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Police/Legal Blotter (stop breaking the law, asshole!)

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2537412

Sources: Auburn suspends LBs Blackmon, Sears
By Mark Schlabach
ESPN.com

Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville has suspended linebackers Tray Blackmon and Kevin Sears from playing in the Tigers' first three games this season, two sources close to the situation said Wednesday.

The players were expected to compete for starting jobs this season, but were disciplined by Tuberville after being arrested on alcohol-related charges during the past year.

Blackmon and Sears will miss at least the first three games: vs. Washington State on Sept. 2, at Mississippi State on Sept. 9 and vs. LSU on Sept. 16. Sears, who has started 15 games the last three seasons, was expected to compete with senior Karibi Dede for the starting middle linebacker job. Blackmon was battling sophomore Merrill Johnson for the starting weakside linebacker job and was ahead in the competition after spring practice.

Sears, a senior from Russellville, Ala., was found guilty in early July on charges of driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident and public intoxication. On Nov. 5, only hours after the Tigers won at Kentucky 49-27, Sears drove his car off the road and struck a gas main and tree. His blood alcohol level was reportedly 0.13, above Alabama's legal limit of 0.08. Tuberville suspended Sears from playing against Georgia last season and he did not accompany Auburn to play Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.

Blackmon, a highly regarded redshirt freshman, was arrested May 13 in his hometown of LaGrange, Ga., on charges of underage possession of alcohol and being a pedestrian under the influence of alcohol.

Tuberville last week said that Blackmon and Sears were going to miss "several games," but declined to specify how many. Tuberville couldn't be reached for comment on Wednesday.

The Tigers were an overwhelming choice to win the SEC in voting at last week's SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. They lost two of their starting linebackers from 2005 -- Travis Williams and Antarrious Williams, who were second and third on the team in tackles, respectively. Auburn moved strong safety Will Herring, a second team All-SEC selection last season, to strongside linebacker during spring practice.
 
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Vol TE Lee Smith Follow-Up - Dismissed from Team

Phat Phil chucks Smith the TE Freshman under the bus - someone made sure ALL the dirt hit the local rag.

"Improper relationship with an Assistant High School Principal"

Fulmer boots Smith from Vols <!-- byline --> By RANDY KENNER AND JAMIE SATTERFIELD, [email protected], [email protected]
August 2, 2006 <!-- /byline -->
University of Tennessee football signee Joseph Lee Smith was dismissed from the team Wednesday after being arrested and charged with drunken driving earlier in the day. Smith learned his fate during a meeting with UT Coach Philip Fulmer Wednesday afternoon.
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</td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- /in content ad --> The UT Athletics Department released Fulmer’s decision on Smith along with that of Marsalous Johnson, who had been charged with aggravated assault over the weekend.
A redshirt freshman, Johnson was suspended for the first four games of the season.
"We have excellent positive energy around our team," Fulmer said. "We have many outstanding young men and those are the ones we will work with, and the ones that have been inconsiderate of our program or act immaturely will be left behind.
"Marsalous and Lee have embarrassed this great university and not presented themselves in a manner that appropriately represents our program. I have demanded accountability from our players and the team, and these two players have not followed instructions."
Smith, the son of a UT and professional football player, leaves UT without even having the chance to practice with the team.
The Volunteers report back to campus Thursday and begin practice on Friday.
"Regarding Lee, I have made the decision that he be dismissed from the football team," Fulmer said. "I have great respect for the Smith family and for Daryl as a former Volunteer. It is my sincere hope that this will be an opportunity for Lee to mature and get his life in order."
Fulmer was the offensive line coach when Smith’s father played tackle for the Volunteers in the mid-1980s.
Lee Smith, a 6 foot 6, 240-pound tight end, was arrested on campus during the early morning hours Wednesday.
According to a UT Police Department incident report a security guard reported a possible intoxicated driver operating in the area of Fraternity Park Drive and Pat Head Summitt Street at 3:57 a.m.
UT Police officer Eric Zaremski wrote in the incident report that when he arrived on the scene he saw the dark colored truck driving off the sidewalk onto Johnny Majors Drive.
According to the incident report the events unfolded as follows.
Zaremski followed the green 2001 GMC Sierra Pickup as it traveled eastbound on Johnny Majors and turned on his emergency equipment to stop the truck.
"The driver of the dark-colored truck did not respond to my vehicle’s equipment," the officer wrote.
But Zaremski wrote the truck did pull over to the side of Johnny Majors Drive, and the driver shifted the vehicle into a parked position.
"As I approached the truck, the driver put the vehicle into drive and hit a parked vehicle in front of the truck," Zaremski wrote. "There was no apparent damage to the vehicle."
Another UT police officer, Kenny Bradley, arrived and they ordered the driver, who was identified as Smith, 18, of Powell, to shut off his vehicle.
"Officer Bradley and I were in fear that Smith may attempt to flee the area," the officer wrote. "We then assisted Smith in exiting the truck and detained him.
"We immediately noticed a strong aroma of alcohol upon Smith’s breath. Smith’s speech was very slurred, and he was unsteady upon his feet.
"Smith said that he was turning around in the street, and that was how his vehicle ended up on the sidewalk."
The officer said Smith was given four standard field sobriety tests and failed all of them.
Smith was arrested and charged with DUI and received an implied consent charge after refusing to take a breath-alcohol test.
An 18-year-old female passenger in Smith’s car was not charged and left in other transportation.
The 2006 Powell graduate and sports star is at the center of a Knox County Schools investigation, involving Powell High School assistant principal Kimberly Kallenberg.
Kallenberg has been suspended amid allegations she had a sexual relationship with a student athlete and tampered with students’ grades.
Smith, in an affidavit obtained by the News Sentinel, has said he "never had any sexual and/or inappropriate relationship with Kimberly L. Kallenberg."
Wednesday, before Smith was dismissed from the team, his attorney Donald A. Bosch said, "This is a very difficult time for the Smith family with all these unfair and untrue allegations swirling around Lee."
As for the DUI charge Bosch said, "We have no comment at this time."
Kallenberg also has denied the allegations.
On Tuesday, Kallenberg began legal action against the Knox County Board of Education.
"I was discriminated against because of my sex/gender," Kimberly Kallenberg wrote in an affidavit attached to a complaint filed on her behalf by attorney Gregory P. Isaacs with the Tennessee Human Rights Commission.
Isaacs also lodged on Kallenberg’s behalf a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, accusing the Knox County Board of Education of violating the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA.
The two complaints come after school officials confiscated from Powell High School at least two computers as part of a probe into accusations the 36-year-old Kallenberg changed grades to benefit the teen.
"We’ve taken what we need to take to follow up on the grade tampering (claims)," confirmed schools spokesman Russ Oaks Tuesday. "That would be a routine action."
"It’s unfortunate that the Knox County Board of Education continues to violate the provisions of FERPA," Isaacs responded when asked about the seizure of Powell computers. "We’re optimistic our complaint filed with the secretary of education will resolve this ongoing problem. Unlike the Knox County Schools spokesman, it would be inappropriate to comment on an issue involving my client."
Kallenberg was placed on administrative leave with pay in mid-July after allegations of grade tampering surfaced, as well as claims that she had a sexual liaison with Smith.
Oaks has said the probe into an alleged liaison and accusations of grade tampering began after supervisors in the school system’s human resources division received tips from "two or three different sources."
Kallenberg writes in her discrimination complaint that human resources officials "made comments to me and my immediate supervisor (Powell principal) Diane Psihogios that my problems could result because of my ‘looks’ and the way I dress as a female.
"I feel that these statements are indicative of gender bias and unfair as it related to the other allegations, which I have emphatically denied," she wrote.
Kallenberg also claims in the complaint that "similar situations involving male teachers" were handled differently by the school system.
"In fact, recently a male teacher who was discovered to have had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student was permitted to resign by his principal," Kallenberg alleged.
That alleged incident was kept quiet while "in my case, even though the evidence is based on rumor and speculation, co-workers, the media and the (state) Department of Children’s Services were notified," Kallenberg wrote.
In the FERPA complaint, Kallenberg accuses Oaks of disclosing Smith’s name to the media.
"The agent’s release of information regarding this student’s identity, whether implicit or explicit, along with information about that student’s school records violated the student’s privacy rights under (FERPA)," the complaint stated. "Further this information was used against me and publicly disseminated to make improper and/or inflammatory accusations against me in the context of a pending investigation."
A violation of the federal privacy act can carry penalties up to the loss of federal funding for an offending institution, according to the Education Department’s Web site.
Oaks declined comment on Kallenberg’s complaints, neither of which he had seen Tuesday evening.
School Superintendent Charles Lindsey has also placed Psihogios, 53, on paid leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Northwest Middle School principal Ken Dunlap has been tapped to replace Psihogios.
Oaks confirmed Tuesday that Lindsey also has ordered secretary Karen Craig, who worked under Psihogios and Kallenberg, reassigned to Fulton High School.
"I think the superintendent felt it was necessary," Oaks said.
Smith’s father, Daryle R. Smith, is an assistant football coach at Powell High School. He has expressed disbelief at the allegations involving his son, who turned 18 in November 2005, and Kallenberg.
Smith has received a full athletic scholarship to play football at UT. Athletic officials have said they are not launching an independent probe and instead are awaiting the results of Knox County’s review.
Smith, who was released on a $500 bond, faces an Aug. 9, hearing in Knox County General Sessions Court.
 
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Follow-Up on Marsalou Jonhson Vols % Toy Guns

Suspended for 4 games - probably lucky that the TE was thrown under the bus earlier

UT suspends Johnson for first four games <!-- byline --> By RANDY KENNER, [email protected]
August 2, 2006 <!-- /byline -->
University of Tennessee football player Marsalous Johnson, accused of pointing a black plastic toy Uzi at an off-duty law enforcement officer Sunday night, was suspended today for the first four games of the season. Freshman signee Lee Smith, who was charged today with drunken driving, was dismissed from the team.
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</td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- /in content ad --> "We have excellent positive energy around our team," Coach Phillip Fulmer said in a statement. "We have many outstanding young men and those are the ones we will work with, and the ones that have been inconsiderate of our program or act immaturely will be left behind.
"Marsalous and Lee have embarrassed this great university and not presented themselves in a manner that appropriately represents our program. I have demanded accountability from our players and the team, and these two players have not followed instructions.
"As for Marsalous, he has been suspended from the football team for the first four games regardless of the outcome of his court appearance for not following my instructions to walk away from any potential trouble. When classes begin (Aug. 23), he will be required to move back into the dorm and return his car to his home as well as performing 50 hours of community service. His practice status on the team will be as a member of the scout team.
"Any reinstatement of Marsalous depends on his attitude and demonstration of accountability.
"Regarding Lee, I have made the decision that he be dismissed from the football team. I have great respect for the Smith family and for Daryl as a former Volunteer. It is my sincere hope that this will be an opportunity for Lee to mature and get his life in order."
Fulmer made the decision to suspend Johnson after investigating the incident, which occurred on Interstate 40 near Cookeville.
UT linebacker Rico McCoy, a freshman redshirt from Washington D.C., was a passenger in Johnson’s car and was not charged.
Johnson, a 20-year-old defensive back from Smyrna, was charged with aggravated assault after he allegedly pointed what an incident report described as a toy weapon at Putnam County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Hoover.
But the report also indicated that officers recovered numerous plastic pellets from the interior of Johnson’s car indicating that the replica weapon could expel a projectile.
Johnson, however, told officers Sunday night that he didn’t point anything at Hoover.
Johnson, a redshirt freshmen who was expected to provide depth at cornerback for the Volunteers, said UT was "my all-time favorite team," when he committed to play for UT before his senior year in high school.
He said he had considered Ohio State and Florida State among other schools but said, "Why wait when you can play for the team you’ve always rooted for?"
The events leading to the charge and Johnson’s suspension occurred about 8:30 p.m. Sunday night according to a Putnam County Sheriff’s Department incident report obtained by the Associated Press and the complaint filed in Putnam County Sessions Court.
According to those documents the events unfolded as follows:
Johnson and McCoy, in a Chevrolet Caprice, and Hoover and his passenger, in Hoover's Ford F-150, were both traveling east on I-40.
Hoover said in the complaint that Johnson was following Hoover’s truck too closely and became upset when Hoover had to brake for slowing traffic.
But Johnson told Putnam County Deputy James Patterson – who responded to the call and did the incident report — that Hoover, "was slamming on his brakes trying to get him to rear end him."
The documents indicate that Hoover and Johnson were both traveling in the left, or fast, lane, on I-40.
Johnson subsequently pulled out from behind Hoover’s truck and moved into the right lane to pull up even with Hoover’s truck.
Hoover said in the complaint that Johnson then pointed what appeared to be a weapon at the deputy and his passenger, "in a threatening manner placing them in fear of imminent bodily harm."
Both Johnson and McCoy denied pointing anything at the occupants of the other vehicle, though Johnson said he yelled at the truck.
Hoover called for help and both Patterson and Monterey Police Officer Chad York responded to the call, with York pulling Johnson over.
"He (Johnson) again denied pointing a gun at Deputy Hoover," Patterson wrote.
York, however, found the "black, plastic toy Uzi," under the passenger seat of Johnson’s vehicle.
Johnson told officers it belonged to him but said he had forgotten it was under the seat.
McCoy also told officers no one had pointed anything at the other driver.
Johnson was charged with aggravated assault while McCoy was released.
Johnson appeared in Putnam County Sessions Court on Monday where his case was reset to Sept. 6.
He was released on a $10,000 bond.
Randy Kenner may be reached at 865-342-6305.

At this rate Phil should go back to his old policy of giving the Knoxville Police tickets to Vol games to smooth the shit over.
 
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didn't Winston Justice do the same thing and get a 1 yr suspension?

He flashed a pellet gun, I believe at another USC student. He was suspended for a full season for that, which is something worth remembering for those (I'm not one of them) who think USC is lax in penalizing their football players.

Carroll is, however, attempting to get Jarrett reinstated without missing any games (he's said he doesn't think Jarrett will miss any games on multiple occasions); but my opinion is that the Mr. Leinart/rent supplement situation should warrant a 1-game suspension.
 
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He flashed a pellet gun, I believe at another USC student. He was suspended for a full season for that, which is something worth remembering for those (I'm not one of them) who think USC is lax in penalizing their football players.

Carroll is, however, attempting to get Jarrett reinstated without missing any games (he's said he doesn't think Jarrett will miss any games on multiple occasions); but my opinion is that the Mr. Leinart/rent supplement situation should warrant a 1-game suspension.

Wasn't Justice suspended by the school's conduct review board? Did Carroll even have a choice?
 
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At this rate Phil should go back to his old policy of giving the Knoxville Police tickets to Vol games to smooth the shit over.
Actually, the Knoxville police should just go to Vol games and get game day programs, that way crime victims can look through those instead of an endless parade of mugshots.

Boulder police have admitted that they used to do this during the Bill McCartney era at Colorado.
 
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si.com
Cal QB Levy reinstated to team

Posted: Thursday August 3, 2006 8:46PM

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) -- California quarterback Steve Levy was reinstated to the team Thursday, one day after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor for his involvement in a bar fight in June.

Levy will be able to practice with the team when camp opens Sunday but remains suspended for the season opener at Tennessee on Sept. 2.

Levy, a senior who led the Golden Bears to season-ending wins over Stanford and Brigham Young last season, had faced felony assault charges stemming from the fight, in which he allegedly threw a pint glass at a bouncer's face after getting into an argument with another patron at a pub in San Francisco.

Under terms of his plea, Levy has three years of probation and must perform 100 hours of community service.

"I have learned from the experience," Levy said in a statement released by the school. "I just want to put this behind me and move on with my life and do anything I can to help the 2006 Bears."

Levy is expected to be a third-stringer behind Nate Longshore and Joe Ayoob this season.
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usatoday

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Notebook: Cavaliers safety reinstated</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--startclickprintexclude--><TABLE height=25 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><!--endclickprintexclude-->Posted 8/4/2006 8:07 PM ET

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Virginia safety Tony Franklin has rejoined the team after being dismissed last spring for unspecified reasons, coach Al Groh said Friday as the Cavaliers began fall practice.

Franklin was suspended for a game late last season for violating team rules and did not make the trip to the Music City Bowl in December. Groh announced Franklin's dismissal from the team on the eve of spring practice in March.

"As happens with lots of people — mature adults, young adults, adolescents, whatever — sometimes people get a little off track, a little bit out of whack," Groh said Friday.

He said Franklin, a senior who was a team captain last year, earned another chance.

"Tony's had a very diligent and disciplined approach to making it very clear that the Tony that we know and respect and prize is the Tony that we have right now," Groh said.

The Cavaliers also welcomed back safety Nate Lyles, who had surgery after injuring his neck against Georgia Tech last November. Lyles, a junior, missed spring drills but received medical clearance to rejoin the team.

With the return of Franklin and Lyles, the Cavaliers are well stocked at safety. Jamaal Jackson and walk-ons Ryan Best and Byron Glaspy filled in late last season. Best and Glaspy have since been put on scholarship.


Maryland suspends two players for two weeks

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland football players Jared Gaither and Jaimie Thomas have been suspended for two weeks of preseason camp for a violation of team rules.

The suspensions were announced Friday, three days before the team will begin summer practice.

Gaither, a sophomore, started eight games at left tackle last season and
will vie to be the starting right tackle.

Thomas is a redshirt sophomore guard who played in 11 games last year, starting one.

"It will not help us to go through camp short a pair of lineman, but we have established a culture for our student-athletes here and there are no exceptions," coach Ralph Friedgen said. "We expect both players to do their best to stay in shape and be able to compete when they return."
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
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Link

Sources: Georgia suspends CB Flowers two games

<!-- end pagetitle --> <!-- begin bylinebox --> By Mark Schlabach
ESPN.com

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<!-- begin text11 div --><!-- begin leftcol --> <!-- template inline --> Georgia, the defending SEC champion, will be without a second key starter in its first two games after coach Mark Richt suspended junior cornerback Thomas Flowers for that stretch of the schedule, two sources close to the situation said Saturday.
Flowers' suspension, which is related to academics, is only the most recent on a list of off-field problems for Georgia football players.
<!-- INLINE TABLE (BEGIN) -->
<!-- INLINE TABLE (END) --> In May, Richt suspended senior offensive tackle Daniel Inman for the team's first two games for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Inman, 6-foot-7 and 319 pounds, has started every game since his redshirt freshman season.
In addition to Flowers and Inman:
• Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who recorded 15 tackles and an interception in 10 games last season and figured to be a more central figure -- he was expected to battle for a starting job -- in the Bulldogs defense in 2006, was suspended for the first three games of the coming season. In January, Ellerbe borrowed a teammate's car without permission, used another person's driver's license to gain entry into a strip club, got into a car accident and was charged with DUI.
• Offensive lineman Ian Smith was suspended for the team's first game, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in May. No reason was given for the suspension. Smith is expected to be a backup at center or guard this season.
• Defensive back Antonio Sims, who has been recuperating from shoulder surgery, was suspended for the entire season due to multiple violations of university regulations, according to multiple published reports.
The Bulldogs, who open the season Sept. 2 against Western Kentucky and then start SEC play at South Carolina on Sept. 9, lost both their starting cornerbacks, DeMario Minter and Tim Jennings, from last season. Flowers was expected to start at cornerback and return punts for the Bulldogs. He had a 54-yard touchdown return in Georgia's 27-14 win at Tennessee last season.
The Bulldogs, ranked No. 14 in the preseason USA Today coaches' poll, could replace Flowers with freshman Asher Allen, who graduated early from Tucker (Ga.) High and enrolled at Georgia in January. Junior Paul Oliver is expected to start at the other corner.
 
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Link

Sources: Georgia suspends CB Flowers two games

<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox -->By Mark Schlabach
ESPN.com

<!-- begin presby2 -->

<!-- end presby2 -->
<!-- end bylinebox -->
<!-- begin text11 div --><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->Georgia, the defending SEC champion, will be without a second key starter in its first two games after coach Mark Richt suspended junior cornerback Thomas Flowers for that stretch of the schedule, two sources close to the situation said Saturday.
Flowers' suspension, which is related to academics, is only the most recent on a list of off-field problems for Georgia football players.
<!-- INLINE TABLE (BEGIN) -->
<!-- INLINE TABLE (END) -->In May, Richt suspended senior offensive tackle Daniel Inman for the team's first two games for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Inman, 6-foot-7 and 319 pounds, has started every game since his redshirt freshman season.
In addition to Flowers and Inman:
• Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who recorded 15 tackles and an interception in 10 games last season and figured to be a more central figure -- he was expected to battle for a starting job -- in the Bulldogs defense in 2006, was suspended for the first three games of the coming season. In January, Ellerbe borrowed a teammate's car without permission, used another person's driver's license to gain entry into a strip club, got into a car accident and was charged with DUI.
• Offensive lineman Ian Smith was suspended for the team's first game, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in May. No reason was given for the suspension. Smith is expected to be a backup at center or guard this season.
• Defensive back Antonio Sims, who has been recuperating from shoulder surgery, was suspended for the entire season due to multiple violations of university regulations, according to multiple published reports.
The Bulldogs, who open the season Sept. 2 against Western Kentucky and then start SEC play at South Carolina on Sept. 9, lost both their starting cornerbacks, DeMario Minter and Tim Jennings, from last season. Flowers was expected to start at cornerback and return punts for the Bulldogs. He had a 54-yard touchdown return in Georgia's 27-14 win at Tennessee last season.
The Bulldogs, ranked No. 14 in the preseason USA Today coaches' poll, could replace Flowers with freshman Asher Allen, who graduated early from Tucker (Ga.) High and enrolled at Georgia in January. Junior Paul Oliver is expected to start at the other corner.

I thought taking someone's car without their permission was called auto theft. Guess in Georgia they call that "borrowing."
 
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