Stallworth to be Reinstated This Weekend
Posted by Chris at 2/5/2010 3:12 PM 
Categories: NFL
Tags: Roger Goodell Mario Reyes Cleveland Browns Donte Stallworth Mike Vick
Categories: NFL
Tags: Roger Goodell Mario Reyes Cleveland Browns Donte Stallworth Mike Vick
In what has to be one of the most headscratching stories in recent history to me, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that he would be reinstating troubled Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth following the Super Bowl Sunday evening.
To me, this is a complete crock and an outrage. Stallworth KILLED a man, 59 year old Mario Reyes when he hit him with his vehicle while driving under the influence. He was charged with DUI and second degree manslaughter. Stallworth reportedly had a blood alcohol level of 0.12 when he struck Reyes and was driving at least 50 mph in a 40 mph zone.
He took a plea bargain instead of going to trial. He ended up being sentenced to 30 days in jail, 1000 hours of community service, 2 years of house arrest and 8 years probation. He also suffered a permanent revocation of his drivers license.
Stallworth served all of 24 days in jail for the incident. That's it.
To put that in perspective, I looked up the state of Florida's penal code regarding DUI manslaughter. For those of you who don't wish to click the link, allow me to inform you. According to section 316.193 of the Florida penal code entitled "Manslaughter and Vehicular Homicides", DUI manslaughter is considered a second degree felony, punishable by up to 15 YEARS in prison, and up to a $10,000 fine in addition to permanent revocation of one's license.
If you move up to DUI Manslaughter/Leaving the Scene of an Accident, you've graduated to a first degree felony, punishable by the same $10,000 fine and revocation of the license, but a prison term that can run up to 30 YEARS behind bars. Stallworth served 24 DAYS. Since when is killing a man only punishable by three and a half weeks in jail? It hasn't even been a year since the incident, and Stallworth is going to get reinstated with a chance to play professional football again?
If this scenario was any more ludicrous, we'd have Kate Moss as the spokeswoman for a new program or pill that guarantees quick and easy weight loss.
Let me say that I am not a proponent of what Mike Vick did. I love all animals, not to PETA's ridiculous levels where they think everything should be left alone, but I do feel that they should be treated fairly. That said, Vick's sentence for dogfighting and killing dogs was far harsher than what Stallworth got for killing another human being. Granted, life is life regardless of the hosting body, but are we really putting out that there is a higher price for dogs than there is for other human beings?
Vick did his time and had to wait for Goodell to decide if he was "rehabilitated" enough to be reinstated to the league. Stallworth is being welcomed back as if nothing had happened. Sure, he was suspended without pay for the 2009 season, but that's all. He missed ONE season. Vick missed two full campaigns and was a fringe player in 2009 with Philadelphia. He spent 23 months in prison for his transgressions. He filed for bankruptcy while in jail as well, and is still working on a financial reorganization plan.
So this boils down a story of three men: Mike Vick, Mario Reyes, and Donte' Stallworth. A story of one man that lost time in the prime of his life for a mistake he made, one man that lost his life just trying to catch a bus to go home after a hard day's work, and one man who lost little while taking so much. I cannot in good conscience endorse the decision that Goodell is making. He enforced a tougher Personal Conduct Policy, one that we saw take players like Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson, Marshawn Lynch and the late Chris Henry off the field for multiple games.
Maybe I'm biased about this incident because I've had friends that have been killed by drunk drivers. Maybe I'm biased because I don't drink, because too many people close to me either have been, are, or will be functioning alcoholics. People may read this and think I'm slapping around the righteous paintbrush a little too broadly, and that's fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I have no problem hearing what anyone has to say. That's why they have the option to comment or email. I'm not afraid to put my two cents out there, regardless of what popular opinion may be.
Yes, Stallworth missed a full season. Mario Reyes is missing the rest of his life as a result of Stallworth's actions. The punishment needs to fit the crime, and in both the legal system and in the eyes of the NFL, that punishment has found to be lacking.
To me, this is a complete crock and an outrage. Stallworth KILLED a man, 59 year old Mario Reyes when he hit him with his vehicle while driving under the influence. He was charged with DUI and second degree manslaughter. Stallworth reportedly had a blood alcohol level of 0.12 when he struck Reyes and was driving at least 50 mph in a 40 mph zone.
He took a plea bargain instead of going to trial. He ended up being sentenced to 30 days in jail, 1000 hours of community service, 2 years of house arrest and 8 years probation. He also suffered a permanent revocation of his drivers license.
Stallworth served all of 24 days in jail for the incident. That's it.
To put that in perspective, I looked up the state of Florida's penal code regarding DUI manslaughter. For those of you who don't wish to click the link, allow me to inform you. According to section 316.193 of the Florida penal code entitled "Manslaughter and Vehicular Homicides", DUI manslaughter is considered a second degree felony, punishable by up to 15 YEARS in prison, and up to a $10,000 fine in addition to permanent revocation of one's license.
If you move up to DUI Manslaughter/Leaving the Scene of an Accident, you've graduated to a first degree felony, punishable by the same $10,000 fine and revocation of the license, but a prison term that can run up to 30 YEARS behind bars. Stallworth served 24 DAYS. Since when is killing a man only punishable by three and a half weeks in jail? It hasn't even been a year since the incident, and Stallworth is going to get reinstated with a chance to play professional football again?
If this scenario was any more ludicrous, we'd have Kate Moss as the spokeswoman for a new program or pill that guarantees quick and easy weight loss.
Let me say that I am not a proponent of what Mike Vick did. I love all animals, not to PETA's ridiculous levels where they think everything should be left alone, but I do feel that they should be treated fairly. That said, Vick's sentence for dogfighting and killing dogs was far harsher than what Stallworth got for killing another human being. Granted, life is life regardless of the hosting body, but are we really putting out that there is a higher price for dogs than there is for other human beings?
Vick did his time and had to wait for Goodell to decide if he was "rehabilitated" enough to be reinstated to the league. Stallworth is being welcomed back as if nothing had happened. Sure, he was suspended without pay for the 2009 season, but that's all. He missed ONE season. Vick missed two full campaigns and was a fringe player in 2009 with Philadelphia. He spent 23 months in prison for his transgressions. He filed for bankruptcy while in jail as well, and is still working on a financial reorganization plan.
So this boils down a story of three men: Mike Vick, Mario Reyes, and Donte' Stallworth. A story of one man that lost time in the prime of his life for a mistake he made, one man that lost his life just trying to catch a bus to go home after a hard day's work, and one man who lost little while taking so much. I cannot in good conscience endorse the decision that Goodell is making. He enforced a tougher Personal Conduct Policy, one that we saw take players like Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson, Marshawn Lynch and the late Chris Henry off the field for multiple games.
Maybe I'm biased about this incident because I've had friends that have been killed by drunk drivers. Maybe I'm biased because I don't drink, because too many people close to me either have been, are, or will be functioning alcoholics. People may read this and think I'm slapping around the righteous paintbrush a little too broadly, and that's fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I have no problem hearing what anyone has to say. That's why they have the option to comment or email. I'm not afraid to put my two cents out there, regardless of what popular opinion may be.
Yes, Stallworth missed a full season. Mario Reyes is missing the rest of his life as a result of Stallworth's actions. The punishment needs to fit the crime, and in both the legal system and in the eyes of the NFL, that punishment has found to be lacking.
Glad to know this country has the mindset that we should value dogs more than our own human selves.
Sickening stuff.
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That's pretty much the mentality that I had about the whole thing and the point I was trying to make to people here. The justice system has become more Justice for those who have money instead of Justice for All.
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