northern nevada. his lawyers call him a model inmate. >> it's common in the prison for there to be different factions that don't get along with each other, and because of his status as a celebrity, and his personality, he's sometimes mediates between different groups when they're having conflicts. >> reporter: simpson is now hoping his new legal team will spring him from prison for good. and he is serving a long sentence, 9 to 33 years, john. >> it's been 4 1/2 years or so since anyone has seen o.j. i mean, what do his lawyers say he's like these days? >> well, they say o.j. is noticeably arthritic. they say he has turned gray. he's a little bit heavier. they say he is sort of slow of movement but he's still, they say, rather sharp. so i'll see all of this when he takes the witness stand possibly wednesday of this week. >> that will be fascinating. paul vercammen in las vegas, thanks so much, paul. appreciate it.