Simpson believes the negative media coverage could affect his chances of getting out, according to his former prison guard.
O.J. Simpson could be a free man this fall if a parole board grants him liberty next week.
Read: From the Gloves to the Bloodied Clothes, What Happened to Evidence in O.J. Simpson's Trial?
Simpson, who turned 70 on Sunday, is apparently "sweating it," according to former prison guard Jeffrey Felix.
“He’s under a lot of stress. His freedom is on the line,” Felix told Inside Edition. “He needs to be ready for his hearing.”
Simpson is incarcerated at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada where Felix worked.
Felix, now retired and the author of Guarding The Juice, said Simpson is fearful that the media attention surrounding the parole hearing could hurt his chances of getting out.
“O.J. just feels the media is working against him, the hype is working against him,” he said. “He doesn't like the drama.”
Simpson has served nine years after being convicted of armed robbery in 2008.
The former football great, with three buddies, grabbed a stash of Simpson memorabilia from a Las Vegas, Nevada, hotel room in 2007. He claimed the goods were stolen from him.
Some of the men who were with Simpson that night are sharing their sides of the story in an interview set to air on 20/20 Friday night.
Read: OJ Biographer Says Simpson Will Probably Get Parole, Calls Him a Killer
Walter Alexander avoided jail time by testifying against Simpson. He told ABC's Deborah Roberts that Simpson saw nothing wrong with what they were doing.
“I looked at O.J. and said: ‘What if they called the police?’ and he looked at me and he used a four letter word that starts with ‘f’ and ends with ‘k' the police',” Alexander said.
Roberts told Inside Edition the men who were with Simpson that night believe he has a 50/50 chance of going free and that if he was a "regular guy," he would be freed.
Watch: As O.J. Simpson Remains Hopeful of Prison Release, Sister Sheds Light on His Life Behind Bars
