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Jun 18, 2009 6:54 pm US/Eastern
NFL Suspends Donté Stallworth Indefinitely
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Donte Stallworth's mug shot taken April 2, 2009 after he turned himself in on a DUI Manslaughter charge in connection with the March crash that killed a pedestrian on Miami Beach.
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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donté Stallworth has been suspended indefinitely by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The expected move came just days after Stallworth pled guilty to a DUI manslaughter charge resulting from a deadly accident earlier in 2009 on the MacArthur Causeway.
Stallworth faces 30 days in jail for the charge and was also put on 10 years probation.
NFL Commissioner Goodell gave a frank and tersely worded statement to Stallworth saying:
"The conduct reflected in your guilty plea resulted in the tragic loss of life and was inexcusable. While the criminal justice system has determined the legal consequences of this incident, it is my responsibility as NFL Commissioner to determine appropriate league discipline for your actions, which have caused irreparable harm to the victim and his family, your club, your fellow players and the NFL."
"The conduct that led to your conviction plainly violates both the Personal Conduct and Substances of Abuse policies. Either provides me with full authority to take appropriate disciplinary action against you, including a fine or suspension without pay, and to impose appropriate conditions on your continued participation in the NFL. In this case, there is ample evidence to warrant significant discipline under both policies."
"There is no reasonable dispute that your continued eligibility for participation at this time would undermine the integrity of and public confidence in our league. Accordingly, I have decided to suspend you indefinitely, effective immediately. In due course, we will contact your representatives to schedule a meeting with you, after which I will make a final determination on discipline. Pending my final determination, you will not be permitted to visit the club's facility or participate in any team activities."
"Everyone associated with the league derives tremendous benefits from participating in our game and from the extraordinary support we receive from the public. With these benefits comes, among other things, the responsibility to conduct ourselves in a lawful and responsible way, with no entitlement to or expectation of favorable treatment."
Click here to read a statement released by Stallworth's attorney.
Stallworth will spend 2 years under house arrest and 8 years on probation with multiple conditions including: random drug testing, lifetime driver's license suspension along with no driving, and paying restitution to multiple agencies.
Stallworth admitted to striking and killing 59-year-old crane operator Mario Reyes who was rushing to catch a bus after finishing his shift around 7:15 a.m. on the morning of March 14th. Stallworth told police he flashed his lights in an attempt to warn Reyes. Stallworth, who had been drinking at a bar in the Fountainebleu hotel before the accident, had a blood-alcohol level of .126, well above Florida's .08 limit.
In court Tuesday, Stallworth stood to make a short apology to the family.
"I would like to once again express my deepest sincerities and condolences to the Reyes family and Mr. Reyes' daughter Daniella," said Stallworth. "Your honor, I offer my plea and I accept full responsibility for this horrible tragedy. I assure you that this tragedy will continue to bear this burden for the rest of my life. Though I can not bring back Mr. Reyes or ease his family's pain, I can and will honor his memory by committing my time my resources and my voice to educating this community about the dangers of drunk driving."
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(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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