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Donte Sallworth in a bit of trouble!

bassNspear

By bassNspear
in Football

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bassNspear Grand Master

bassNspear

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MIAMI -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth surrendered in court Thursday to face charges that he was driving drunk when he struck and killed a pedestrian after a night of drinking at a ritzy Miami Beach hotel. He later was released and expressed condolences to the family of victim Mario Reyes.

Stallworth, 28, was led away in handcuffs after a short hearing before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy. He was released a few hours later on $200,000 bail and was planning to return to Cleveland, according to his lawyer.

In a brief statement outside jail, Stallworth said: "I just want to first extend my condolences to the Reyes family. My prayers are with them." Stallworth also said he has "full confidence and faith" in the legal system.

Stallworth attorney Christopher Lyons said he would "vigorously defend this case" and that the defense team has already begun its own probe into the March 14 crash that killed 59-year-old Reyes. Lyons also expressed sympathy for the Reyes family.

"We want to stress there are no winners here. It was a tragic accident," Lyons said.

Stallworth said little at the hearing. He was accompanied by his mother, Donna, in the courtroom, and was driven away in a silver Lexus after his release from jail.

If convicted of DUI manslaughter, Stallworth faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. The NFL and the Browns are reviewing the charges that also include a separate DUI count, and the Browns issued a statement saying the team is "disappointed" with Stallworth's actions.

The judge set an April 23 arraignment date for Stallworth to enter a plea. Stallworth does not have to be present at that hearing.

A police affidavit said Stallworth's blood-alcohol level after the crash was .126, well above Florida's legal limit of .08. Stallworth had been drinking at a club in the swank Fontainebleau hotel in the hours before he got behind the wheel of his black 2005 Bentley GT and headed out on the MacArthur Causeway that links Miami and Miami Beach, authorities said.

Reyes, a construction crane operator just getting off work, was rushing across the causeway shortly after 7 a.m. to catch a bus home. He was not in the crosswalk when he was struck, and Stallworth told officers he flashed his lights and honked his horn in an attempt to warn Reyes.

Stallworth remained at the crash scene and told police "I'm the driver of that car" and "I hit the man lying in the road," according to the affidavit. The car's speed was estimated at 50 mph in a 40 mph zone.

Stallworth, who played in college for Tennessee, signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Browns before last season but was injured much of the year. He previously played for New England, Philadelphia and New Orleans.

"We are saddened by the circumstances that have taken place and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Mario Reyes," the Browns said in their statement. "We have been in communication with the commissioner, who is reviewing the situation under league policies, and we will withhold further comment at this time."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league would review the case under its conduct and substance abuse policies.

Stallworth will be prohibited from driving while on bail and not allowed to drink alcohol, according to court documents. He also must observe a midnight to 6 a.m. curfew and submit to random alcohol and drug testing through the NFL's substance abuse program. He is allowed to travel between Cleveland and Miami and must seek permission for any additional travel.

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croixflats Grand Master

croixflats

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The horns and lights got me puzzled also. But didn't take some ,fox sports, long to cast blame on the victim. Be interesting to see how this is played out. At least a year if no plea deal. If there was alcohol involved why was he not arrested on the spot, it was suspected it was that is why the blood test was taken.

Maybe Florida laws are different from Minnesota where you are immediately taken in custody if alcohol is suspected to be over the limit

Took them long enough to file charges was thinking another celeb being treated differently.

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Sandmannd Grand Master

Sandmannd

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It really sucks that someone was killed in all this. Why can't these guys take a limo when they go drinking? I will give him that he was man enough to stay and take the blame on this. It's a tradgedy for the family of the victim for sure.

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KMR85 Proficient

KMR85

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But didn't take some ,fox sports, long to cast blame on the victim.
Not surprising...they have terrible writers, almost as bad as the tribune. Just curious was it Kriegel who put the blame on the victim?
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Jim Uran Grand Master

Jim Uran

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He did what he did and I hope he doesn't get out of trouble just because of his status. He killed someone while drinking and driving. The guy is a moron, if he had time to honk the horn and flash his lights he surely had enough time to hit the breaks and swerve out of the way.

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zamboni Grand Master

zamboni

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I am surprised it isn't bugging him more that he killed someone. My brothers first wife hit and killed someone once. The man she hit was drunk and walked onto the interstate in Mississippi at night in front of her. She was sober. The mans family came to the scene and told her they knew that would happen one day because he did it all the time. She told me once it still bugged her and she would probably never forget it. Seems like this guy has a pretty bad conscience problem

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Jim Uran Grand Master

Jim Uran

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He get's a buttload of community service and permanent suspension of his drivers license also, what's he going to have to do for comm. service? Notta darn thing I bet, but jeesh c'mon the dude killed someone.

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MUSKY18 Veteran

MUSKY18

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What a load of [PoorWordUsage]!!!

The law should not see a person social status as a reason to let them off. You darn right any one of us would have been locked up with the key thrown away for quite a period of time! If the courts won't punish him correctly, i hope the NFL hammers him with some healthy fines and suspension.

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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The family is not exactly "happy," nor is its attorney. Stallworth is not "happy," though I suspect his attorney is. Stallworth, IMO, is definitely lucky with what he got, but what he got came with the approval of the victim's family and the prosecuting attorney, and was ruled on by the judge.

That meets the legal definition of justice.

If Joe Who Drives the Plumbing Truck did things exactly as Stallworth did them, in the same place and same time, would he receive the same sentence? You can talk fame/status all you want, but if Stallworth had run, stalled, hidden behind his lawyer, plead not guilty and let the trial run its course, he'd be spending a LOT more time behind bars. He didn't. He in fact did the right thing after he did the wrong thing, and there aren't actually too many people out there who at more than .126 BAC can think clearly enough in moments of extreme stress and at the same time possess the sense of duty that Stallworth showed. OK, I'll acknowledge it could have been an instinctual response for self preservation.

Nope, not defending him. Simply adding a bit of perspective in an online environment where the mob/lynching mentality is alive and well.

Stallworth or Joe the Plumbing Truck Driver. I don't think the sentences would have been all that much different, all other actions being equal.

Of course, Joe would never have made the news. The news doesn't care about Joe unless a Pres/VP candidate mentions Joe.

Ready.

Aim.

Fire! gringringrin

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KMR85 Proficient

KMR85

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Stallworth or Joe the Plumbing Truck Driver. I don't think the sentences would have been all that much different, all other actions being equal.

The sentences would have been totally different because Joe the Plumber would not have been able to pay the family enough money to avoid a long term jail sentence.

It's all about the $

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