Bama’s Cam Robinson, Hootie Jones will not be prosecuted following May arrests

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/744941701005877249

Robinson and Jones were arrested last month after an officer found stolen weapons in the vehicle Robinson was driving. Both players were charged with illegal carrying of a weapon in the presence of narcotics and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.

https://twitter.com/N_Picht/status/744929560873967616

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/JTalty/status/744944559956836352

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/CodyWorsham/status/744947941236871168

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/CodyWorsham/status/744945509358436352

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/CodyWorsham/status/744947941236871168

Cody Worsham ‏@CodyWorsham 44m44 minutes ago

"If the AC don't blow, the charges got to go."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/744970670799486976

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/finebaum/status/744969107204882432

[Hogs33]

Cody Worsham ‏@CodyWorsham 44m44 minutes ago

"If the AC don't blow, the charges got to go."

LOL, but seriously is anyone surprised by this?

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/745048902366269440

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/745020625455046657

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/745004593793359873

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/745087022436593664

On the day the Ouachita Parish district attorney opted against prosecuting two Alabama football players, their defense lawyer discussed the reasons behind the move.

Attorney Joe Guerriero told AL.com the cases against Cam Robinson and Hootie Jones were weak from the very beginning.

DA Jerry Jones agreed to the point he halted prosecution. The headline-grabbing charge was Robinson's possession of a stolen firearm. In an interview with KNOE-TV, Jones explained the issues with that particular charge.

"It might be under the driver's seat but I can't prove who put it there," Jones told the local TV station. "Even if I could get DNA showing that he had touched it at some point in time, that does not mean that he obtained it."

Though only Robinson and Jones were arrested and taken to jail, there were four people in Robinson's rental car early in the morning of May 17. The other two were handcuffed initially, Guerriero said, but only Jones and Robinson were booked. The incident report obtained through public records made no mention of the other two involved in the case.

"Mr. [Hootie] Jones is the one who called it to the police's attention because he didn't want anything to happen," Guerriero said. "'Look, I have a gun in my lap. My hands are up. I just want to show you.'"

Possessing the gun didn't violate the law, so Guerriero said were no grounds for further searches. The attorney said it wasn't clear if the car occupants gave consent to search the vehicle.

"Nothing said they did," Guerriero said.

Jerry Jones, the local DA, said there were considerations beyond the evidence that went into his decision to drop prosecution.

"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 their teenage years, working and sweating, while we were all home in the air conditioning," Jones told KNOE.

Watch incredible video of Ouachita Baptist [sic] district attorney Jerry Jones' explanation to not prosecute

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/tigerskin1/status/744994634405863424

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/BrentZwerneman/status/744966114896019457

https://twitter.com/johnP_hayes/status/744965085920112640

Chris Demirdjian
‏@ChrisDemirdjian

@johnP_hayes huh? I live and work in Monroe and have never seen or heard this woman lol

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/JTalty/status/745026075185422336

Scarblog: This is a joke, right? It has to be an Internet prank starring an actor mimicking the worst Hollywood stereotype of a Southern district attorney.

There's no way an actual DA in Louisiana would go on camera and explain his refusal to prosecute Alabama football players Cam Robinson and Hootie Jones in these words:

"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 their teenage years, working and sweating, while we were all at home in the air conditioning."

It's laughable, but it's no joke. Ouachita Parish DA Jerry Jones said those words Monday to Monroe, La., TV station KNOE.

The main reason? Really? Why not just cut to the chase and say, "They're hometown football heroes, son. Any more questions?"

His actual statement couldn't be more insulting.

It's insulting to college football players who don't have to be bailed out, literally or figuratively, because they chose to hang out in a closed public park in their hometown at 2:33 a.m. in a rental car that contained a small amount of marijuana and two handguns, one of which was stolen.

It's insulting to countless people who spend their adult years working and sweating for less money in a year than professional football players make for playing a single game - or some college players make for signing with the school of their choice.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/745533574099537920

According to the documents obtained by KNOE 8 News in Louisiana, coach Nick Saban suspended both players indefinitely May 19.

There's more.

According to the documents, both players have had to undergo weekly Miss tests, have had regular drug counseling, have monthly video appointments with a mental health consultant and have had to meet twice a week with a Tuscaloosa police officer for gun safety/ownership education.

They also both have had to complete 20 hours of community service.

In addition, Robinson has spent at least 26 hours riding along with the Northport Police Department while Jones had to spend 21 days in a drug rehab program, per the documents.

There maybe confusion between the definition of "punishment" versus "university funded help".

[jbcarol]

Danny Kanell Verified account@dannykanell

Danny Kanell Retweeted SportsCenter

Wow...SEC justice

Cecil Hurt@CecilHurt

Cecil Hurt Retweeted Danny Kanell

Isn't that exactly the reason Jameis wasn't prosecuted?

[jbcarol]

From August 2014: DA Jones wins 5th term

Jerry Jones, already the longest serving 4th District Attorney in modern history, won his fifth, six-year term after no candidate qualified last week to challenge him in the Nov. 4 election.

When Jones, D-Mer Rouge, won his first term in 1990, the former criminal defense attorney never thought it would be a long-term career move.

"My idea was to serve two terms and come back to my personal law practice," said Jones, 67.

But Jones, who has a reputation for a light touch with nonviolent criminals and an iron first with violent ones, said he still has "a passion and energy" for the job as Ouachita and Morehouse parishes' top law enforcement official.

Jones still prefers a courtroom to an office — he won a murder conviction in Bastrop earlier this month —

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports Verified account
‏@aldotcomSports

Do you believe Cam Robinson and Hootie Jones should be held accountable by legal system? http://trib.al/IpOlaDo

I get not wanting to derail the lives of two young men for a non-violent offense. I'm on board with that. But Alabama football players Cam Robinson and Laurence "Hootie" Jones, should be held accountable.

However, prosecution of left tackle Robinson and safety Jones has been declined, according to a filing from the Ouachita Parish (Louisiana) district attorney's office.

The filing cites insufficient evidence, for Robinson, on charges of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and illegal possession of a stolen firearm and, for Jones, possession of a controlled dangerous substance. Both were arrested in mid-May in their hometown of Monroe, Louisiana.

"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 KNOE-TV.

Here's the thing: In this situation, there were two guns and one was stolen. I don't think either are bad human beings. I don't want to see them become statistics in an already-crowded and often ineffective justice system, but they should be held accountable.

Full disclosure, I'm an Auburn guy...

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/837454809829634049

6-foot-6, 310-pound offensive lineman oozed confidence throughout his 15-minute media session at the NFL scouting combine. He opened by bringing up his 2016 arrest (a gun- and drug-related incident that did not lead to a suspension) and insinuated it won't hinder his prospects.

"I'm 100 percent truthful with (the teams)," he said. "We move on, and we talk ball from there."

The session also provided a few light moments, including the following question: Did you ever make Nick Saban smile?

Robinson grinned and nodded.

"I think I was one of the guys that Saban liked a lot," he said.