Grady Pleads not guilty

Submitted by chunkums on
What???  Anyone know something I don't?

GCS

July 9th, 2008 at 4:22 PM ^

Somebody with more legal expertise can explain it better, but it's basically the first step to a plea bargain later.

Daniel L

July 9th, 2008 at 4:45 PM ^

It's standard procedure to plead not guilty to any charge. If you plead guilty then the judge has to assign a sentence. Similarly is pleading no contest but that has different implications. It's not like this will ever go to trial, and it's not like Grady will do jail time.

97Alumnus

July 9th, 2008 at 7:30 PM ^

That the first step was to refuse the breathalyzer... But I have no idea how that works or if they could later order a blood test...

(I have never been in that situation and I would gladly pay a 100 dollar cab fare to avoid the remotest possibility)

SI_Grad

July 10th, 2008 at 8:54 AM ^

my brother-in-law, I know that refusing the breathalyzer just results in the police getting a court ordered blood draw, usually with 30 minutes of an arrest for refusal of the breathalyzer. 

 Not guilty plea forces DA to go through with court proceedures, which causes the DA's office to spend time on getting the case to trial, which makes the DA look into a plea deal.

Daniel L

July 10th, 2008 at 12:45 PM ^

Depending on your metabolism, an extra 30 minutes before they take a BAC reading can be the difference between a .08 and a .07.  This is why you may want to refuse the breathalyzer.

imafreak1

July 10th, 2008 at 4:23 PM ^

I agree. By accepting a scholarship to play football at the University of Michigan Kevin Grady forfeited his rights as described in the Constitution. Seriously, it's worth it. Since Grady has plead 'not guilty' and brought further shame to the University with all this legal wrangling, he should be sumarily thrown off the team. Once RR gets fired Grady and he and talk it up with all the lawyers they want. Grady should come clean and swear off all the legal protections due him as a citizen of the United States because he is now a Michigan Man!

 See you guys are looking at all of this all wrong. Go drive by a law school and you'll really start to see things differently. I know I was skeptical at first but then after a rousing game of ping pong the Boren's threw me in their car and drove me by the law quad! Now I see things like a real Michigan Man.

Puckhead

July 10th, 2008 at 8:47 PM ^

test in Michigan leads to a little more than just having the police get an search warrant to draw blood.  It means an automatic 6 points on your drivers license and the automatic suspension of your license for one year.  Now if you know your gonna be way over the limit you don't have a lot to lose I suppose, but for most people taking the test is usually the best action.

Daniel L

July 10th, 2008 at 10:15 PM ^

If I knew I was around .08, I'd rather have a suspended license for a year than a DUI conviction.  That said, I just don't drink and drive and completely avoid the issue.  But you're right, there is no quick and dirty answer to whether to refuse or not.  Things you want to avoid (obviously drinking and driving is #1):

1. Failing a field sobriety test on video.

2. Refusing BOTH breath and blood.  That violates implied consent, but you can always offer to allow blood but refuse breath.  If you're 30 minutes away from a station and know you're borderline, this could bail you out.

3.  Don't drink and drive.

Daniel L

July 11th, 2008 at 1:21 AM ^

I think they'd nail your ass for obstruction of justice or something in that case.  I have no personal experience, but if you said to the officer upon being asked to blow "I don't think those are accurate, but I'll submit to a blood test." I think that would buy you time to head downtown.  Like I said though, my concern was less about possible license suspension and more about avoiding a DUI if you're right at the limit.

UMofTwoSchools

July 10th, 2008 at 11:40 AM ^

There had been a lot of previous posts on what the standard punishment should be for Grady. Whether it be one game, six games, or just booted off the team. I must say that without any previous offenses, I felt his decision to drive drunk could have warranted 2-3 games of suspension. But that was before he decided to plead 'not guilty'. I don't know the details of his reasoning behind pleading not guilty, but if he's genuinely trying to pretend as though he isn't to blame for what happened, I personally feel his punishment should be increased. As of now, after his pleading not guilty, I feel theres a bit of mistrust in him. I now feel that the appropriate punishment should be half a season if he is found guilty.

GCS

July 10th, 2008 at 11:57 AM ^

Did you even read the previous comments in this thread? That everybody pleads not guilty at first? That this is the normal process for agreeing to a plea bargain in a few weeks? That this will never get to trial?

Seriously, read.

UMofTwoSchools

July 11th, 2008 at 2:49 AM ^

Please get your panties out of a twist.  Do I know why he chose to enter not guilty over just accepting guilt?  No, I'm waiting to see the piece on his reasoning, so its understandable that i didnt take your words as facts and said i didnt know.  Your explanation of a plea bargain didnt fully answer the question.   

As far as im concerend PLENTY of athletes do not plead 'not guilty'.  

Since it is such standard procedure, why does the tennesee kicker chose to plead guilty?  http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3476814

There are many other examples of athletes just accepting the guilt.  And still, it is my opinion, that it seems flimsy to me, even if this is the standard procedure to lower your sentencing. 

Daniel L

July 11th, 2008 at 9:43 AM ^

"And still, it is my opinion, that it seems flimsy to me, even if this is the standard procedure to lower your sentencing. "

Wait, are you arguing he should NOT be trying to lower his sentence (it will be probation and community service anyway)?  If you have two choices, say "guilty" and seal off your options, or say "not guilty" and retain your options plus the outcomes are better on average (may cost more, but that's why people do cost-benefit and/or decision trees), you would choose to say "guilty"?  Damn we need to remove people like you from being U of M fans.

UMofTwoSchools

July 11th, 2008 at 1:35 PM ^

nice job glossing over my question as to why some athletes chose to plead guilty. 

I assume that you must have loved the rich rod paying WVU fiasco too, because rich left his options open by denying he had to pay, that seems to be the right way to handle everything.

Daniel L

July 11th, 2008 at 1:56 PM ^

Just because the media blows something up does not mean it's actually a big deal.  Seems to me like Bill Martin and MSC had their fingers right on the pulse of the situation. 

 

Also, find me more than ONE example of an athlete pleading guilty.  And then make sure all of those are the initial pleas.  I'm sure an actual lawyer can explain this better, but initial pleas upon arraignment are not necessarily set in stone.

 

Edit: I just looked.  Britton was arrested initially in February.  He just pleaded on July 7th.  Therefore, he evaluated his option for 5 months before pleading.  Grady has had like a week.  Goddamn dude, employ some critical thought and effort before you start typing next time.

dex

July 11th, 2008 at 1:56 PM ^

I glossed over your reply because this:

"As far as im concerend PLENTY of athletes do not plead 'not guilty'"

pretty much convinced me that you are a moron. 

Also, it's totally irrelevant what others do. As it's been pointed out in this thread, and as I'm sure you didn't read/understand, it is his right to plead whatever the fuck he wants. Why do you think Kevin Grady owes you a guilty plea? Do you really think he's going to take this all the way through a trial and go for an innocent verdict? You can't possibly be that stupid, can you?  

dex

July 10th, 2008 at 12:11 PM ^

How in the world do you post "<strong>I don't know the details</strong> of his reasoning" and then proceed to try and judge him based on the plea? You fucking said in your post that you don't know. 

Ninja Football

July 10th, 2008 at 8:33 PM ^

My sophomore year I used to not only drive by the Law Quad, but I used to sneak downstairs and study in those insanely comfortable chairs. And by study I mean nap like I just took 8 Ambien and chased them with a fifth of vodka. So the way I see it, the fact that I'm not yet up for a Supreme Court nomination is a travesty.