📡 Prosecution declined on all charges facing Cam Robinson, Hootie Jones

[planomateo]

Some details in this article (local newspaper) I haven't seen elsewhere.

Police reports, DNA evidence not enough for DA in Alabama ball players' case

 

[TerryP]

^^ From that article ^^

I get ticked off at this stuff every day I'm at work. It's useless hyperbole.

Six Monroe police officers involved in the arrest of two Alabama football players turned up DNA evidence and reported observing high-powered handguns and marijuana in plain view in the suspects’ automobile, as revealed in a Monroe police case file, though Fourth Judicial District Attorney Jerry Jones took a pass at prosecuting the pair.
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High powered? Versus what? Police reported seeing low powered handguns?

 

[TerryP]

Cases have gone to court with less. Many have jumped on the "insufficient evidence" claim since it was announced but these are the same people who screamed about how stupid the players were to 1) be in the closed park at 2 a.m. smoking and 2) having any firearm with them and wondered how Alabama can find a left tackle before the opener because there was no way he could weasel out of the charges. I'm not saying they would be found 100% guilty, but you don't have to be a serial watcher of Cops to know that a cop smelling weed is sufficient reason for probable cause and gives them the right to search a vehicle to find illegal substances (the argument about whether or not weed should be illegal is irrelevant). Finding a gun while searching for pot is a legal search.

How many of these cases that have gone to court with less end up in a conviction? That's one point I'm driving at here, OP. As much as DA's want to win, if any of them see a case they don't think they can win, it's dropped—whatever the reason may be.

The question I'm posing here is the notion 99% of DA's would have pursued charges. I don't see that happening, at all.

I'm not arguing that they should be locked up. I'm pointing out that these two were very lucky.

They got arrested. How were they lucky? Because the case was dropped? It would have happened with anyone.

The two that were lucky were the two that were released. Ironic, to me, they were members of the football team there.

 

[TUSKtimes]

How many of these cases that have gone to court with less end up in a conviction? That's one point I'm driving at here, OP. As much as DA's want to win, if any of them see a case they don't think they can win, it's dropped—whatever the reason may be.

The question I'm posing here is the notion 99% of DA's would have pursued charges. I don't see that happening, at all.


They got arrested. How were they lucky? Because the case was dropped? It would have happened with anyone.

The two that were lucky were the two that were released. Ironic, to me, they were members of the football team there.

I agree with that. Even if an ambitious young DA wanted to make a point the hard way and prosecute, he had better get all four in that car. If ownership of a stolen gun wasn't established, why would you leave out two potential owners in the incident report? Tough for even an ambitious DA to make a credible case on constructive possession when you forgot to mention two possible possessors. When the police took the handcuffs off the two non-Bama football players the DA's case became very problematic.

I also think Cam and Hootie were fortunate that the DA was a 69-year-old man who has 4 years left on his 6th consecutive term in elected office. He made it clear he wasn't interested in making legal points at the kids expense. Generally speaking, I doubt the threat of reelection would be much of a pressure point at his age.

I think what these kids dodged is a lot of inconveniences and some mudslinging that could have left a much bigger stain on name and reputation. Both players were never going to dodge internal discipline from coach Saban.

 

[Tidestalker]

“Officer Jackson questioned one of the rear passengers, unknown which one, who said the Glock belonged to Robinson,” stated Crowson's report.

But when Crowson spoke to Steven Jones and Splond, the pair denied knowledge of the gun.

“I then spoke with both rear passengers who said they were there waiting for some females and denied knowing anything about the marijuana and guns,” stated Crowson's report.

6 cops for this?? lol

 

[planomateo]

This is a classic example of things are never as they are initially reported or presented by law enforcement or the media. Question everything...

 

[TerryP]

This is a classic example of things are never as they are initially reported or presented by law enforcement or the media. Question everything...

Exactly.

The same holds true for a guy like Simmons at MSU.