Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson

O.J. Simpson is a man of many hats -- retired professional football player, commercial spokesman, business owner, actor and convicted felon. The latter of those personas has caused him to go from "hero" to "zero" in recent years.

Simpson's downfall dates back to 1989, when he separated from his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and pled no contest to a domestic violence charge. Roughly five years later, on June 12, 1994, Nicole and a friend, Ronald Goldman, were found dead outside Brown's condominium. Simpson was arrested and charged with the murders, in what became one of the most widely publicized criminal cases in American history. The case went to trial; on Oct. 3, 1995, a jury found Simpson "not guilty" of committing the murders. Although Simpson did was found not guilty of the felony, he was not as lucky when the case went to civil trial for wrongful death, where he was found liable. As a result of that ruling, Simpson was ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages to the families of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman.
Simpson has continued to make headlines in recent years, including his involvement in a book entitled If I Did It, along with alleged confessions, which were published in a book by Simpson's former friend, Mike Gilbert.
The most recent downfall for Simpson came in September 2007, when he and three other men went to a hotel-casino in Nevada and took sports memorabilia at gunpoint. Simpson later told the police that he was only retrieving stolen items; however investigators disagreed with that story, and Simpson was arrested and charged with multiple felony counts, including kidnapping, assault, robbery, criminal conspiracy and using a deadly weapon.
Simpson pled not guilty to the charges; however, his lackluster defense did little to sway the jury, and, on Oct. 10, 2008, he was found guilty on all counts.
The sentencing aspect of the case took place Dec. 5, 2008. Prior to sentencing, Simpson addressed the court, apologizing for his actions.
"In no way did I mean to hurt anybody and to steal anything from anyone," Simpson said. "I didn’t think that I was doing anything illegal.  I thought I was retrieving my things. So I am sorry."
In sentencing Simpson, Clark County District Court Judge Jackie Glass said that it was against the law in the state of Nevada to take back property by force.
"It's much more than stupidity," Glass said. "You went to the room took guns, meaning you and the group, you used force, you took property whether yours or someone else's. That amounts to robbery."
Glass sentenced Simpson to a total of 33 years in prison. Simpson will have to serve at least nine years behind bars before he is eligible for parole.
Simpson's lead attorney, Yale Galanter, is appealing the conviction.