OT: LA prosecutor drops charges against 2 AL players because he loves sweat, hates A/C

Submitted by lilpenny1316 on

If you watch the video report from the local news station in Louisiana, you get more details in the case.  A police officer found four guys in a car afterhours in a park smoking marijuana.  There was marijuana in the car and two handguns, one of which was stolen.  Charges were dropped because of "insufficient evidence".  

Money quote and another example of SEC compassion comes from District Attorney Jerry Jones: 

"I want to emphasize once again that the main reason I'm doing this is that I refuse to ruin the lives of two young men who have spent their adolescence and teenage years, working and sweating, while we were all in the air conditioning,"

http://www.knoe.com/content/news/Charges-against-University-of-Alabama-football-players-dropped-383654561.html

 

MGoGrendel

June 20th, 2016 at 2:54 PM ^

these kind of "second chances so their lives are not ruined" verdicts occur all over the country.  The worst are repeate child sex offenders getting no jail time after the second and third time.  The good may be like the kids mentioned in the OP, unless they go all Johnny Manziel.

Similarly, a strict judge hands down a "now you'll learn your lesson" punishment.   But, I'll stop here because I'm standing at the edge of a slippery slope of politics.

PeterKlima

June 20th, 2016 at 3:10 PM ^

What part of marijuana possession and/or use is dangerous? 

In fact, there was only ONE felony charged and that was against Robinson.  It was for possession of a stolen firemarm.

Possession of a firearm in not a "dangerous" offense -- at least not in this country.

 

PeterKlima

June 20th, 2016 at 3:30 PM ^

Anyone who is armed poses a danger to everyone they come in contact with, but this country doesnt see it that way. So....

Smoking weed doesn't increase your chances of violence.  In fact, it may decrease it.

Maybe they pose more of a danger to themselves through an accident, but definitely not to the public. 

 

As for the conotations of "chillin in the hood..." I am going to ignore any implication and simply state that, if it was a bad area, then their gun possession (at least for the permitted guns) seems more justified.

In reply to by PeterKlima

Blue Know It

June 21st, 2016 at 9:54 AM ^

Man you solved the gun violence problem in America. Just get everyone high.

In reply to by PeterKlima

iawolve

June 21st, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^

I could accept the registered on, the stolen one raises a few concerns beyond it being a felony offense. The typical happy stoner does not seem to fit this instance. 

In reply to by PeterKlima

umumum

June 21st, 2016 at 11:50 AM ^

of the patron saint  of "boys will be boys'.  At least we know now that it is not limited to entitled frat boys.

PeterKlima

June 20th, 2016 at 3:25 PM ^

I think they are inherently dangerous.  They are designed for one purpose.  Large knives are also dangerous.  In fact, the car itself is pretty dangerous.

Were the kids holding the guns or were they just in the car?  Was it a gun rack (hey its the south)?  Were the guns loaded?   IDK.

Anyway, you don't see many potheads or kids who are smoking weed get violent... its not cocaine or anything.  Weed doesnt make people want to waive the f*$%king gun around.

We are really stretching for facts to make this look sinister,

In reply to by PeterKlima

Blazefire

June 20th, 2016 at 3:59 PM ^

No we're not. I'm a life NRA member and support right to carry. But not around any judgement impairing substances. That is illegal for a VERY good reason. I don't have a problem with weed or with guns, but you don't ever mix them.




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In reply to by PeterKlima

readyourguard

June 20th, 2016 at 4:44 PM ^

You are right.  Guns, knives, and cars can* be dangerous.

Want to know what makes them more dangerous?  Operating them while under the influence of a mind-altering substance.

*My guns have never - not one single time - ever fired themselves.  I should take them back for a refund.  Clearly something's wrong.

Tater

June 20th, 2016 at 4:27 PM ^

This didn't happen in Baton Rouge; it happened in Monroe, which is closer to Arkansas and Mississippi than it is to Baton Rouge.  It's a small town.  Maybe this can be taken at face value: the kids had decent legal representation, the case was hard to prove, and a pot conviciton would rob these kids of an opportunity to improve their lives.  

In all likelihood, they were smoking pot with buddies who had guns they may or may not have known about.  I'm OK with this.  "College kid smokes pot" isn't exactly a "man bites dog" story, nor is it worth ruining a kid's life over.

Even if that kid plays for the dirtiest program in collge football...

NolaBleu

June 20th, 2016 at 7:19 PM ^

Well that's because they were in trouble in Monroe Louisiana and not in Tuscaloosa. I can tell you that they are beyond lucky to not have the charges picked up by the DA of Monroe. The bayou state is basically 2 states. You have the Catholics that dominate the Southern Louisiana population and you have the Baptist up in the North (Monroe). The Baptist up North tend to have "dry" parishes while the South, well, we have drive-thru daquiri shops. Anyways, to get to my point, let's just say a minority in Monroe found with weed and a gun that has 0 brought up is like hitting the powerball when it was over a billion dollars. Only other explanation is the DA went to Bama.

Hab

June 20th, 2016 at 4:22 PM ^

Yes and No.

The discussion about what is appropriate punishment for various crimes, and what to do when people in positions of authority make judgments that are otherwise outside the norm (low sentence and decision not to charge) is legit I think.  Compare rape to pot possession, not so much.  Both perception that two sets of privileged college kids get away with the equivalent of a slap on the wrist?  Close enough not to negbang.

aflapan

June 20th, 2016 at 2:45 PM ^

When the judicial system turns a blind eye to crime committed by athletes, then that is corruption. I bet Saban will suspend them for half a game against Baby Seal U., and then talk about the importance of building character and integrity. 

CRISPed in the DIAG

June 20th, 2016 at 2:49 PM ^

I can appreciate the uncertainty (and practicality) of dropping the charges for burning one down in a parked car. But how can there be a determination of "insufficient evidence" w/r/t the guns. They exist or they don't. What am I missing?

And I worked (and work) pretty goddamn hard to earn a job with central HVAC. Dumbass.

samsoccer7

June 20th, 2016 at 2:47 PM ^

What about a bunch of really smart kids that get in trouble?  Only if they study outside and sweat while doing calc?  This is just dumb.  Special privilege.

Gr1mlock

June 20th, 2016 at 2:48 PM ^

Eh, I'm not that bothered by this.  They were committing nominal crimes without harming anyone, I don't have a problem with the cops/DA letting this one slide.  This is a different story to me than a police department ignoring violent crimes or thefts because of football reasons. 

rainingmaize

June 20th, 2016 at 2:56 PM ^

But letting them off scott free does these kids more harm than good. Giving them probation and/or community services would serve as a deterrent and wouldn't ruin their lives. This sends the message that the law doesn't apply to you if you happen to be born with athletic gifts.  

LSAClassOf2000

June 20th, 2016 at 2:50 PM ^

Jerry Jones is apparently one of the more celebrated graduates of the Bobby Bowden Leniency Institute, where everyone is a good boy and they love their mothers. 

I also like that he emphasized it with "once again", just in case there was any doubt that what followed was hot garbage.

rainingmaize

June 20th, 2016 at 2:54 PM ^

While I don't have much of an issue with the judge adopting a lenient stance when it comes to sentencing, I have a huge issue with letting them off scott free. 



1.) I doubt this DA  would have dropped these charges if these kids were garbagemen or any other profession that had "spent their adolescence and teenage years, working and sweating while we were all in the air conditioning." If your going to have this stance, you better drop these charges against any kid who worked outside, regardless if one of them is (was) going to be a top 5 pick in the 2017 NFL draft. 

 

2.) It sets a terrible precident. It tells kids that the law doesn't apply to you if you are good at football. They should have been at least given probation or community service. That wouldn't have ruined their lives.