Patterico's Pontifications

7/20/2017

O.J. Simpson Granted Parole

Filed under: General — Dana @ 7:55 pm



[guest post by Dana]

This after serving nine years of a nine-to-33 year sentence:

Simpson, convicted of robbery and kidnapping, was granted parole Thursday — a unanimous vote by the four-member Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners reported instantly by national and international media. He could be free as soon as Oct. 1.

His release, too, is unlikely to go unnoticed. The moment Simpson received his fourth and final vote from the Nevada Board of Parole recommending release, he dropped his head, as if to give a quiet cheer of celebration to himself, before responding, “Thank you.”

Simpson was also asked what he thought life outside might be like:

The former USC and NFL star running back shrugged it off like a tackler who had taken a bad angle on him. “I’ve been recognized since I was 19,” he said. “I’ve dealt with it my whole life.”

Simpson told the board he wanted to be with his family after missing birthdays and graduations. When it was suggested he might have a webcast or blog once he’s out, he shook his head. Not interested.

That’s probably a good thing because some in the entertainment industry have already explained why they don’t think he should work in Hollywood again:

Giving Simpson a slick reality show or some other lucrative vehicle that allows him to make money while rehabilitating his image would be one more example of the media — more specifically, the entertainment industry — getting it wrong. Making O.J. the center of a new story and telling it from his point of view would, inevitably, make him sympathetic to some. Point of view is a powerful tool, and storytellers taking up O.J.’s cause, whatever the environment, would not hard-pressed to resist a redemption narrative. But that tendency would have the unfortunate effect of minimize and possibly even de-legitimize those who think his troubled past — which was not, as he claimed at the hearing, free of violence — is problematic in the extreme.

America loves second chances, but this one has far too many queasy elements to make it work.

It’s just as well. Simpson would then have time to pursue the real killer of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman.

In reading about today’s hearing, I was struck by how many people, along with myself, remember exactly where they were in 1994 as they watched a bizarre drama unfold on television with O.J. Simpson in the backseat of a white Ford Bronco and the driver leading the police on a nearly 50 mile chase from Orange County to Los Angeles.

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

50 Responses to “O.J. Simpson Granted Parole”

  1. I remember all the people cheering him on, as if he was doing something heroic.

    Dana (023079)

  2. Meanwhile, back in the real world …

    Jamel Dunn, 32, a handicapped father of 2, drowned on July 9 in Cocoa, Fla, a coastal city east of Orlando. Several teenagers, aged 14 to 16, filmed the incident as they laughed and mocked Dunn, then posted the video to social media. The video, which police called “extremely disturbing,” was found by detectives and handed over to Brevard County State Attorney’s Office, which recently released it to Florida Today.

    “He started to struggle and scream for help and they just laughed. They didn’t call the police. They just laughed the whole time. He was just screaming … for someone to help him,” Yvonne Martinez, spokeswoman for the Cocoa Police Department, told the paper, which posted only audio of the incident. Both the police department and attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    WaPo (paywall)

    Kevin M (752a26)

  3. But that tendency would have the unfortunate effect of minimize and possibly even de-legitimize those who think his troubled past — which was not, as he claimed at the hearing, free of violence — is problematic in the extreme.

    there’s a sentence for you

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  4. Turned off the radio today and ESPN. How can anyone care one iota about this tool?

    On the evening he did his Bronco run, I saw the chase on TV. Figuring it would end bloody, I put the dogs and the pole in the truck and went fishing. I just don’t get the fascination.

    harkin (13f927)

  5. I have some Faulkner over here.

    Kevin M (752a26)

  6. He doesn’t need a reality show or anything else. The tabloids and entertainment media will do it all for him.

    CNN this morning was breathlessly counting down the minutes until they could start broadcasting the hearing, as if that was the only news worth talking about. (I suppose it was, but not for the reason CNN would give.). Need to keep that ad revenue up, and if Donny Jr can’t do it, OJ will.

    kishnevi (050eae)

  7. I do not remember where I was or what I was doing, but it was probably more important to me than OJ’s self-pity tour.

    Kevin M (752a26)

  8. Harkin, for once I am in total agreement with you.

    kishnevi (050eae)

  9. Kevin M.,

    It’s only a paywall if you’ve already read 10 free articles this month.

    It’s a devastating and infuriating story, and the cold, dead hearts of these teenagers Tells us exactly what kind of “adults” they will become.

    The state attorney general’s office said that “While the incident depicted on the recording does not give rise to sufficient evidence to support criminal prosecution under Florida statutes, we can find no moral justification for either the behavior of people heard on the recording or the deliberate decision not to render aid to Mr. Dunn.”

    Dana (023079)

  10. The same people who cheered him on during the chase are the same people who believed him innocent, and likely cheering today. The whole chase thing was a big deal in L.A., if not a bit surreal.

    Dana (023079)

  11. i learned a discovery today

    did you know that “juice” rhymes with “loose”?

    they’re rhymers!

    go ahead say them out loud

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  12. the juice is loose!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  13. the loose juice ate the cous cous with a papoose!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  14. On the evening he did his Bronco run, I saw the chase on TV. Figuring it would end bloody, I put the dogs and the pole in the truck and went fishing. I just don’t get the fascination.

    Can you imagine what the world would be like if he had taken his own life with that loaded gun he allegedly had in the car? Would race relations in America be slightly better? Would our fascination with celebrity be any less today? Would some other juicy storing mixing power, sex, race, and murder have taken center stage instead? Would David Hasselhoff have become a major singing star in this country and might we have a different President today?

    JVW (42615e)

  15. Several teenagers, aged 14 to 16, filmed the incident as they laughed and mocked Dunn, then posted the video to social media.

    I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that few, if any, of the teenagers involved in this situation live in two-parent homes.

    JVW (42615e)

  16. http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2017/07/parents_with_intellectual_disa.html

    Going to be even more fun once the State gets to decide life and death. The State stole their children. Will they put them to death next?

    NJRob (ea8fed)

  17. JVW,

    Sadly, I doubt you’re far off the mark. From the article:

    One of the teens stared ahead while he was questioned while his mother cried next to him,

    Dana (023079)

  18. The same imbeciles who denied logic and evidence TODAY, believe Donald Trump has some sort of connection to a non-existant RUSSIAN collusion to defeat RODHAM.
    People believe what they want. Pooter is a perfect example. Nonsenical tripe.

    GUS (30b6bd)

  19. I wish I had the luxury of fishing that afternoon in 1994…I had to travel up then down Stony Island Ave to Hyde Park in Chicago to pick up my sister from her school after her 8th grade class returned from its class trip. I was seeing all these black people glued to TV’s and I was hoping like hell OJ wasn’t shot by a non black police or sheriff. I was glad to get home and see him surrender.

    urbanleftbehind (847a06)

  20. Harkin, for once I am in total agreement with you.

    You may not agree with this; if Don Lemon interviewed him I would absolutely watch, just for the late 70s PBS “Meeting Of Minds” value.

    I would need liquor though.

    harkin (13f927)

  21. I saw a PUTIN/TRUMP “campaign” bumper sticker today. Millennial, of course.

    Kevin M (752a26)

  22. JVW (42615e) — 7/20/2017 @ 8:28 pm

    Yep, prolly.

    Also, am I the only one who is reminded of the Seinfeld Finale? Not so funny in real life.

    felipe (023cc9)

  23. The same imbeciles who denied logic and evidence TODAY, believe Donald Trump has some sort of connection to a non-existant RUSSIAN collusion to defeat RODHAM.
    People believe what they want. Pooter is a perfect example. Nonsenical tripe.

    If I wanted to create a fictional Trumper to make Trumpers look stupid, I would not create GUS. Because people would accuse me of creating a caricature.

    Sometimes reality is crazier than fiction.

    Patterico (3784a5)

  24. We need ropelight to explain to us how OJ was innocent.

    Conspiracy theorists never change their spots.

    Patterico (3784a5)

  25. No way for OJ to make money from post-release reality TV or other kind of new media. There is a huge judgment against him. He has been able to shelter most of his NFL pension money under ERISA by handling it wisely, but any money he makes on his likeness after he gets out is going to be chased by Ron Goldman’s family.

    shipwreckedcrew (5283f5)

  26. and the driver of the white bronco was…..a Kardashian. And we have been cursed with them ever since. MY house is NO OJ ALL THE TIME.

    SD Harms (84960b)

  27. HotAir points out that during his hearing, Simpson made the rather surprising claim that “Nobody has ever accused me of pulling any weapon on them,” which is technically true since his victims didn’t survive, but wildly misleading and hardly the full truth.

    Can the lawyers here comment on whether this assertion by Simpson would have “opened the door” to discussion of his indictment for murder and responsibility (established in the civil trial) for the deaths, which I guess would otherwise be off-limits (the criminal trial jury’s decision to acquit being the “official” version of the facts, as far as the legal system is concerned)? Does the outcome of the civil trial have any relevance in the parole hearing?

    Dave (711345)

  28. Nothing infruriated me more than the urban legend/crutch that Colombian coke dealers sliced and decided Brown and Golding for OJs drug debts. In Chicago, we are seeing the non lethal version of OJ, R. Kelly play out once again with stories of a sex cult

    urbanleftbehind (ad03c4)

  29. Ok will never be held truly accountable just like voldemort wont or red queen, too many people would be affected

    narciso (d1f714)

  30. I don’t recall where I was for the chase. I remember where I was for the verdict, which was announced at lunchtime for us in the Eastern Time Zone. The verdict was announced unexpectedly quickly, and I recall Johnny Cochran on the TV news that morning, looking visibly worried, as he came back into town.

    Then, at lunchtime, I had some errands to run, so I had the live newsradio on. And the announcer brethlessly telling us the verdict was coming soon. It took a little bit longer than expected. (It always does). And then — the parade of not guiltys. I was already parked at my work’s parking lot, and listedned to the lot. I got out of the car, disgusted. And so did half the people in the parking lot, all shaking their heads, unbelieving that the guy got off.

    Appalled (96665e)

  31. all in all a very good day for OJ

    things are looking up after a very long and dreary period of incarcerate for him

    this speaks to the importance of doing persevere every day

    NG says he looks damn good for 70 too – she saw him on the tv

    i don’t remember where i was for bronco chase or the verdict

    i don’t remember where i was when Kurt Cobain died either

    I remember where i was when Heath died cause of I’d just gotten off a plane and it was on the tv going into baggage claim

    and i can’t even remember the Linkin Park singer’s name

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  32. Cochran on Fuhrman provided the dry brush for another fire. I think riot avoidance played a bigger role than racial solidarity (with the exception of 1 or 2 loumouth jurors) with regard to the verdict.

    urbanleftbehind (ad03c4)

  33. Let’s see what happens with this black thug murdering a white lady.

    nk (dbc370)

  34. 33 – I saw that a few days ago. The same mayor who was praising Noor for being the first Somali-Muslim officer in Minneapolis just for being hired now seems to be having second thoughts.

    He’s not helping his case either:

    “Harrity has given his account of events to investigators, but so far Noor has refused to talk to the BAC.

    Chief Hartman yesterday implored him to do so.

    “I would prefer he would talk — there are questions that need to be answered and only he can answer them,” she said.

    harkin (13f927)

  35. The victim called 911 because she heard a woman scream and it sounded like a sexual assault.
    She went out to talk to the first squad car which showed up and the cop in the passenger seat gunned her down, shooting across his partner, and through the window.
    If you or I had done that, we would now locked up without bail, charged with capital murder of a witness to a crime.
    The non-shooting cop, a one-year rookie, said that they were startled by a loud noise. Yeah, right. If I were investigating this, I’d want to know where that squad car was when the lady heard the scream (which can be approximated close enough from the 911 call). And if the police chief says the GPS locator in the car was also turned off, like the cameras, she should be locked up too.

    nk (dbc370)

  36. #24, Patterico, apparently you don’t know me at all. I’m convinced OJ murdered Nicole and Ron Goldman, have been from day one, never wavered, not for a nanosecond.

    Although I don’t recall any specific comment (I plead age and alcohol) I’ll wager I’m on-record here unwaveringly pointing the finger at OJ multiple times.

    I’ll leave it in your capable hands, if you can find an example of me defending OJ, I’ll send you enough alligator for a family supper.

    ropelight (a7d89c)

  37. Off-topic, but a small dose of good news:

    Media Research Center has withdrawn the William F. Buckley Award for Media Excellence that Sean Hannity was slated to receive this year.

    Dave (711345)

  38. William F. Buckley lol

    his legacy is a handful of warm poopies cradled lovingly by Jonah Goldberg

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  39. 36 – he could just substitute “how OJ was innocent” with “how Cochran bribed Ito” and then the theme would be preserved.

    But if he did that, he would be changing his spots.

    harkin (13f927)

  40. #39, harkin, Cochran didn’t need to bribe Judge Ito, it was completely unnecessary to spend good money to get Ito to do something he had already demonstrated his full intention to do for free.

    ropelight (a7d89c)

  41. A dose of actual good news:

    “The Democratic National Committee is struggling to win elections–they’re also $3.3 million in debt…….

    …….The DNC’s fundraising woes may be tied to their inability to communicate an effective message. According to a recent poll, 52 percent of Americans believe the Democratic Party doesn’t stand for anything–rather, they only stand against Trump

    http://amp.dailycaller.com/2017/07/21/dnc-finished-last-month-3-3-million-in-debt/

    It’s not just citizens finally waking up to the party of nothing except free stuff and open borders. When Hillary was defeated they also lost use of the big American Express Card with the name John & Jane Taxpayer on it. All sorts of federal money from grants and contracts was somehow finding its way to the DNC.

    harkin (13f927)

  42. Intention might be a strong word. Capability or lack thereof would be better. He was just plain overmatched and the prosecutors were saddled with some B-team performers.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  43. Harkin, Cochran didn’t need to bribe Judge Ito,”

    Didn’t say he did, was trying to make a point.

    My favorite story about Judge Ito was from some lawyer who knew him. They were in Ito’s office on an off day during the trial and the judge was commenting on the media storm and all of a sudden being what amounted to a world famous celebrity.

    He said something along the lines of “but this makes it all worth it” and pulled out of desk an autographed photo of………..Arsenio Hall.

    At that moment I think I really lost all faith in the trial being anything other than a circus.

    harkin (13f927)

  44. All sorts of federal money from grants and contracts was somehow finding its way to the DNC.

    That sounds like something a hyper-competent and focused administration, staffed by the best people and led by the greatest manager who ever lived, would want to investigate and prosecute.

    If it were true.

    Dave (711345)

  45. Its good news in the interim, that is until a much larger R party splits in two and those two have an expansion draft of the D detritus. It is apt that the last hope may have been a man named Bernie who shares his name with a famous corpse.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  46. #42, ulb, the fix was in when the District Attorney ‘inexplicably’ moved the trial from the jurisdiction where the murders were committed (Santa Monica) to downtown LA, which assured the jury pool would be drawn from a largely minority population overtly sympathetic to the very popular football hero.

    The only possibility OJ wasn’t going to walk was if he confessed on the stand and threw himself on the mercy of the court, and even then a conviction was far from a sure thing.

    ropelight (a7d89c)

  47. Arcenio may seem like an odd name for a black man till you realize it’s Greek for LeRoy.

    ropelight (a7d89c)

  48. 47 – I knew Leroy meant “the king” but Google tells me Arsenio/Arcenio means “strong/virile”.

    harkin (536957)

  49. #24, Patterico, apparently you don’t know me at all. I’m convinced OJ murdered Nicole and Ron Goldman, have been from day one, never wavered, not for a nanosecond.

    Although I don’t recall any specific comment (I plead age and alcohol) I’ll wager I’m on-record here unwaveringly pointing the finger at OJ multiple times.

    I’ll leave it in your capable hands, if you can find an example of me defending OJ, I’ll send you enough alligator for a family supper.

    Apparently I owe you an apology. I was operating from memory and obviously had you confused with someone else. I think I might know who, but having falsely accused you (ropelight: “an innocent man, falsely accused”! Does the phrase sound familiar?), I don’t want to do the same to anyone else without researching it first.

    My sincere apologies to you.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  50. 47 & 48. ropelight is showing his age. That’s a joke Arsenio Hall, himself, made about his name in his stand-up routine way back when.

    nk (dbc370)


Powered by WordPress.

Page loaded in: 0.0998 secs.