O.J. Simpson Requests Nevada Bail Hearing Pending Appeal
O.J. Simpson, who’s currently serving out his prison sentence for kidnapping, robbery and assault, has recently asked the Nevada Supreme Court to grant him release on bail while he seeks an appeal. On August 3rd, a three-justice panel in Las Vegas will preside over a bail hearing to hear Simpson’s arguments.
A bail hearing is where the defendant goes before the court to ask for an O.R. release (own recognizance) or a reduction in their bail amount. In determining whether to grant release, the judges then consider whether the defendant either:
- poses a flight risk, and/or
- presents a danger to the community or himself.
Predictably, defendants are more likely to be granted Las Vegas bail release if they have no history of violent behavior, no other criminal record, and sturdy community ties in Nevada. (Las Vegas bail rules usually permit for the bail money to be ultimately returned to the defendant, even after a guilty verdict.)
In Simpson’s case, his lawyers argue that Judge Jackie Glass, who presided over his criminal trial, never specifically found that Simpson was a flight risk or public danger. But the district attorney argues that the length of his sentence (a maximum 33 years) as well as his own 2008 admission that he ignored a court order prohibiting him from contacting co-defendants, weigh against his favor. If Simpson is granted release on bail in Las Vegas, his lawyers have promised that he would abide by any rules or regulations the Nevada Supreme Court sets out for him.
