O.J. Simpson was granted parole on Thursday and will be released from prison in October following an emotional hearing that centered on the botched armed robbery of his own mementos at a Las Vegas hotel that landed him behind bars for nine years.

A four-member panel of the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners voted unanimously to release the 70-year-old former football star turned TV pitch man and actor, now best remembered as the defendant in a sensational double-murder trial that gripped America two decades ago.

Women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred watched the parole hearing from her office in Los Angeles. In 1995 Allred represented Nicole Brown Simpson’s family during O.J. Simpson’s murder trial. She said the decision to grant Simpson parole demonstrated a need for legal reforms.

Attorney Gloria Allred said:”The parole of O.J. Simpson just demonstrates that there is a need to change the law in Nevada and in many other states as well. This parole cries out for reform of the law.”

“Mr. Simpson explained his criminal conduct that was before the board in this case at one point saying he was upset, he wanted to get his family photos back. Well the family of Nicole Brown Simpson will never be able to have Nicole Brown Simpson back. Forget the photo, they won’t have their daughter, their sister, the mother Sydney and Justin back, ever. Where’s Mr. Simpson’s remorse for that.” She said.

Among reasons the commissioners gave for their parole decision was that Simpson had complied with prison rules during his incarceration, had no prior criminal convictions and posed a minimal safety risk to the public.

Despite previous murder charges against Simpson, commissioners did not challenge his assertion that he had spent a largely conflict-free life and had always been “pretty good to people.”