O.J. Simpson Released From Prison

O.J. Simpson has been released from prison after serving nine years for armed robbery and other charges.

Simpson was released at 12:08 a.m. local time Sunday from the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada.

The overnight release was "in an effort to ensure public safety and reduce the potential for incident," the Nevada Department of Corrections said on its Facebook page.

A driver met Simpson as he left the prison, according to The Associated Press. But prison officials told the wire service they had no indication who it was who picked him up or where Simpson was headed.

A parole panel granted him parole by unanimous vote in July. Sunday, Oct. 1, is the first day Simpson was eligible for release.

NPR's Ina Jaffe outlined what happened when Simpson was convicted in 2008:

"[H]e was convicted of a botched 2007 burglary in a cheap Las Vegas hotel. Along with a handful of accomplices, the former star broke into the room of a couple of sports memorabilia dealers. They had some items that Simpson believed belonged to him and that he wanted back. A couple of guys with Simpson brought guns.

Simpson was later convicted on 12 criminal counts including armed robbery, kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to nine to 33 years."

Simpson told the parole board he had been a model prisoner during his time there.

Now 70 years old, Simpson rose to prominence as a Heisman Trophy winner in college and later NFL player, making the Hall of Fame. He became an actor, known for his goofy character in the Naked Gun movies, and appearances in commercials.

Simpson was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife and her friend in 1995 in one of the most high-profile criminal trials in history.

He will be under parole supervision for up to five years, and plans to live in Florida, where two of his children live, the AP reports.

Copyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.