After serving nine years for a Las Vegas kidnapping and armed robbery, an upbeat O.J. Simpson walked out of a Nevada prison with little fanfare early Sunday to start a new life as a parolee.
The former NFL star left prison shortly after midnight local time, and was picked up by a friend, according to Brooke Keast , a spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Corrections.
“I told him, ‘Don’t come back,’ and he responded, ‘I don’t intend to,’ ” she said. “He was upbeat, personable and seemed happy to get on with his life.”
Unlike previous instances, where controversy followed wherever he went, Simpson was released in the middle of the night to avoid media attention.
“Our biggest concern was our safety and the public’s safety and not wanting anybody, paparazzi, to follow him,” Keast said.
“He left through a big blue door through the front gatehouse and exited quietly. He looked down because he didn’t want to be photographed.”
Meeting with parole officer
Before his release, prison officials did an inventory of what he wanted to take with him or leave behind. He walked out of prison with paperwork and “three or four boxes about the size of a microwave,” according to Keast.
Inside the boxes were items such as a hot plate, clothing and shower shoes, she said.
Simpson also met with one person who’ll become a fixture in his after-prison life: his parole officer.
“They went over what he needs for parole and where he needs to check in, what he should do to get a driver’s license, et cetera (and) instructions on what to do once he’s out there,” Keast said.
‘He’s not going to hide’
The Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners voted unanimously in July to release Simpson after he served nine years of a 33-year sentence for armed robbery and kidnapping.
During that robbery in 2007, he was part of a group that raided a hotel and casino to steal sports memorabilia at gunpoint. Simpson, a former player for the Buffalo Bills, said the items belonged to him.
Now that he’s out of prison, those who know him are not expecting him to become a recluse.
“He’s not going to hide,” said longtime friend Tom Scotto, who attended Simpson’s parole hearing this summer.
Simpson plans to move to Florida later. But for now, he’ll live in a gated residence with unspecified friends in a wealthy Las Vegas suburb, several associates told CNN.
“He’s going to focus on kids, friends, his family and golf,” Scotto said. “Maybe not the first day or second, but he is going to go out.”
Simpson’s children live in various states, with two in the Tampa Bay area in Florida, one in Los Angeles and another in Georgia.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote a letter to Florida’s Department of Corrections on Friday saying she did not want Simpson to move to her state and asking them to “notify all appropriate authorities of the State of Nevada that the State of Florida objects to the granting of such permission.”
But Simpson lawyer Malcolm LaVergne lambasted Bondi over the letter, accusing her of exploiting the issue to score political points ahead of elections.
“One hundred percent Mr. Simpson will be able to move to Florida,” he said Sunday. “She doesn’t have jurisdiction over his move.”
But Shawn Arruti, spokesman for Nevada Parole and Probation, said it’s not a sure thing.
“Interstate compact is not a guaranteed thing,” he said after Simpson’s parole hearing in July, referring to an agreement between two states. “Interstate compact is a privilege, but it’s a privilege based on meeting certain criteria. And Florida, when they do their investigation, they’ll make the determination of whether or not they’re going to be willing to accept his case. ”
No drugs, no alcohol
As a parolee, Simpson will have to meet a number of conditions set by the Nevada parole board.
While out of prison, he won’t have the liberty to consume alcohol in large quantities or hang out with ex-convicts. The Nevada parole board forbids parolees from associating with convicted felons and people who engage in criminal activity, or possessing guns and drugs. Alcohol abuse can get a parolee hauled back to prison.
“You are permitted to consume alcoholic beverages but not in excess,” the conditions of parole supervision read.
“You shall submit to a medically recognized test for blood/breath content. Test results of .08 alcohol or higher shall be sufficient proof of excess.”
Simpson received a bad score on his parole risk assessment guideline in the drug/alcohol abuse category, with the document citing him for “frequent abuse, serious disruption of functioning.”
He testified that he had been drinking alcohol the day of the raid on memorabilia dealers that led to his arrest and conviction.
OdumoduBlvck recently praised Mavin Records founder Don Jazzy in an interview with Beats FM.
The rapper discussed his latest project, “Nothing Changed,” a collaborative effort with the Anti-World Gangsters crew. The album features Don Jazzy on the track “Asampete.”
OdumoduBlvck revealed that after recording “Asampete,” he felt the song would benefit from Don Jazzy’s contribution. When approached, Don Jazzy readily agreed to the request.
During their meeting, Don Jazzy not only added his vocals to the song but also surprised OdumoduBlvck with a generous gift of $10,000.
Impressively, Don Jazzy declined any royalties for his contribution to the track.
“When I went to his house to get his vocals, he gave me $10,000 and even my friend was asking me why he gave me such a huge amount of money,” he narrated in the interview.
OdumoduBlvck further praised Don Jazzy, describing him as the most original personality in the Nigerian music industry and a true icon.
“There’s nobody more original than Don Jazzy…The way the younger artists look up to Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, and Olamide today is how they used to look up to Don Jazzy”.
OdumoduBlvck’s praise for Don Jazzy’s generosity and influence on the Nigerian music industry echoes sentiments expressed by numerous artists whose careers have been shaped by the Mavin Records boss.
Four-time Grammy nominee Davido has credited Don Jazzy and D’banj’s flamboyant lifestyle for inspiring him to relocate to Nigeria and pursue his musical aspirations.
Don Jazzy’s philanthropic endeavours also continue to make headlines. Recently, he donated a substantial sum of 100 million naira to Very Dark Man’s charity.
Nigerian actress and evangelist Eucharia Anunobi shared a compelling message about self-empowerment through her Instagram platform on December 19, 2024.
The Nollywood veteran directly addressed her followers in a social media post, urging them to break free from seeking external validation.
Anunobi, known for her influential roles in the Nigerian film industry, stressed that individuals should cultivate a strong sense of self-worth independent of others’ opinions.
The acclaimed actress articulated that personal growth and fulfilment stem from embracing one’s authentic self rather than conforming to societal expectations or public judgment.
In the video posted, Eucharia Anunobi enquired, “Why do you want everyone to like you? Even ice cream isn’t liked by everyone, come on.”Her post caption read,
“Seeking to be liked by all is a sign that you are emotionally and spiritually imbalanced! Some people will hate you because to hate is what gives them joy!! Because they are genetically wicked!!! So get used to not being liked!!!!1 John 5:19.”
The actress’s post ignited a flurry of reactions in her comment section, with followers expressing support and sharing their personal reflections.
Actress Sola Sobowale commented simply, “Fact.”
Other followers shared their thoughts, with one writing, “Anyone who is always seeking validation from the public whenever he or she does something, just know say that person no clear 💯.”
“Caring what people think about you is natural. Letting it drive your behaviours and keep you from doing things you believe in is usually a sign of,” said another person.
Another Instagram user shed more light on the issue, saying,
“codependency conditioning. The core belief in codependency is: what people think of me defines what I think of me. My mother always said, “Your opinion of me is none of my business.” It can get real exhausting perceiving yourself through the eyes of others. No matter how pure your intention, you cannot control how people receive you. Give others the freedom to perceive you as they wish, for it’s merely a reflection of themselves and not your reality. Never mind who sees you. Do you see you?”
“I don’t like people who wanna be liked by everyone, just do you and move on,”
“Thisss ,it’s okay to be a bad person in another persons story ,Only God is PERFECT 👍”
Former BBNaija star and content creator Elozonam revealed how Nigeria’s “japa” syndrome—where individuals emigrate in search of better opportunities abroad—has impacted his personal relationships, especially with friends and family.
During a conversation on the Uncoloured Podcast, hosted by fellow BBNaija alum Venita, Elozonam candidly shared how his twin brother’s relocation has significantly altered their once-close dynamic.
“For my twin brother and I, being twins, we naturally used to argue a lot,” Elozonam said. “But after he left, there was nothing to fight about. Now I have to consciously reach out to him because there are days or weeks when I don’t hear from him. It’s frustrating, but I understand that everyone has to do what they need to survive and build a better life.”
Elozonam reflected on how the japa wave has reshaped his social circle. He traced the trend back to 2018 when his former boss moved abroad with his family.
“That seemed to open the floodgates,” he said. “Since then, people have been leaving one after the other. It’s exhausting. You become hesitant to form new friendships because you don’t know if they’ll just up and leave tomorrow.”
He expressed deep frustration about Nigeria’s deteriorating economy and infrastructure. He acknowledged that unemployment, insecurity, and poor living conditions push many Nigerians to seek better opportunities in other countries.
“Between 2018 and 2024, I’ve seen so many people leave. Nigeria isn’t improving, and everyone wants a better future. It’s hard to blame them, but it’s also hard for those of us left behind.”
Watch the interview below.
“…you’re now too wary of making new friends. Nigeria is not getting any better. We all know this”
Elozonam speaks about living in a different country from his twin brother and the downsides of japa. pic.twitter.com/zc7KMuLcdX