🏈 It's Meltdown time! -Cam/Hootie special edition

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

It's Meltdown Time! Cam and Hootie Special Edition

 

[Max]

Barner Barrett Sallee speaks.

After a month of speculation, the fate of Alabama offensive lineman Cam Robinson and defensive back Laurence "Hootie" Jones has come into focus.

They're clear.

The duo was arrested in May in Monroe, Louisiana, and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and illegal carrying of a weapon. Robinson was also charged with felony possession of a stolen firearm.

According to KNOE, Ouachita Parish District Attorney Jerry Jones will not move forward with the charges because of insufficient evidence.

"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," Jones said, according to KNOE.

Wait...what?

So because Robinson and Jones—who are both from Monroe—play college football and work hard at it, they don't have to abide by laws and were somehow granted legal immunity?

Really?

This isn't a commentary on the guilt or innocence of Robinson or Jones. As Cody Worsham of Tiger Rag noted on Twitter, however, the arresting officer's report suggests sufficient evidence existed for the case to proceed.

In a park after hours? Check.

Smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle? Check.

Jones' handgun in plain sight? Check.

Reason to search the vehicle? Check.

Marijuana in plain sight? Check.

Stolen handgun found under the seat? Check.

That certainly sounds like enough evidence to move forward.

If these events happened to me on a random Monday night, do you think my case would go to trial? In Ouachita Parish, of course it would. Because I'm writing this under a cool vent that's pumping air conditioning and not hitting a tackling dummy.

That's not how the legal system is supposed to work.

Laws are laws. We are not in a position to say definitively if laws were broken. But not moving forward with a case because of who someone is—rather than what they did—is not how the legal system is supposed to work.

What's even more concerning is that this was a legal road game for Robinson and Jones, who, despite being from the area, play for Alabama—one of LSU's biggest rivals. That should put a swift end to the conspiracy theory that had representatives of the Crimson Tide putting pressure on the locals behind the scenes.

This is just another example of football's power over society.

When placed in a high-profile position with a potential case against Robinson—one of the best tackles in college football and likely an early pick in next year's NFL draft—Ouachita Parish chose football as the primary reason to give special treatment to somebody who broke the law.

That's a sad reflection of our society.

If Robinson received the stolen weapon in a way other than stealing it himself and didn't deserve the felony charge, say that. If that reduction renders the case as one that isn't worth the time of the legal system, say that. If there actually is insufficient evidence to proceed with charges or the evidence detailed in the report is inadmissible for some reason—as the attorney for the two players suggested to AL.com's Michael Casagrande—specify what the case is lacking and why.

Don't say that the "main reason" for not moving forward with the case is because Robinson and Jones are college football players.

That sets a horrible example for players who are in Ouachita Parish in the future.

I'll now return to my air-conditioned office, where I'm subject to the laws of society.

 

[PhillyGirl]

I gotta think we'd be bitching just as much if this was a Vol or Tiger ..

 

[TerryP]

I gotta think we'd be bitching just as much if this was a Vol or Tiger ..

Careful with the use of "we" there, Jill.

 

[im4uainva]

I believe Bama fans are extremely relieved that this is the outcome. I believe Bama fans were also resigned to the fact that these young men fouled up, and were going to have to pay the piper. For whatever reasons, the price from the powers-that-be was much more agreeable than we feared. Had it been worse, or much worse, we would be disappointed, but we would also know that the only people to blame was the ones arrested. They still have to face CNS. There is an attitude adjustment heading their way. Let everyone else bemoan the results. At least there was no cover-up, and due-process was applied. Are we supposed to protest the lack of prosecution? Good luck with that.

Roll Tide!

 

[im4uainva]

On one of the down sides, I wonder, how many times, this coming year, during a broadcast of a Bama game, will this be brought up by an announcer? And most likely in each and every game, all...season...long. Place your bets, Bama fans, we'll all be rolling our eyes by the end of the first game that Cam and Hootie participate.

Roll Tide!

 

[18Champs]

Had it been worse, or much worse, we would be disappointed, but we would also know that the only people to blame was the ones arrested.

We don't know that.

 

[Destiny's Child]

How soon they forget...

"
Auburn football players Byron Cowart, Carlton Davis, Ryan Davis and Jeremiah Dinson were arrested Saturday night in Auburn and charged with second-degree possession of marijuana, Auburn Police Division activity logs show.

"I am aware of the situation and we will handle this matter appropriately," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said in a statement.

The arrests occurred at the 100 block of E. Samford Avenue at 11 p.m. Saturday. Second degree marijuana possession is a Class A misdemeanor in Alabama and carries a penalty of no more than one year in jail and up to a $6,000 fine.

All four players hail from Florida and are entering their sophomore seasons on the Plains.

Carlton Davis earned a starting spot at cornerback for the Tigers as a freshman and finished last season with 56 tackles, three interceptions and eight pass deflections. He was called one of the SEC's best "lockdown corners" by Malzahn at the end of the year.

Cowart, who was ranked as a five-star prospect in high school, is expected to have a larger role at defensive this fall after posting six stops and six quarterback hurries.

Dinson had 15 tackles before his season-ending knee and shoulder injuries at Texas A&M.

Ryan Davis primarily saw the field on special teams. His only touch last season came on a trick play at Texas A&M that was good for 28 yards.

and....
"Quarterback Nick Marshall was cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession in the summer of 2014, just a few weeks after cornerback Jonathan Mincy was arrested for possession. Neither player started the 2014 season opener against Arkansas, with Marshall sitting out the first half and Mincy missing the first series"

and....

On Friday, Bessent was arrested on two felony charges stemming from possession of marijuana over 20 grams and possession with intent, according to the Nassua County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, per al.com. The website said he was charged and released on Saturday on a $5,506 bond.

Here’s more from al.com’s Brandon Marcello:

A 2007 Dodge Charger was stopped Friday at roughly 10 p.m. on U.S. 1 in western Nassau County for driving 58 mph in a 45 mph zone. Inside were four occupants, including driver Elbert Thornton, 21, of Jacksonville, sheriff Bill Leeper said.

A deputy smelled a strong odor of burnt marijuana and upon searching the vehicle found four bags of marijuana totaling 202.5 grams underneath the driver’s seat and front passenger seat. Bessent was sitting in the front passenger seat.

Nick Marshall was pulled over for driving recklessly and the found a quarter ounce of Marajuana in the car.. not only was he not arrested he wasn't even charged.. if that is you or me we are definately arrested and would have to go to court.. Marshall...nothing

Bessent was busted with 9 pounds of Marajuana under his seat and said it wasn't his as did everyone else in the car suprisingly and Bessent was not charged and had to face nothing..

These Boogs can cry all they want they have nothing to complain about..

 

[Bama Ravens]

People need to learn what prosecutorial discretion is. If that DA thinks he doesn't have the evidence to prosecute, and get the result he wants, then he isn't going to waste the time, money, and resources to do so. It's that simple, he has the right to make the call on prosecuting them.

 

[rick4bama]

I gotta think we'd be bitching just as much if this was a Vol or Tiger ..

Are you in Washington yet? Because the PhillyGirl we know won't say thing like this!
Now for the melt down: to all that is having trouble with it! Check your backyard before giving us your option!
Now here my option on this, glad both will be playing. But, I don't think both will like what will becoming from the coaching staff and Coach Saban.
To all the ones on the melt down about this !! :rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::hurray::clap::dance::bamadance::neener_neener::neener_neener:opcorn2:opcorn2:

 

[TheChief]

I'll be interested to see if Cam starts against USC.

 

[im4uainva]

We don't know that.

OK, fine. Just being curious...whom would you blame?

 

[PhillyGirl]

It's Meltdown Time! Cam and Hootie Special Edition • /r/CFB

Loving the CFB reddit's reactions to this post.

 

[18Champs]

OK, fine. Just being curious...whom would you blame?

Why didn't the police report mention the other two in the car? Why were they released, but the two players arrested? By all accounts the police fucked this up as much as these two guys did.

Busted? Yep.

Should they have been? There's questions there. Just because Hootie said he had the gun doesn't give the right to search.

 

[rick4bama]

I still think these two right now would have wanted the D.A. to do something. Now both got to go through Coach Saban punishment. Which I think wouldn't be all that easy to do. How many game do you think both will sit out? Do you think he will do what his counter- coach has done down at the cow town. Play them anyway.

 

[Destiny's Child]

I still think these two right now would have wanted the D.A. to do something. Now both got to go through Coach Saban punishment. Which I think wouldn't be all that easy to do. How many game do you think both will sit out? Do you think he will do what his counter- coach has done down at the cow town. Play them anyway.

I think at the end of the day they were not prosecuted for smoking weed and the gun charge was found not to be a big deal, they have been going thru counseling, community service, daily drug test and extra work (physically) and they are both guys that have been in the program for a while and have been model teammates up until now. I would think they have been thru enough to not sit out.

His counter coach, took a players who were kicked off a Georgia team for theft and several other issues and he got busted driving with a quarter bag in his car, did nothing to change the behavior and then sat him for a half. I would bet that Cowart and the other three players busted a few weeks ago will be in the lineup against Clemson no doubt. I would also be willing to bet more Auburn is trying to find away to help them not get caught instead of trying to correct the issue. It is the way of the Fambly down in Boggerville.

 

[OldPlayer]

The toughest part of their punishment will be looking Saban in the eye. Have any of you ever done something you know you shouldn't have and you had to go look in your father or grandfather's eyes and tell him? Even after you told him, what did you do when you were around him for the next weeks/months?

 

[TUSKtimes]

The toughest part of their punishment will be looking Saban in the eye. Have any of you ever done something you know you shouldn't have and you had to go look in your father or grandfather's eyes and tell him? Even after you told him, what did you do when you were around him for the next weeks/months?

Absolutely. When Dad voiced serious disappointment in me for poor choices, there was no butt whopping or any other discipline that could possibly equal that pain right smack dab in the middle of my conscience.

Must of worked, I sure miss my dad.

 

[psychojoe]

I remember an old NCIS episode where one of Gibbs's ex mother in laws had remarried and it turned out to be to a bad dude. She figured out how to waste him and did. Gibbs figured it out, but managed, deliberately, to screw up the damning evidence so that it couldn't be used against her and she walked. I am not saying that something like that happened here, but it could have. I think that the prosecutor looked at this and sa issues regarding why the other two occupants were not arrested, and just who had posesion of what at the time, other than the gun Jones had in his lap. He also knew that in both these cases the guys were first offenders who had not previously been in trouble. The prosecutor no doubt knew that had he gone to trial and won, the outcome would have been most likely a fine,probation, community service, and he might not have won. I believe that he knew also that the discipline Saban would deal out would be more stringent than what would happen to the young men in court, and if he pursued it and won his parish would have borne the expense of administering the sentence. This would be a good time to drop these charges and spare the taxpayers.

The only loose end to me is the gun which was under the seat. Just how did it come to be there is a question which we will probably never know the answer. Stolen in Georgia, how did it make its way to N.O.