B.J. Sams Acquitted

[TL24x7]

As reported by Aaron Wilson. More HERE (http://www.profootball24x7.com/breaking_news.php?id=67&view=archive)

[highwater]

Not that I'm complaining, but it's not at all clear on what grounds he was acquitted, except that the Ravens provided "expert testimony." Everyone should be so lucky.

So, I'm guessing now that B.J. will stick with the team.

[festivus]

Highwater, the problem with the prosecution was, and I could be wrong but this is what I was told, there was one field sobriety test and no breath test.

That makes for a tough DWI prosecution.

[ExiledRaven]

Yup, this was a fun one for whatever poor soul had to prosecute

1) no breath test
2) only field sobriety test (which i might add are only about 60% accurate)
3) sobriety test was not conducted in a proper place and thus not seen on the in dash camera of the car.

That really makes it pretty rough.

[ClericBlackDave]

with Sams i thought there were 2 DUI incidents.


Which one was this, #1 or #2? Or am I mistaken.


I'm not sure if he's out of the woods just yet.

[sailorsam]

I think this would have been the 2nd in 14 months.
I sure hope he's learned his lesson and never plays Smokey & the Bandit with John Barleycorn again.

[festivus]

Not that I'm complaining, but it's not at all clear on what grounds he was acquitted, except that the Ravens provided "expert testimony." Everyone should be so lucky.

Also I was told the 'expert testimony' was essentially, that he was recovering from a broken ankle and the heel-to-toe (or whichever footwork) test would have been a struggle regardless of his sobriety.

Sometimes an acquittal is just an acquittal.

[highwater]

Also I was told the 'expert testimony' was essentially, that he was recovering from a broken ankle and the heel-to-toe (or whichever footwork) test would have been a struggle regardless of his sobriety.

Sometimes an acquittal is just an acquittal.

Well, it sure sounds that way, given all these circumstances. It sounds like the cop did everything wrong that he could have.

[ravenmaniac]

Not that I'm complaining, but it's not at all clear on what grounds he was acquitted, except that the Ravens provided "expert testimony." Everyone should be so lucky.

So, I'm guessing now that B.J. will stick with the team.

Once I read the article this morning, I knew SOMEONE would chime in and indicate "he got off because of a great lawyer". How bout the process ran its course and there was REASONABLE doubt that he failed the field sobriety test because his ankle was recently and visciously snapped in half. Couldn't one conclude and a judge did conclude that it was possible that it was very difficult to pass a field test of probably standing on one foot with a snapped ankle? Maybe he did have one drink that night.

[Victory]

he was very lucky.

it may be hard to prove in court that he was drunk and not just hobbling around on a bad ankle.

but lets be serious here, its not hard to tell when someone is drunk. He was arrested for a reason

[Khaine]

And he had a good lawyer....


:jester:

[TL24x7]

Also I was told the 'expert testimony' was essentially, that he was recovering from a broken ankle and the heel-to-toe (or whichever footwork) test would have been a struggle regardless of his sobriety.


Festivus....just an FYI....B.J.'s arrest was on Tuesday October 3. He injured his ankle on Thursday November 30

[festivus]

:embarassed:

I knew that. I was just testing you. :whistling:

I *think* the whole point of the Ravens staff members testifying was that there was something wrong with his ability physically to do the footwork field sobriety tests. Though I guess it wasn't the broken ankle, which makes sense, because really if the ankle was that bad they wouldn't have bothered with any of those types of FST's.

BJ was also helped by a recent court decision limiting the usefulness of the horizontal gaze nystagmus test in DWI cases. A further illustration of just how lucky he was. . . Though the Commissioner, if he wanted to step in, would presumably not be so constrained. :eyes:

The timing of this trial could not have been better, to throw cold water on the Chicken Littles in the Steve McNair thing. If *this* case was exposed in the hands of a competent defense attorney, imagine what will likely happen to the bizarre (translation for ER: "attenuated") case in Tennessee.

[birdbrain]

There is no truth to the rumor that the deputy was one Barnard Fife...