Why OJ Simpson's Likely To Be A Free Man After Parole Hearing

O.J. Simpson could be a free man after Thursday's televised court hearing in Nevada, where four parole board commissioners will determine his fate, according to CBS News. Simpson is reportedly nearing the nine-year minimum of his 35-year maximum prison sentence.

Simpson was convicted in 2007 of armed robbery, kidnapping and burglary, among other charges. He claimed it was an attempt to reacquire sports memorabilia, according to E! Online. The charges followed the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, for which Simpson was initially charged. He was later acquitted of all charges in a criminal case that became a widely publicized phenomenon in American culture.

Will Simpson get out early? His low-profile life upon entering prison and good behavior throughout his imprisonment are possible indicators that he will be freed after Thursday's hearing.

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Since his arrival at Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada, Simpson has reportedly remained under the radar as a "model prisoner," according to defense attorney Yale Galanter. Galanter, who represented Simpson during his 2008 trial, explained the qualifications for parole in Nevada to USA Today Saturday and how it will affect Simpson.

"He's going to get parole," Galanter told USA Today. "Parole in the state of Nevada is really based on how you behave in prison, and by all accounts, he's been a model prisoner. There are no absolutes anytime you're dealing with administrative boards, but this is as close to a non-personal decision as you can get."

Galanter added that it's "based on points," including the likelihood that the inmate will commit another crime as well as total time served.

Jeffery Felix is a retired Nevada prison guard that befriended Simpson during his time at the Nevada penitentiary. Felix, who did not immediately return International Business Times' request for comment, told ABC News in 2016 that the former athlete "thinks that Nevada's making up for California and that because California couldn't convict him for the murders, that they convicted him on some B.S. charges."

However, according to CBS News, the parole board is prohibited from using Simpson's murder trial to make their decision at Thursday's hearing, which will likely benefit Simpson. The severity of his crime, behavior behind bars and prior convictions will be taken into consideration, among related factors noted within Nevada's parole guidelines.

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While many legal experts believe Simpson's likely to receive parole, Felix told Inside Edition July 14 that the media hype could hurt his chances at receiving freedom, saying that "OJ just feels that the media is working against him and the hype is working against him...he doesn't like the drama."

Felix added, "OJ's under a lot of stress. His freedom is on the line."

Simpson did benefit from media buzz surrounding his 1994 murder trial, with many people supporting his plea of innocence. However, with several pop culture interpretations of the story, such as FX's "The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," the conversation has shifted.

The four parole board commissioners will deliberate in private, according to Nevada law, and deliberations will remain confidential. Commissioners are required to reach a unanimous decision, but two additional commissioners will review the case if a decision can't be determined. Simpson, who will testify at the hearing, reportedly elected to have a number of his sentences aggregated into a single term (i.e. the use of a weapon to aid his robbery).

If granted parole, Simpson won't be released from Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada until or after October 1, 2017.

A representative for Nevada's Parole Board did not immediately return IBT request for comment.