A college basketball player was cut from his team after drug-related allegations led to his arrest. Facing felony charges for possessing marijuana, the University of Georgia student has maintained his innocence while also apologizing for any negative attention that has been cast onto the school. For unknown reasons, he had apparently been suspended for multiple games during the previous year’s season.
At around 2 a.m., an officer approached the student’s vehicle to request that he move it out of a parking spot that had been designated for motorcycles only. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer claimed that he smelled marijuana coming from some of the rolled down windows. When he tried to investigate a backpack that was in the man’s car, he was instructed that he was not authorized to search it.
The officer ultimately grabbed the backpack and, upon opening it, discovered roughly 18 grams of marijuana. He was arrested and, due to an allegedly aggressive crowd that gathered, was taken to an area county jail fairly quickly. However, he later posted $2,500 bond and was released.
The University of Georgia student and former basketball player claims that the marijuana wasn’t even his. He further claims that the individual who was actually in possession of the marijuana will be accompanying him to his first court appearance. Despite the serious nature of felony charges for drug crimes, this young man’s innocence and rights must continue to be protected as this case moves forward. Ultimately, the burden of proof does not lie upon him, but instead with the prosecution, who must be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt each element of the crimes with which he has been charged.
Source: onlineathens.com, “UPDATE: Former UGA basketball player professes innocence to marijuana charge“, Wayne Ford, July 15, 2014