Body Language Analysis No. 4005: O.J. Simpson's Parole Board Hearing - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Earlier today, O.J. Simpson was granted Parole after a hearing. He's been in prison for approximately nine years. His expected release date is 1 October 2017.

The full video of Mr. Simpson's Parole Board hearing is included above. Body language analysis of two particularly illustrative moments is included below.

As the Chairperson of the Nevada Parole Board, Connie Bisbee, reads off the list of his convictions, Mr. Simpson makes many rapid and rather hyperbolic facial expressions. One of these displays is captured in the image above during 5:53 after Simpson:

• Partially closed his eyelids with significant tension in his lower lids
• Lowered his eyebrows
• Contracted his eyebrows closer together 
• Looked rapidly up to his left, then up to his right, and back up to his left
• Rapidly pulled his head, neck, shoulders, and torso backward 
• Rapidly shakes his head side-to-side
• Mumbles to himself 

These accusations are not new him. His expression of surprise-bewilderment is feigned - and is poorly performed. When I watched this display, I was immediately reminded of the quote from Hamlet (apologies to William Shakespeare), "The gentleman doth protests too much, methinks".

Another nonverbally interesting moment appears just after Commissioner Tony Corda asks Mr. Simpson (beginning at 21:51), "So you believe that the property was yours?"

O.J. responds, "It's been ruled, legally, by the State of California that it was my property and they've given it to me. I have it."

As he answers, Simpson leans forward toward, his eyelids grow tense, he elevates the volume of the volume of his voice, and bares his teeth (as he says, "legally" during 21:56-21:57), and displays a "Self-Righteous Head Wiggle" (aka "High-Confidence Head Wiggle") as he says, "that it was my property".

Now, of course, O.J. Simpson may very well be 100% legally correct in what he's saying, but the manner and the context in which he's saying it is not at all consistent with a person who's trying to develop rapport with his parole board.

Summary: During his Parole Board Hearing earlier today, O.J. Simpson exhibited significant signals strongly suggesting he has a problem with impulse control.


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See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4004: US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher asks NASA scientist about Civilizations on Mars

Body Language Analysis No. 4002: Justin Trudeau Meets His Namesake

Body Language Analysis No. 4000: Garbiñe Muguruza, Wimbledon, and Sincerity

Body Language Analysis No. 3998: Donald Trump's "Bait and Switch" Handshake-Hug with Brigette Macron

Body Language Analysis No. 3995: Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron, and the G20 Group Photo

Body Language Analysis No. 3990: Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, The G20, and Default Expressions

Body Language Analysis No. 3982: Bangkok Police Officer's De-Escalation Genius

Body Language Analysis No. 3955: Jeff Sessions, Russia, and Sergey Kislyak

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3917: American Airlines Stroller Incident - Anger, Contempt and Escalation (vs. Deescalation)


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2400: One Way Deception Could be Minimized in the Court Room - O.J. Simpson's in Court

In his prime, O.J. Simpson was 6'2" (188 cm), and although he's probably a bit shorter now at 65 years old, he is still considerably taller than average yet the witness stand in covers most of his body (in front and left side up to his mid-chest level and on his right side, facing the Judge, up to the level of his shoulder). The structure and exact dimensions of witness stands varies somewhat throughout the U.S. and of course in other countries. It would behoove the legal system to construct witness stands such that they afford a 360 degree unobstructed view of anyone who testifies.

There is a substantial increase in the ability of a witness (or anyone) to tell a convincing lie the more he/she is covered - as is O.J.. However if those bearing witness were even considering telling a lie, they would be much less likely to attempt to do so if the witness stand offered an unencumbered view of them. Moreover the juries (whom almost never have had any nonverbal communication training) are much more likely to detect perjury if they had such a clear view of the witness.

What if O.J. were a 5'1" (155 cm) woman? Even accounting for height adjustment on a chair, we would see even less of such a witness.

In this brief video segment, O.J. Simpson's hands are visible only once. If most of his statements were true we should see his hands making such "illustrators" more often. Moreover we miss valuable information (again, even from the untrained observer's point of view) when we cannot see what the witnesses hands are doing at other times. A complete view of the entire individual would best engender honesty in court room. This is a scientific certainty - so why then is it not standard practice?

What other signals of deception and/or anxiety do you see in this video?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2310:  Oscar Pistorius' Body Language in Court - Part II  Central Forehead Contraction, Frown & Pupil Dilation ....

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2307:  Oscar Pistorius in Court, Body Language and the Bilateral Eye Cover 

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1522:  False Mastication in Court - Alicia DeBolt and  Adam Longoria

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2320:  Estonian Skier Andrus Veerpalu  Denies Performance Enhancing Drugs - What his Body Language Tells Us

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2394:  Three Brothers from Cleveland  Onil, Pedro and Ariel Castro -  Kidnapping, Innocence, Guilt & Body Language

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