Lynch details

[DonInBuffalo]

Unless something comes out that we don't know about, I predict right now that Lynch again gets away almost scot free. He will likely plea down to a minor gun charge and that is it. It would be impossible IMO for Goodell to really come down on him hard even if he believed it was worse and even though he has clearly said he can basically do what he wants. The "suspicious plates" part of the story makes me believe that it wasn't Lynch's car at all since he doesnt live in LA and a rental probably wouldnt have suspicious plates. There is no question in my mind the cops would have torn the car apart looking for a bag of weed or more and if they only found 3-4 blunts for three guys, Lynch can easily plead it wasnt me and it wasnt a lot. Again, even though Goodell might think he made a huge mistake, and again made himself, his team and the league look bad, he really can't put the hammer down, unless Lynch gets a felony conviction and I really doubt he does.

 

I do think Lynch was a dumbass, an idiot for not having a permit, and an idiot for sitting in a car smoking pot. I just think he's likely to get a slap on the wrist, maybe a one game suspension. I would imagine that Goodell brings him in and reads him the riot act and says he's on a very short leash.

 

Granted, more about the story could come out and make me change my opinion, and this is only a prediction.

I disagree. While there wasn't enough evidence to charge Lynch with pot possession, it's plainly obvious that he was smoking in a car parked on a public street. Given Lynch's history, that alone is probably enough for a 4 game suspension.

 

Goodell's quote, which was made before this incident happened, should give you an idea about how he's going to approach this:

"We may not wait for the legal process to conclude when we have repeat offenders," Goodell said Jan. 30 at his annual state of the league address before the Super Bowl. "You can have a false accusation once, maybe twice. When you start getting into multiple accusations, you are putting yourself in the wrong position. You are making the wrong decision. You are in the wrong places.

 

"At that point in time, you are reflecting poorly on the NFL, yourself, your teammates. That does damage for all of us."

If the bolded part doesn't describe Lynch's behavior, I don't know what does.

[thebug]

Unless something comes out that we don't know about, I predict right now that Lynch again gets away almost scot free. He will likely plea down to a minor gun charge and that is it. It would be impossible IMO for Goodell to really come down on him hard even if he believed it was worse and even though he has clearly said he can basically do what he wants. The "suspicious plates" part of the story makes me believe that it wasn't Lynch's car at all since he doesnt live in LA and a rental probably wouldnt have suspicious plates. There is no question in my mind the cops would have torn the car apart looking for a bag of weed or more and if they only found 3-4 blunts for three guys, Lynch can easily plead it wasnt me and it wasnt a lot. Again, even though Goodell might think he made a huge mistake, and again made himself, his team and the league look bad, he really can't put the hammer down, unless Lynch gets a felony conviction and I really doubt he does.

 

I do think Lynch was a dumbass, an idiot for not having a permit, and an idiot for sitting in a car smoking pot. I just think he's likely to get a slap on the wrist, maybe a one game suspension. I would imagine that Goodell brings him in and reads him the riot act and says he's on a very short leash.

Granted, more about the story could come out and make me change my opinion, and this is only a prediction.

 

 

Didn't Goodell do that last year. 4 games. Just my prediction.

[Fingon]

John Clayton said 1-2 games.

 

 

 

I'll believe him over the people here.

[Thoner7]

I bet that dope was not Lynch's, I will almost bet the house on it. Why would a Multi-millionaire be rolling a blunt with Swisher Sweets?

 

Second, isn't there something to the cops claiming they found weed and not charging anyone??? I mean... can't the police officers themselves get in trouble for that? That seems fishy. Not knowing whos it is is a bad excuse, if the guys are baking the car out bad enough for cops down the street to smell it when the windows are up... I am pretty sure its everyones weed.

[Endzone Animal]

 

Sorry, but I just have to laugh. Lynch is exactly what Sullivan so beautifully and accurately labeled him: A Punk

 

Anyway, I will go and lurk awaiting the usual suspects to explain how Marshawn had a difficult childhood, and that Marshawn was framed, and that dope should be legal so who cares, and how carrying an illegal loaded gun is no big deal, and how we need to consider him innocent until proven guilty...yada, frickin, yada...

 

All I'll say to conclude: I told you so!

[keepthefaith]

I bet that dope was not Lynch's, I will almost bet the house on it. Why would a Multi-millionaire be rolling a blunt with Swisher Sweets?

 

Second, isn't there something to the cops claiming they found weed and not charging anyone??? I mean... can't the police officers themselves get in trouble for that? That seems fishy. Not knowing whos it is is a bad excuse, if the guys are baking the car out bad enough for cops down the street to smell it when the windows are up... I am pretty sure its everyones weed.

 

Of course. These athletes are smart enough not to smoke weed. It had to be somebody elses.

[MRW]

Well, when you put the dick to the cops, that is a risk you run. He played the system to his advantage last spring, but he did so by making a mockery of the police department by avoiding them like they were a bunch of pee-ons. That sh*t comes back on you.

 

I run a couple of businesses, and inevitably the police come around for something. There are ways of achieving your objective without disrespecting authority. Marshawn and his attorney treated the accident last year like he was defending himself against a triple homicide instead of a relatively minor traffic violation. It worked, but it was wrong and it is/was bound to lead to a zero tolerance relationship between him and law enforcement. And it was INCREDIBLY stupid to go that far to avoid prosecution if he wasn't going to make a 180 degree change in his behavior with respect to the law.

I don't see the connection between how Lynch treated the police in Buffalo last year and what happened with the police in Culver City. Not necessarily disagreeing with you on the larger issue, but I think this is a real stretch.

[SeasonTix]

John Clayton said 1-2 games.

 

I'll believe him over the people here.

Was that before or after the news about the weed?

 

I don't see the connection between how Lynch treated the police in Buffalo last year and what happened with the police in Culver City. Not necessarily disagreeing with you on the larger issue, but I think this is a real stretch.

Exactamundo. CCPD, if they recognized the name, probably didn't connect the dots far enough to come up with "well, he was a tool to the Buffalo PD, so we're going to fry him for this one."

[reddogblitz]

The whole deal about the cops couldn't determine whose weed it was so they couldn't charge anybody is totally fishy. I've seen enough Cops and Judge Judy to know that the driver of the car assumes responsibility for what's in the car. If no passengers fess up, the driver gets busted. Next time I get pulled over and they find weed in my car, if I'm with someone else, we'll both say "it's not mine". Then we're off? Is that how it works? Woohoo !!

 

Seriously though, smoking weed in a parked car with the engine running is just asking to be busted. Go to your house or walk around at a park or at least drive around for cryin' out loud.

[Lurker]

Some perspective for the Chicken Little set:

 

Exhibit A:

 

"Before the Combs case, rap artist Queen Latifah was arrested in L.A. for carrying a loaded gun and for possession of a small amount of marijauna. Carl Douglas negotiated with prosecutors, Queen Latifah plead guilty for possession of a loaded weapon and was fined $810, and also had to donate an additional $2,500 to disadvantaged youth and was put on probation. The whole process took only a few days."

 

Exhibit B:

 

""On May 11, Farina was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after he tried to get by security guards with the [unregistered] .22 caliber, semi-automatic pistol in his briefcase. At the time, he told police he brought the gun with him on a drive from Arizona to Los Angeles and forgot he had it. He was scheduled to take a flight home to Chicago. Police said he was later apologetic and cooperative, and one day after his arrest the actor issued a statement saying, "It is my own stupidity to find myself in this embarrassing situation."

 

On July 17, 2008 after reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors, Farina pleaded no contest and was sentenced to two years probation.

 

Exhibit C:

 

"He then asked me to step out of the vehicle which I did. He patted me down and put me in cuffs and said that he was not arresting me; I was being detained for his safety while he searched my car. I then asked if he had probable cause. His response was that because I did not have my insurance card he could impound the car. Because my car was being impounded, he explained, he had a right to do an inventory search."

 

Four games for the blunts, nolo contendre on the gun...

[TimGraham]

I wouldn't get too caught up into the fact nobody was arrested for marijuana possession -- because in California, it's usually not an arrestable offense. Again, this is California, La-La Land, where authorities are pretty lenient on stuff like that. I'm guessing the police aren't going to open up the cigars and painstakingly separate the marijuana from the tobacco and then weigh the marijuana to see if it's a $100 fine or a $500 fine.

 

I don't know this to be the case last Wednesday, but once the cops see a loaded gun, that's all they care about. Cops on patrol don't go around looking to write tickets for marijuana. Had there been no gun, they probably let everybody off the hook with a warning. They didn't write anybody up for the improper plates either.

 

Plus, the fact the police didn't charge anybody for marijuana possession only underscores their justification -- in my mind -- for arresting Lynch on the gun charge. If they truly were trying to railroad anybody or screw the superstar athlete, they would have popped him for the weed, too.

 

Based on what I learned Tuesday, the arrest report will be enlightening once it's made public.

 

But, for the record, this is California law on marijuana possession:

 

Possession of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana is not an arrestable offense. As long as the offender can provide sufficient identification and promises to appear in court, the officer will not arrest the offender. Upon conviction of the misdemeanor charge the offender is subject to a fine of $100 (no incarceration possible). Possession of greater than 28.5 grams is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

 

In other words, why bother once you see a loaded gun?

[Tux of Borg]

The whole deal about the cops couldn't determine whose weed it was so they couldn't charge anybody is totally fishy. I've seen enough Cops and Judge Judy to know that...

 

Please... just stop right there.

[DonInBuffalo]

I wouldn't get too caught up into the fact nobody was arrested for marijuana possession -- because in California, it's usually not an arrestable offense. Again, this is California, La-La Land, where authorities are pretty lenient on stuff like that. I'm guessing the police aren't going to open up the cigars and painstakingly separate the marijuana from the tobacco and then weigh the marijuana to see if it's a $100 fine or a $500 fine.

 

I don't know this to be the case, but once the cops see a loaded gun, that's all they care about. Cops on patrol don't go around looking to write tickets for marijuana. Had there been no gun, they probably let everybody off the hook.

 

Plus, the fact the police didn't charge anybody for marijuana possession only underscores their justification in arresting Lynch for the loaded gun. If they truly were trying to railroad anybody or screw the superstar athlete, they would have popped him for the weed, too.

 

Based on what I learned Tuesday, the arrest report will be enlightening once it's made public.

 

But, for the record, this is California law on marijuana possession:

 

Possession of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana is not an arrestable offense. As long as the offender can provide sufficient identification and promises to appear in court, the officer will not arrest the offender. Upon conviction of the misdemeanor charge the offender is subject to a fine of $100 (no incarceration possible). Possession of greater than 28.5 grams is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

 

In other words, why bother once you see a loaded gun?

I completely agree. FYI, the marijuana laws here in New York are actually more lenient than in California. "Simple possession" of less than 25 grams is a violation, the equivalent of a traffic ticket. There's no criminal record, because it's not even considered a "crime".

[TimGraham]

A funny line today when asking a source how odd it would be to see a black man in a Mercedes in Culver City ...

 

"The officers that arrested him might drive Mercedes."

 

The town is wealthy and loaded with entertainers. These guys aren't backwoods hicks trying to make a name on a celebrity arrest. If anything, they know the scrutiny that comes with it.

[Kelly the Dog]

I completely agree. FYI, the marijuana laws here in New York are actually more lenient than in California. "Simple possession" of less than 25 grams is a violation, the equivalent of a traffic ticket. There's no criminal record, because it's not even considered a "crime".

This is part of the reason why I don't think Goodell can or will come down hard on him. If it's something like Pacman tossing money up in the air, we know he was doing something stupid. But if Marshawn is just in a car and there really isn't any witnesses who say he's doing something stupid, like smoking, the commish can't just assume he was doing it. To me, this is just one of those things that regardless of his supreme powers and regardless of what he may believe might have happened, he can't just make the leap of assumption. If there is more to the gun charge, he can, and he will. Again, he may not deserve to get off, and he surely was stupid, I just don't think the commish can or will do much to him except threaten him to no end.

[DonInBuffalo]

This is part of the reason why I don't think Goodell can or will come down hard on him. If it's something like Pacman tossing money up in the air, we know he was doing something stupid. But if Marshawn is just in a car and there really isn't any witnesses who say he's doing something stupid, like smoking, the commish can't just assume he was doing it. To me, this is just one of those things that regardless of his supreme powers and regardless of what he may believe might have happened, he can't just make the leap of assumption. If there is more to the gun charge, he can, and he will. Again, he may not deserve to get off, and he surely was stupid, I just don't think the commish can or will do much to him except threaten him to no end.

Let's see, there were three people in the car, four blunts, and the strong odor of marijuana. While there might not be enough legal evidence to convict Lynch of a crime, Goodell isn't held to that standard. He can just use his common sense to conclude that Lynch was almost certainly smoking, and without any doubt used very poor judgment, by putting himself in a situation where he was in a car on a public street with improper plates, an unregistered loaded gun, and people smoking pot.

[OrangeJuiceSimpson]

A funny line today when asking a source how odd it would be to see a black man in a Mercedes in Culver City ...

 

"The officers that arrested him might drive Mercedes."

 

The town is wealthy and loaded with entertainers. These guys aren't backwoods hicks trying to make a name on a celebrity arrest. If anything, they know the scrutiny that comes with it.

 

Ha. That or they're CROOKED COPS!

[Bufcomments]

I wouldn't get too caught up into the fact nobody was arrested for marijuana possession -- because in California, it's usually not an arrestable offense. Again, this is California, La-La Land, where authorities are pretty lenient on stuff like that. I'm guessing the police aren't going to open up the cigars and painstakingly separate the marijuana from the tobacco and then weigh the marijuana to see if it's a $100 fine or a $500 fine.

 

I don't know this to be the case last Wednesday, but once the cops see a loaded gun, that's all they care about. Cops on patrol don't go around looking to write tickets for marijuana. Had there been no gun, they probably let everybody off the hook with a warning. They didn't write anybody up for the improper plates either.

 

Plus, the fact the police didn't charge anybody for marijuana possession only underscores their justification -- in my mind -- for arresting Lynch on the gun charge. If they truly were trying to railroad anybody or screw the superstar athlete, they would have popped him for the weed, too.

 

Based on what I learned Tuesday, the arrest report will be enlightening once it's made public.

 

But, for the record, this is California law on marijuana possession:

 

Possession of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana is not an arrestable offense. As long as the offender can provide sufficient identification and promises to appear in court, the officer will not arrest the offender. Upon conviction of the misdemeanor charge the offender is subject to a fine of $100 (no incarceration possible). Possession of greater than 28.5 grams is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

 

In other words, why bother once you see a loaded gun?

ok here's my two cents worth....

 

The cops wont make a big deal over the weed...if it was in baggies or something that would be a different story

 

The gun charge......well the lawyers will handle that part, it was in the trunk of the car so that helps Marshawn a little bit

If it was in the vechile itself he might be in bigger trouble than he is now.

 

Note to Marshawn....please toke at home where the cops cant pull up beside you if you going to blaze

 

But its Commish Goodel im worried about. This is Lynch second strike and im worried that he will be made an example of and get 4 games off for voilating the leagues conduct policy.

 

The Lawyers will take care of the situation without to much trouble

 

But I would expect Fred Jackson to get busy for the first 2 or 4 games next season

Now this puts the Bills in a tight spot with Jackson's agent and he will get overpaid as a result but I think he has earned a hefty pay raise anyway

[ConradDobler]

These idiots actually believe there was a conspiracy against marshawn lynch like they knew he was coming to Culver City.

LOL

 

Would the Culver City police pay back a Buffalo police grudge? Communication is very fast now.

[Kelly the Dog]

Let's see, there were three people in the car, four blunts, and the strong odor of marijuana. While there might not be enough legal evidence to convict Lynch of a crime, Goodell isn't held to that standard. He can just use his common sense to conclude that Lynch was almost certainly smoking, and without any doubt used very poor judgment, by putting himself in a situation where he was in a car on a public street with improper plates, an unregistered loaded gun, and people smoking pot.

This is an interesting discussion, and hypothetical, and you may be right. But I think that's exactly the reason that Goodell CAN'T do anything. It would set a ridiculous standard that I don't think Goodell even wants himself: That he doesnt know what happened, there wasn't any crime (in the pot area), no one was even arrested or brought in for it, there was very little pot even accused (a tiny amount in fact), people actually there say it WASNT Lynch (which will happen), there wasn't any altercation, and then Goodell comes out and says, "Well, I think he was guilty anyway so I am suspending him." The commish, in this instance, just can't do that, IMO. He can't take that leap and the union would go to war over it.