Stallworth gets 30 days' jail in fatality

[GameOver]

Financial agreement avoids lawsuit

MIAMI -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth took full responsibility for killing a pedestrian while driving drunk in Florida and began serving a 30-day jail sentence Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter.

Stallworth also reached a confidential financial settlement to avoid a potential lawsuit from the family of 59-year-old Mario Reyes, according to Stallworth attorney Christopher Lyons. Reyes was struck and killed March 14 by Stallworth, who was driving his black 2005 Bentley after a night drinking at a swanky hotel bar.

Stallworth, 28, told Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy that he hopes to get involved in drunken driving education programs.

"I accept full responsibility for this horrible tragedy," said Stallworth, who was accompanied at the hearing by his parents, siblings and other supporters. "I will bear this burden for the rest of my life."

Stallworth faced 15 years in prison. After his release from jail, Stallworth must serve two years of house arrest and spend eight years on probation.

The NFL has said it will review the matter for possible disciplinary action. Lyons said the plea agreement will allow Stallworth to resume his football career.

Stallworth must also undergo drug and alcohol testing, will have a lifetime driver's license suspension and must perform 1,000 hours of community service. Lyons said after five years, Stallworth could win approval for limited driving such as for employment.

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle cited Stallworth's lack of previous criminal record, cooperation with police and willingness to accept responsibility as factors in the plea deal. Rundle also said the Reyes family -- particularly the victim's 15-year-old daughter -- wanted the case resolved to avoid any more pain.

"For all of these reasons, a just resolution of this case has been reached," Rundle said.

None of the Reyes family attended the hearing. Their attorney, Rodolfo Suarez, read a statement saying the family wants to "bring closure to this emotional and tragic event." Suarez was not immediately available to comment after the hearing.

After a night drinking at a bar in Miami Beach's Fountainebleau hotel, police said Stallworth hit Reyes, a construction crane operator who was rushing to catch a bus after finishing his shift around 7:15 a.m. Stallworth told police he flashed his lights in an attempt to warn Reyes, who was not in a crosswalk when he was struck.

Stallworth had a blood-alcohol level of .126 after the crash, well above Florida's .08 limit. Stallworth stopped after the crash and immediately told officers he had hit Reyes. Police estimated Stallworth was driving about 50 mph in a 40 mph zone.

Stallworth signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Browns before last season but was injured much of the year. The California native and University of Tennessee college star has also played in the NFL for the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints.

The night before the crash, Stallworth earned a $4.5 million roster bonus from the Browns.

David Cornwell, a Stallworth attorney handling the NFL situation, said he has kept top league officials apprised of the case.

"Whenever it is appropriate to do so, we are prepared to discuss the circumstances under which Donte' will resume his career," Cornwell said.


Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

Link=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4262751

He got off very easy is all i'll say.

 

[J9]

I thought he'd get more... maybe a year at the least, not 30 days

 

[.GR]

30 days? Wtf is that?

 

[elcheato]

There is a lot of stuff you have to put into consideration on this case. I thought he should get more but, the person he hit was illegally jay walking onto the end of a highway I believe.
But also he has 10 years of probation which is a pretty long time, and 1000 hours of community service is a good amount as well. But yea I thought he should have gotten more time.

 

[dez]

Yeah that was the snag in the case, that the guy was jaywalking. If it had not been for that then he would have probably caught a Muder 1 charge which warrants ALOT more time

 

[A.E]

Lucky as all hell, clearly money talks.

At the same time, this guy has a lifetime of guilt to live with.

 

[FSUViking]

Our "justice" system at work.

Good to know that jaywalking (which every <Censored>ing person on Earth does every single day) is serious enough to plead down driving drunk and killing someone, to 30 days in jail and picking up candy wrappers in the park.

 

[dez]

FSU, even though I dont agree with how easy he got off, you cant use the "everyone does it" logic

Its either follow the law to the fullest or not at all.

 

[Dice-J]

Money talks. He's paying the family a ton of money, which pretty much got him off. Plus he has a lifetime license ban which lowered his sentence. Its not to low of a sentence, but should have been longer.

 

[A.E]

Stallworth got off with 30 days of jail time b/c he admitted guilt from day 1, proved much remorse and worked hard with his attorney at compensating the victim's family.

I think the Judge took pitty on Donte, a lot of pitty.

 

[FSUViking]

FSU, even though I dont agree with how easy he got off, you cant use the "everyone does it" logic

Its either follow the law to the fullest or not at all.

You're right. Not EVERYONE does it. 95 year old ladies don't jaywalk.

 

[The Guid]

it is still a stupid excuse because if you jaywalk, you put yourself in danger...no matter what.

I don't think that warrants a more lenient penalty here but I don't think, like dez said, "everyone does it" it's a good excuse; whether it was a 95-year-old lady or a 25-year-old man.

 

[playmaker7]

Vick gets put away for killing some dogs but Stallworth basically gets a warning sentence for killing a human

SMH

 

[The Guid]

Vick gets put away for killing some dogs but Stallworth basically gets a warning sentence for killing a human

SMH

Vick didn't get put away for killing the dogs. He got put away for a whole bunch of gambling charges on his illegal dog fighting ring.

 

[playmaker7]

There was animal cruelty involved in determining his sentence

 

[FSUViking]

it is still a stupid excuse because if you jaywalk, you put yourself in danger...no matter what.

I don't think that warrants a more lenient penalty here but I don't think, like dez said, "everyone does it" it's a good excuse; whether it was a 95-year-old lady or a 25-year-old man.

It's not an excuse. It's a fact. Open your eyes next time to walk outside. I bet you lose track of how many people you see jaywalk in about three minutes.

<Censored>, I've done it in front of cops. They don't even give a <Censored>.

 

[footballplaya52]

at least vick did his time

 

[The Guid]

It's not an excuse. It's a fact. Open your eyes next time to walk outside. I bet you lose track of how many people you see jaywalk in about three minutes.

<Censored>, I've done it in front of cops. They don't even give a <Censored>.

How the hell does that make it right? It is an excuse. Just because everyone does it, doesn't mean that there's absolutely nothing wrong that can come of it. We're actually lucky that people stop and make an attempt to avoid us.

Go to Europe and jaywalk....see if they go out of their way not to hit you.

 

[eLeMeNOhPe]

You guys are making their point with jaywalking. If he didn't do it, nothing would have happened, and that's why it's "illegal". For your safety. If the man wasn't jaywalking, Stallworth wouldn't have hit him. Even if he wasn't drinking, they are making it sound like there was no way he could have avoided him.

 

[FSUViking]

You guys are making their point with jaywalking. If he didn't do it, nothing would have happened, and that's why it's "illegal". For your safety. If the man wasn't jaywalking, Stallworth wouldn't have hit him. Even if he wasn't drinking, they are making it sound like there was no way he could have avoided him.

Yeah...he wouldn't have hit HIM. He was drunk. he could've hit someone else a block down the road.