From the “Trial of the Century,” to the acquittal on murder charges to an incident in a Las Vegas hotel room, people across America and around the world have never seemed to lose interest in O.J. Simpson.
Another chapter in the life of the former NFL superstar, actor and pitchman will play out Thursday in Nevada, where Simpson will go before a parole board to make the case that he has served enough time in prison.
Simpson, who turned 70 last week, is eight years into serving a 33-year prison term on charges stemming from a 2008 incident in a Las Vegas hotel room. Simpson was charged with armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, when he and four other men tried to retrieve some of his sports memorabilia Simpson claimed was stolen from him.
Simpson is expected to make the case that he has been a model prisoner, receiving no demerits in the time he has been incarcerated.
Media outlets from The Associated Press to CNN to Fox News have been granted permission to cover the hearing live, and most cable channels and at least two national networks plan to break into programing for the proceedings.
Sports network ESPN will also cover the hearing, providing a live feed from the hearing room. "The fascination with the life of this former football star, famous actor, and felon - has not waned in half a century," Craig Bengtson, an ESPN vice president and director of news, said in a press release. "We need to see how the final chapters in the story of O.J. Simpson play out."
According to the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners, Simpson's hearing will be open to the public. Simpson is incarcerated at Lovelock Correctional Center. The prison is 439 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
The hearing begins at 10 a.m. local time, 1 p.m. ET. A decision should come shortly after the hearing. If Simpson is paroled, he will not leave prison before October 1.
The four other men, who went with Simpson to a hotel room to retrieve from two memorabilia dealers sports collectibles and personal items that the former football star said belonged to him, took plea deals in the heist and received probation.
Two of those men testified that they carried guns. Another who stood trial with Simpson was convicted and served 27 months before the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that Simpson's fame tainted the jury. Simpson's conviction was upheld.
Come back here on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET for live updates from Simpson’s hearing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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