2:35 PM PT -- We did some more digging and found a penal code section in O.J.'s file in the spousal battery case, and it appears the conviction was indeed expunged, so it makes sense why authorities would not have informed the Nevada Parole Board.

O.J. Simpson might not have been paroled had the Nevada Parole Board been officially informed that he had been convicted of spousal battery in 1989 ... but the board never found out.

The Board just said they had never been told that Simpson pled no contest to beating Nicole Brown Simpson on New Year's Day, 1989. Simpson punched and kicked her, pulled her hair and screamed, "I'll kill you." He slapped her so hard a handprint was left on her neck. He was placed on probation for 24 months.

Had the board known about the incident it could have considered it in deciding whether Simpson was suitable for parole. As it stood, Simpson appeared to the board to have a clean record, since he was found not guilty of murdering Nicole and Ron Goldman.