Home News DA won’t prosecute University of Alabama players on drugs, weapons charges

DA won’t prosecute University of Alabama players on drugs, weapons charges

103
0
SHARE


Alabama football players Cam Robinson and Hootie Jones will not be prosecuted on drug and weapons charges after a Monroe, La., district attorney on Monday said he found insufficient evidence in the case.

Robinson, an All-America candidate who has started all 29 games at left tackle for Alabama the last two seasons, was facing a felony weapons possession charge after a gun that was found under his car seat had been reported stolen more than a year ago in Baldwin County. Both players were also charged with misdemeanor illegal substance and firearms possession charges.

“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,” district attorney Jerry Jones told Monroe television station KNOE on Monday.

Court documents in the case were tweeted out on Monday. The players were arrested in the early morning hours of May 17. Police spotted their car in a park after hours. An officer approached the car and detected a strong smell of marijuana. Jones had a gun in his lap. Another gun, later found to be stolen, was found under the driver’s (Robinson’s) seat.

The charges were not dropped completely. If new evidence is presented the case could proceed in the future, but that is not likely.

Alabama coach Nick Saban has said since their arrest that he would let the legal process play out before determining the players’ status. However, KNOE released action plans for both players that included substance treatment and other steps.

The Northport (Ala.) Police Department near Tuscaloosa sent a letter stating that Robinson, a 6-foot-6, 320-pound tackle, had participated in a ride-along program.

“This letter is confirmation that Cam Robinson has ridden a total of 26 hours on evening shift May 23-27 with the Northport Police Department,” it read.

Robinson also went through “intense outpatient therapy” and gun education.

Jones was admitted to a Bradford facility on May 19 for a 21-day stay, KNOE reported. He will also complete community service with the Northport Police Department and the PAL juvenile crime prevention program.

© Copyright 2016, Opelika-Auburn News, Opelika, AL

If you have any problems viewing this article, please report it here.