DR. WILLIAM FLYNN IS considered an expert in criminal behavior and is also a criminal psychologist. Dr. Flynn normally testifies on behalf of the criminal defense.
When I first spoke with Dr. Flynn, he agreed to review Jason Simpson’s medical and psychiatric records and talk to those who knew Jason, before rendering his psychological profile. Dr. Flynn said, “I will base my findings on all the evidence. My report may not come to the conclusion that you want, Mr. Dear, but that is the only way I am going to become involved.”
I assured Dr. Flynn that was all I wanted.
“I would like to interview Jason and O.J. Simpson, so if you will fax me phone numbers and addresses along with the same for Jason’s friends and associates, it would be helpful.”
Two weeks later, Dr. Flynn called and said he had completed his findings and his report was complete even though he was unable to talk to Jason or his father, O. J.
I made an appointment to visit with Dr. William Flynn on April 20, 2006. I arrived around 3 pm.
Dr. Flynn handed me a copy of his report on Jason. He had another copy in his hand and began to read from it out loud: “Mr. Dear, you have asked me to give an expert opinion on the risk of violence, such as murder, from Jason Lamar Simpson. Because the best research on violence is able to predict violent acts following release from psychiatric hospitals, and recent research is also able to predict violence following convictions for violent crimes, I have reviewed Jason Simpson’s hospital records from mental institutions, and I have reviewed Jason Simpson’s criminal record.
“According to records from St. John’s Hospital, Jason Simpson was admitted to the emergency room in 1984 (age fourteen) for grand mal seizures secondary to a cocaine overdose. In 1991, Jason was admitted to the mental health unit for Major Depression with a suicide attempt.
“According to legal and criminal records, Jason Simpson has been convicted of: Driving under the influence/drugs in vehicle (1990); Driving while license suspended (1992); Disturbing the peace (1993); Bargained down from assault with a deadly weapon; Hit and run with property damage; Driving with license suspended (1995). I have also reviewed excerpts from Jason’s diary and reviewed his deposition taken in 1995.
“According to the risk factors that predict future violent offending following release from a mental health unit, one-fourth of these patients had committed a violent act within one year of release. The factors that best predicted which patient would offend violently included prior violence, criminality, and physical abuse by a parent. A diagnosis of a major mental disorder predicted an 18 percent likelihood of violence, a major mental disorder plus a diagnosis of substance abuse increased the likelihood of violence of 31 percent, and the addition of a personality disorder further increased the odds of future violence to 43 percent.
“According to records, Jason Simpson has most of these risk factors; he has been convicted of a prior violent offense (assault with a knife), he has persistent criminality, he has been physically abused by his father [in an interview with Ron Shipp, Jason said his father used to beat the hell out of him], he experienced parental fighting, he was diagnosed with a major mental disorder (Major Depression), he has been diagnosed with substance abuse, (alcohol, cocaine, LSD, psilocybin and designer drugs), and according to Dr. Lebas (3/25/1991), Jason has a personality disorder.
“The long-term (fifteen-year) prediction of violent re-offending is best predicted by the use of the Violence Risk Assessment Guide (VRAG). This risk instrument uses twelve risk factors to predict long-term violent re-offending. I have included an attachment of the VRAG and the scoring of the risk factors that apply to Jason Simpson.
“Jason’s risk factors for violent re-offending include 1) that his parents divorced when he was ten years old, 2) that he had such severe discipline problems in elementary school that he was sent to military school, 3) He and his father both have a history of alcohol problems, 4) Jason failed/violated probation with a new offense, 5) He began his violence at a young age, 6) There was minimal victim injury resulting from his violent offense, 7) His violence was aggressive enough to target a male victim, and 8) He has been diagnosed with a personality disorder. Jason had enough risk factors for violent re-offending to be more dangerous than 95 percent of violent prisoners. According to research conducted with the VRAG, 55 percent of convicted felons in the high-risk group (Jason’s group) committed a new violent offense within seven years of their last offense.
“In summary, according to medical and legal records, Jason Lamar Simpson has a high risk of violent re-offending behavior.”
I was surprised by Dr. Flynn’s findings, although not totally, because of my twelve years of investigating Jason. I felt from the very beginning that Jason was capable of killing again, but I had no idea he would rate so high on the chart in his potential of violent behavior. Dr. Flynn’s report was just another piece of my investigation making Jason a major overlooked suspect in the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman.
Dr. Flynn stood up and handed me three copies of his findings and I thanked him for his time. As I walked out of the office and approached the elevator, the elevator door opened. I stepped inside as the elevator door began to close. I could not help but wish, with Dr. Flynn’s report in my right hand, it would be nice to be able to say, “Case closed.”
