O.J. Simpson was granted parole, and could be out of prison as early as October 1

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NBC News

On Thursday, the Nevada Parole Board decided to grant imprisoned former football star O.J. Simpson parole. If all goes smoothly, 70-year-old Simpson will be released as early as October 1 from the Nevada prison where he's served more than eight years for armed robbery and kidnapping.

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Here's what you need to know about Simpson's imprisonment:

Simpson was convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping in October 2008 for his part in a September 2007 crime committed in a Las Vegas casino hotel.

Simpson and five accomplices held two men at gunpoint in a confrontation over sports memorabilia and personal items, which Simpson claimed had been stolen from him. Though Simpson insisted he didn't know anyone was armed in the crime, he was eventually convicted of several weapons charges.

Four of the six men involved in the crime plead guilty and testified in the trial. Simpson and his friend, Clarence "CJ" Stewart, were later both found guilty of 12 charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, and conspiracy.

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Simpson faced a potential life sentence, but in December 2008, he was instead sentenced to a minimum of nine years and a maximum of 33 years at the Lovelock Correctional Facility in Lovelock, Nevada.

This all has nothing to do with the famous 1994-1995 trial and subsequent acquittal Simpson had after he was charged with murdering his ex-wife.

This story is developing...

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