointedly asked him why he had participated in the 2008 armed robbery in a Las Vegas hotel room and seemed to be looking for signs of contrition from the former football star and TV pitchman — but it took Simpson more than an hour to finally utter “I’m sorry.”
What were you thinking?” commissioner Tony Corda asked Simpson, to which Simpson gave a long-winded, combative response, claiming he was just trying to get sports memorabilia that belonged to him.
An hour and five minutes into the hearing that was only expected to last 15 minutes, a more remorseful Simpson apologized.
“I’ve done my time. I’d just like to get back to my family and friends,” he said. “I’m sorry it happened. I’m sorry to Nevada … I thought I was glad to get my stuff back, but it wasn’t worth it.”
With the hearing now over, commissioners are deliberating for an anticipated 20 to 30 minutes before returning to vote.
The board listened from Carson City, while Simpson appeared via video conference from two hours away at Lovelock Correctional Center, the isolated medium-security facility northeast of Reno that he has called home for nearly nine years.
The hearing gave the public a rare opportunity to see one of America’s most well-known inmates since his conviction.
It began with Simpson, with his attorney Malcolm Lavergne seated next to him, answering basic questions, such as his inmate number. A gaffe by Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners chairman Connie Bisbee concerning Simpson’s age sent ripples of laughter through the hearing.
“We have that you are currently, well, very recently, turned 90 years old,” Bisbee told the 70-year-old Simpson.
“Ninety — I’m sorry about that. You look great for 90!” she quipped before correcting herself.
In a nod to the media frenzy happening outside, Bisbee said Simpson would be getting a fair chance at parole.
“Mr. Simpson, you are getting the same hearing as everyone else gets. I want to make that clear from the get-go,” she said.