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Louisiana District Attorney Will Not Charge Alabama Football Players

Posted on Sep 29, 2016 in Criminal Defense, Drugs

When it comes to the law, it is generally accepted that certain repercussions are there for a reason. We put our faith in the fact that judges will make sound decisions with the best interest of the public at heart. But while this sounds great in theory, we know that this is not always the way it plays out in reality. Sometimes, we hear stories of court rulings that leave us scratching our heads or wondering what exactly was behind the outcome of that decision. While we like to trust in the legal structure, it doesn’t hurt to apply our own critical eye to some situations. A story out of Ouachita Parish gives us plenty to contemplate. In late May, two football players from the University of Alabama were arrested in a public Louisiana park at 2:30am. They were charged with possession of a controlled substance (marijuana, the smell of which is reported to have initially brought cops over to the players’ parked car), as well as possession of a firearm in the presence of drugs. The players, Cam Robinson and Hootie Jones, faced potentially life-altering convictions. However, a judge’s decision in late June not to press charges due to “insufficient evidence” brought both players’ futures back on track. Especially for Robinson, who is considered one of the best college linemen in the country, this news was a welcome relief.

Was This the Right Choice?

However, in the wake of this incident, we cannot help but to wonder: Should charges like this be dropped? Or does dropping these kinds of charges increase potential danger on the streets? The attorney for the arrested players argued a convincing case. The amount of marijuana in their possession was scanty, and, although the handgun was on Hootie’s lap, their lawyer argued that possession of it is not illegal in Louisiana. Add to that the fact that there were apparently two others in the car who were not arrested, and it seems that there were too many unanswered questions and too little evidence for the judge to convict Robinson and Jones of the accused charges. From this angle, justice was served, as the players can move forward with an unblemished record and a normal football season. On the other hand, we are left wondering if a certain amount of favoritism took place here? The players were from Monroe, Louisiana, where the arrest took place. The district attorney behind the decision, Jerry Jones, explained his choice, “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.” In this case, it seems that the players really may have just had a lapse in judgment that was not deserving of legal action. While we would encourage them to take the necessary time to reflect and ideally alter their behavior in the future, we know that mistakes happen. And nothing can inspire change like an unexpected second chance.

We Can Assist You With Your Conviction

If you have gotten yourself into a legal issue involving drug possession, you should know that we are here to help. A New Orleans drug defense attorney may be just what you need to get you through your complex legal case. Feel free to contact the office today. We would be glad to arrange an initial consultation.

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