Donte Stallworth receives slap on wrist, drops pass
Donte Stallworth was sentenced to 30 days in jail after pleading guilty today to DUI-Manslaughter charges in Miami. Back in March, he got plastered (2x the legal limit) and killed a man named Mario Reyes. Tonight Stallworth and Leonard Little will go out and celebrate in style.
Remind me again, why the fcuk did Mike Vick have go to prison?
UPDATE: Looks like there’s two years of house arrest tacked on to that 30 days. OH NOES! He’ll have to rough it for 700 or so days playing Xbox Live (which is down today – jerks) while feasting on expensive sumptuous cuisine and generally not being in federal PMITA prison.
Tags: quick hits, travesties of justice
June 16th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
im not a fan of ron mexico, but this is ridiculous.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
ive always found it amazing to see just what the hell boatloads of money could buy you. he got shit-faced and KILLED A GUY???? if I do this, i’m never heard from again.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Fuck me, no wonder there are so many drunk driving deaths in this country.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
BTW, the safety was drunk in that photo.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
There must be a typo in there. 30 years for killing the guy, right?
June 16th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Stallworth had a choice between 30 days in jail or 30 days on the set of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
So a dog’s life is worth more than a humans. If the court says so it must be true.
Fuck PETA!
Let Vick Play!
June 16th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I’m not sure Donte’ is treated any differently than the guys who have 10 DUIs and still get the 2 month slap on the wrist. Killing a douchebag jaywalker should be less of a crime than drowning a bitch.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Blowing a 0.126 is def not “plastered”, especially not for an NFL player. Maybe for Elisha it is though.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
C Geezy, have you ever blown a breathalyzer? A 0.126 for a normal sized person is roughly 10-12 beers, fuck what the “2 beers=0.08″ says.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
@C Geezy: ?
/Waiting for explanation of how BAC of .126 is different for NFL players.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Where have you gone, Joe Wapner?
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
If instead of being drunk, Donte was racing to Michael Vick’s house across state lines to gamble on dog fighting, he definitely would have gotten more time.
/mind explodes
June 16th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Dogs are more important than people. Didn’t you get the memo?
June 16th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
It’s okay, guys. Stallworth was also sentenced to play out the remainder of his career with the Browns.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
I’ll just repeat what I just posted on the last thread.
Well we know he would’ve gotten 3 years for killing a few dogs so there you go.
Dogs > Humans
This country’s legal system has its eyes closed and its head planted firmly up its ass.
If I ever see a PETA employee or volunteer, I’m going to kill em, then I’m gonna cook em, then I’m gonna eat em. Seems only fair for all the good they’ve done for us.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
I will add a small bit of reason…Federal charges vs. state/local. Feds always go for broke. Of course, PETA would say dogs > people…
June 16th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
But now that he has a criminal record, isn’t he required to play for the Bengals?
June 16th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I think it has more to do with intent than it does with animal life vs. human life.
Conspiracy to commit animal cruelty 100’s of times, pre-meditated, vs. making one huge mistake. Yeah, he broke the law by driving drunk, and I think a 30 day sentence is pretty standard there. The pedestrian was also jaywalking, so maybe they had to take that into account as well.
Not saying its right or wrong, just that the legal complexities are probably deeper than “man vs. dog.”
Regardless, let the PETAFLAWA ensue…
June 16th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
The real question here is: Is one person > multiple dogs?
/ Yes, this is fucked
June 16th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Apparently the court took into consideration the fact that Stallworth was actually swerving to miss Vince Young who had jumped in front of the car…from a 5 story window
June 16th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
If I ever see a PETA employee or volunteer, I’m going to kill em, then I’m gonna cook em, then I’m gonna eat em. Seems only fair for all the good they’ve done for us.
Seriously. I’m as liberal as they come, but those people are assholes. A million serious problems in the world, and you’re hitting the streets to protest cow’s milk? Fuck you, patchouli clown.
I was in Seattle on business a few months ago and went out with some friends to a somewhat trendy restaurant. Outside was a crowd of two dozen protesters, who were there to protest the fact that the restaurant served foie gras. The group included a douchebag in a duck suit. (Apparently, goose suits are hard to find.) Now, I normally don’t like foie gras, but out of spite, we got two orders for the table. Walking out to our cab, a friend shouted out to the protesters, “Hey, thanks for the recommendation! That foie gras was fucking great!”
Oh, PETA, it’s OK. No animals were harmed in making you cry.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
The main difference is one is a state crime and the other a federal. Punishment in a state for dog fighting is usually no time, probation, fine. However, federal crimes are a bit stricter and harder to get out of.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Stallworth, Leonard Little, Jayson Williams and the list goes on. When will celebrities and athletes stop getting a slap on the wrist for committing MURDER!
June 16th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Duh, the hierarchy goes like this:
1. Rich people of any ethnicity
2. Famous people of any ethnicity
3. White people
4. Non-white people
5. Homeless people of any ethnicity
6. Hookers
So when a rich, famous black guy kills a non-rich, non-famous brown guy, no harm, no foul. Too bad this Stallworth guy isn’t white, he could have sued the guy’s family for the emotional distress he suffered after he killed someone and saw the damage to his car. If you’re a rich white guy and you kill a brown person with your car, they just let you off with a warning. You can basically kill hookers at will, police don’t investigate that shit, so the next time you feel like murderin’ someone, make sure it’s a hooker.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
What people forget is that Vick got zero time for killing dogs. In fact, the local prosecution threw the case out for some reason. The feds busted him on interstate gambling charges.
Reyes was technically breaking the law when he was killed. His family is probably doing a smart thing by taking the shitload of money from Stallworth and dropping the issue, instead of dragging it out in court where it obviously would have gotten ugly.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Let’s see, I’m embarrassed and aggravated as:
a) a sports fan,
b) a football fan,
c) and a Saints fan.
Stallworth finally succeeds at something, and it’s getting away with fucking manslaughter. Terrific. Yeah, I feel like a wonderful human being today.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
When will celebrities and athletes stop getting a slap on the wrist for committing MURDER!
Murder is premeditated, which this obviously was not. Still fucked, however.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I had a hard time believing what I was hearing earlier today concerning the sentence of one Donte Stallworth. Michael Vick gets 2 years for fighting dogs, and Donte Stallworth gets a slap on the wrist for killing a human being while driving under the influence. What’s wrong with this picture? I hope and pray he never plays in the NFL again because he doesn’t deserve to. I wonder how much $$$$$ he paid to the victims family, (like that will bring him back). Stories like these about professional athletes are becoming more and more frequent and it’s starting to make me less of a fan of professional sports. I look at so many athletes today and all I see is a bunch of greedy, selfish jerks. What a screwed up judicial system we have.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
No worries… Mrs. Reyes will get 50 yard line seats 5 rows up, and the key to Donte’s hotel room.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
@joe, if every you needed evidence dogs are more important and better liked than people, you got it now.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
He killed a person… he fucking killed a person and he’s going to be in jail for 30 fucking days. This is so horrifying and disgusting that I can’t bring myself to come up with a joke about it.
But since you guys still deserve some form of a joke, here:
http://katt88.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/jessica-simpson-fat.jpeg
June 16th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
So the lessons learned today are:
1) PETA is an organization comprised of cumgargling fucktasters
2) Follow Slash’s hierarchy for killing and you’ll be A-OK
3) If you’re going to run someone down while driving DUI make sure it is a jaywalking hooker
4) Kill a bunch of dogs and bankroll a dogfighting operation but make sure the money never crosses state lines
Can’t condone what Vick did, but that sentence was bullshit. Stallworth seemed truly remorseful for what he did and the Reyes family clearly wanted this to go away and get back to some semblance of normalcy (I’m assuming a 7 figure settlement will help), but 30 days for manslaughter just doesn’t seem like the right message for all the non-NFL players who get drunk and run someone down.
Clearly a different situation, but didn’t the guy in Cali who killed the baseball player and two other passengers get indicted with three counts of murder? I wonder if those charges will stick.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
I read the drunk driver who killed the Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart could face the death penalty. These two stories are fucked up.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Stallworth, Leonard Little, Jayson Williams and the list goes on. When will celebrities and athletes stop getting a slap on the wrist for committing MURDER!
Ray Lewis and OJ take issue with your statement.
Rae Carruth, however, is not amused.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
wouldn’t he have been more severely reprimanded for a passing a couple of bad checks? Wow….
June 16th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
FUCK YOU DANTE STALLWORTH. 30 days in jail for manslaughter during a DUI? People get 10+ years for that. Fuck You Dante Stallworth, Fuck You to the judge who made this sentencing.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Goddell better throw the hammer down on this piece of shit. Ban him from the league.
Last thing the NFL needs is more guys getting off light and continuing to play.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Sentencing guidelines in this country are one of the real reasons that our legal system is such a mess, and why many, such as the above commenters, think that our government is a concatenation of clowns and assholes. Sentencing should be based on a crime’s harming of others, both primary (manslaughter) and secondary (victim’s family, livelihood)effects, minus mitigating circumstances. So, yeah, the jaywalking/possible public drunkenness of the jaywalker is taken into consideration, but only after the harm is assessed. The real crime here is a multimillionaire drinking his ass off and not calling a freaking cab.
So, no matter how it is assessed, human life would always worth be worth more than a dog’s life (or several dogs, for that matter). Criminal punishment for rape should be more severe than that for drug possession, I don’t give a shit which offense it is: 1st or 42nd.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
@ Ant Baby…
i was actually just wondering about that. I can almost guarantee he gets more than 2 months, because:
dogs>common man
pro athlete > dog
June 16th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Going back to Stallworth’s original statement where he says he had time to flash his lights, but not have the functioning brain to hit his brakes makes this all the more galling.
How the fuck do you have a system set up where someone can admit guilt for killing a man while doing an illegal act and yet have the penalty be 30 days in prison?
June 16th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
I have a general feeling that jaywalking is a less severe violation than DUI manslaughter, and one which should probably not really get in the way of the prosecution. But what do I know?
Also, the ‘drops pass‘ was a nice touch.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Better question: if he had hit a dog crossing the street while driving drunk, would he have gotten more time? I think so.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Rabble rabble rabble rabble….
June 16th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I have no problem with light sentences for manslaughter when the accused is legitimately remorseful and it was absolutely accidental. There’s no reason to screw someone for an accident, even if it happens to end in a death vs. not a death.
What I do have a problem with, and I’m sure most would agree, is that accidental manslaughter is considered basically the same, sentence-wise, whether you’re intoxicated or not. Stallworth made a choice to commit an illegal act: driving while heavily intoxicated. During the course of this illegal act, he killed someone. Didn’t mean to, but its not like this was someone who threw themselves under his bumper. He fucked up and it led to a death. It’s not completely accidental, because someone in a sober frame of mind might have been able to avoid killing the man.
Long story short, 30 days in jail and two years house arrest is bullshit. This is basically saying “You are excused from your actions if you’re famous and rich and drunk!” If Stallworth is legitimately remorseful, he won’t even touch alcohol again for a long time, maybe ever. I know if it were me, I wouldn’t drink again, ever. Although I’d be in the slammer polishing the cocks of men bigger than me for the next 40+ years.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
@Nestminder: How is Stallworth’s driving drunk any more of a “mistake” than what Vick did? It was a mistake for both in that they both greatly regretted it afterwards (for Stallworth because he killed a guy and Vick because he was found out). It’s not a mistake for either in that they both actively decided to do something illegal. It’s a bad stroke of luck for Stallworth that he’d have a jaywalker to deal with on his drunken drive back home, but that doesn’t make it a mistake that he drove drunk in the first place. There should be no argument from anyone anywhere that Stallworth is getting 1/23rd of the jail time Vick got isn’t unbelievably fucked up.
Later, we can find out if Stallworth’s impending suspension will run out before Roger reinstates Vick. It would piss me off to no end, but I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if it happened.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
I will just say this and then run along:
Nearly every expert in the sentencing realm agrees on the following–there is little to no correlation between crime punishment and crime prevention. If you look at countries across the world, you see that countries that employ alternative approaches to incarceration (viz., home detention, probation, fines) more frequently than detention enjoy much lower crime rates. Conversely, the most punitive countries in the world suffer from some of the highest reported crime rates.
The United States is THE most punitive country in the entire world from an incarceration standpoint, and yet we still suffer from some of the highest crime rates… if your goal is future crime prevention, and not populist mob-revenge mentality, then measures like home detention and probation are far more effective.
I promise I will never post something this long ever again.
June 16th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
If Stallworth had run an interstate drunk-driving pedestrian-killing ring and and gambled on it, then he’d be in more trouble.
Also, fuck PETA. Everybody is for the ethical treatment of animals, you assholes. At one point the Palestinian Liberation Organization planted bombs on goats and had them wander into crowded Israeli marketplaces so the explosives could be detonated remotely. PETA started a letter-writing campaign pleading Yasser Arafat not to use animals for their bombs. They didn’t mention anything about not blowing up people- just please don’t blow up goats. Dumb fucks.
And the ASPCA does more good for animals on their worst day than those worthless PETA shitbirds on their best.
June 16th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
@TDub: That’s intriguing enough to pose a question as to our country’s methods of dealing with crime, but with concern to your ‘home detection and probation are more effective in preventing crimes’ comment: always remember that correlation does not equal causation. The circumstances that drives one to commit a crime reach much further than what the penalty given to the criminal will be, especially across the entire world.
June 16th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Just a taste: “During the past ten years, PETA has spent four times as much on criminals and their legal defense than it has on shelters, spay-neuter programs, and other efforts that actually help animals.” http://www.activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm/oid/21
PETA collects millions of dollars every year, yet most of their activities are carried out by unpaid volunteers. Ingrid Newkirk must be making more money than the CEO of AIG. And, yes, there is an obvious double standard in the judicial system.
June 16th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Fuck PETA. If you’ve got half an hour, check out Penn & Teller’s “Bullshit” on YouTube. They neuter PETA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAt1z_TgPQ4&feature=PlayList&p=89AD05CC54EDD41A&index=0&playnext=1
June 16th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
How is it that Stallworth gets away with murder and somehow PETA is the big villain here? You may not agree with PETA’s cause – preventing animal abuse — or their methods, but let’s not pillory them because they don’t also pursue human rights. Most non-profit organizations have a narrow focus. The National Trust for Historic Preservation doesn’t divert one cent toward starving children. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation doesn’t lift a finger for Alzheimer’s patients, and so on. That’s why it’s up to donors to spread their charitable giving around.
I am sure that Stallworth painted a very contrite picture to the court, and expressed a willingness to do whatever possible the rest of his life to make up for his deed. It’s even been reported that Stallworth wants to get involved in drunken-driving education programs. Unfortunately, whatever message he might convey there will be totally eclipsed by the message from the courts – if you’re famous and wealthy, it’s no big deal to recklessly endanger others by drinking and driving. How many other innocents will be maimed or killed as a result?
June 16th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
@TDub – Some statistics would be nice. The perception of crime in America is that it is soaring out of control when in fact it has been trending down for decades. I don’t trust anyone’s statements on crime without statistics.
June 16th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Stallworth’s sentence shows what happens when you take immediate responsibility for you actions. Stallworth immediately admitted culpability to the responding officer and has been entirely up-front with the victim’s family and is practically begging for forgiveness. I believe the sentencing is too light, however the Judge and prosecutor took into account Stalworth’s clean history, unfettered guilty plea, the financial capacity for him to assist the victim’s family and his stated willingness to educate. Don’t forget, the family has agreed to the prosecutor’s deal and civil recompense.
This is what we want in our country, man-up and take responsibility. I hope he never has another brush with the law. Hopefully this is an example that a man can make a tragic mistake, make reparations and still do some good in the world.
June 16th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Hey Otto, funny that you mention Seattle & PETA, because now those douchenozzles are up in arms about the whole salmon tossing thing they do over at Pike Place Market. You know, the place where they still sell the fish they toss, and the fish still get eaten just like they would have had they not been tossed in the first place? Apparently fish angels up cry when they see that up in fish heaven.
I’ll let Donte Stallworth get back behind the wheel totally wasted, if he makes sure to run over some PETA bitches this time.
/otherwise liberal
//hankerin’ for some Panda burgers now, and some Spotted Owl buffalo wings
June 16th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Not to pile on, but here’s exhibit B in why our justice system is not trying hard enough.
http://news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=david+earls
June 16th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
@ Ant Baby,
Total reported crime increased roughly 10 percent between 1974 and 2007 (from the FBI website), but incarceration rates have increased roughly 400 percent in that same time frame.
For every 100k citizens, 701 are in prison… compare that to 141/100k in the UK and 53/100k in Japan.
If incarceration had any significant causal effect on crime rates, our crime trend would have plummeted significantly since the 1970s, and we would be one of the safest countries in the world.
June 16th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Let’s see, my sister-in-law takes a beating from a drunk boyfriend, flees, albeit after drinking, is arrested for DUI on a tip call made to the police by her drunk ham-fisted boyfriend, and then is charged with domestic violence because she scratched his face while trying to avoid his fists. She has since been in and out of court and probably faces a long wait to get her life back on track not to mention the emotional scars of being beaten in the face by a supreme asshole.
Meanwhile, Stallworth will have to “suffer” 30 days in a private cell then enjoy his mansion for two years after killing a man. Fuck him in the eyes. I can only hope he suffers the worst that can happen to anyone who has the money to pay their scum lawyer to get them off the hook. Oh yeah, fuck the Browns – just thought that needed to said.
June 16th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
@TDub – The part I’m skeptical about is whether the US has one of the highest crime rates in the world. I can’t find any meaningful data. I found this but the data is 10 years old and over half the world’s countries are not included. http://www.nationmaster.com/cat/cri-crime
#24 in murders,
#8 in overall crime
#17 in burglaries
#18 in fraud
#11 in robberies
#9 in rape
#2 in drugs (behind Germany wtf?)
June 16th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
@Conrad – Many judges and prosecutors suck. I saw it first hand numerous times in San Diego working as a criminal investigator. One case back in 99 was cut and dry. A habitual domestic abuser (9 year history) and we had this guy nailed. I’m talking broken bones, scars, witnesses. Just open and shut. Well, this cat was a Good looking Marine Sergeant and his wife was a trollish looking filipina. The old white judge starts off the proceedings talking about how he loves Marines and how there should be a special place for them in America. Hell of a way to start a trial. Long story short, the guys pleads guilty, gets assigned to 3 DV councelling sessions and is promised expungement after 6 months so that his career wouldn’t be affected by the DV Gun Ban. After six months, it never happened, gone. Worst part was, the judge chewed out the wife for a drinking problem alleged by the defense attorney.
The prosecutor was ecstatic to get a conviction without having to try to case.
The system sucks.
June 16th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
@ Ape,
Killing someone doesn’t need to be premeditated in order to be considered murder. Reckless endangerment resulting in death is also classified as murder. That being said, I agree with your point.
June 16th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
@Ant Baby,
I said above that we have ONE of the highest crime rates in the world, and I think your statistics roughly reflect that (#8 in overall crime rate, globally)… but I should have checked the exact rankings first.
But I think that those numbers still reflect my general point, that if imprisonment led to a safer country, we wouldn’t have such high crime rates, in fact we should have one of the lowest rates in the world (as opposed to ranking in the top 10). So the “penal populism” in this country, where everyone clamors for long prison terms is costly and ineffective. That’s my point.
And @ Thunder:
Murder is “the unlawful killing of another person with malice aforethought.” “Malice aforethought” means predetermination. I drank a lot in law school and I still remember that.
June 16th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
After what happened to Vick and considering Plaxico is looking at a mandatory 3 1/2 years if convicted, and I don’t see how he won’t be, this is definitely fucked-up. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to find out the victim’s family was pushing hard for this as part of their “settlement”. I wonder if we’ll hear from Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, et al. about the unfairness of it all considering Vick, future Plax, etc.?
@Slash – You forgot the obvious one…that white guy O.J. Simpson killing his black ex. and rotting in jail for it.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Hey Otto, funny that you mention Seattle & PETA, because now those douchenozzles are up in arms about the whole salmon tossing thing they do over at Pike Place Market.
Sweet Zombie Jesus. On behalf of liberals everywhere, PETA can go suck a free-range cock.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
@TDub – My last comment also says “one of the highest crime rates”. Comparisons are difficult because laws vary. Violent crime is generally the same everywhere. But Netherlands for example will have far fewer drug crimes than US. On the other hand, adultery is a crime in Middle East countries but not in US.
Was anyone believe that high incarceration means low crime? They are married (unless people are being imprisoned for no reason).
By the way, here is an article declaring UK to have the highest crime rates. http://www.unwire.org/unwire/20020715/27649_story.asp
June 16th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
felony manslaughter is the unintended killing of a human without excuse or justification, punishable by more than a year in jail. it’s the possible max, not what you get, that determines whether it’s a felony. so, john stallworth’s boy just lost his vote and right to carry a firearm (with any luck, that’ll reduce the odds of a self-inflicted wound).
now, misspelling manslaughter is a mistake. actually killing another human because you’re too drunk to drive is a crime. in florida, however, the terms of your sentence aren’t a function of the crime you commit. (i speak from experience as a florida-licensed lawyer who practiced there 5 years before having the opportunity to return to a state that wasn’t a banana republic.) instead, the determinants are 1) the defendant, 2) the lawyer representing him, 3) the local state’s attorney prosecuting the offense, and 4) the presiding judge. i don’t know what god mr stallworth prays to, but he oughtta be rounding up vestal virgins by the pyre-load to appease the slack fuck who decided mr stallworth’s contributions to the saints (or the dealership that repaired his bentley) were worth more than mr reyes’s to his own family or the community.
this whole sordid affair has the morbid stench of plea deal. if it’s not the result of that kind of whore’s bargain, then the state’s attorney should appeal. if not, somebody should complain to the florida state bar because the judge and state’s attorney sodomized in a rape stand the justice they were supposed to subserve.
can’t wait to see what herr kommisar goodell does with crash stallworth and his partner in crime ricochet burress. we’ve been hearing a lot lately about what extraordinary efforts are necessary to save enterprises that are too big to fail. shit like this is what happens when inconvenient facts get crosswise of enterprises that are too profitable to impede.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
@Thunder: You’re right, it doesn’t need to be premeditated to be considered murder (oftentimes the difference between a 1st and 2nd degree murder charge). However, for it to be called murder, you need either an intent to kill, malice (i.e. trying to beat a guy to the brink of death, but you wind up killing him), or malice aforethought (wiki: “knowledge that through an action or omission, the result will be some one’s death.”)
Stallworth’s case is clearly one of involuntary manslaughter, not murder.
June 16th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
@Otto:
But think of the innocent cocks! No, PETA bitches will only suckle on the new Veggie Wang. Don’t worry; we’ll sneak cock juices into it.
/Marge’d
June 16th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
@Graddy: That’s probably why they gave him such a light sentence then. That and the fact that he didnt contest the charges, that he openly admitted ‘yes, I did it’ probably got him some leniency. I can just hope that Donte feels absolutely sick about what happened and won’t want to do anything to do with alcohol or football for a while.
/like that’ll help the Browns be any better
June 17th, 2009 at 7:50 am
kolber you wouldnt know plastered if stallworth was stickin you in the 3 hole.H ow bout get off the field,shut your kike trap and never speak of this again.After all it was a dumb hubcab hijacker running across the road.Get over it.Nobody likes you beotch!!
June 17th, 2009 at 8:31 am
this is a perfect example of what i have always said white people treat dogs better than humans if this was not true slavery and the holocaust would have never happened a dog is a stupid ass animal with know worth and know contribution to society Michael Vick is a tax paying citizen who has given more to this racist ass country than any dog cat bird or fucken tree oh i forgot the dogs that Mike Vick killed was some white womans husband or child NO ITS A FUCKEN STUPID ASS DOG U DUMB BITCHES
June 17th, 2009 at 9:12 am
I’m looking forward to Stallworth and Kellen Winslow hooking up for a night on the town and getting totally shit-faced drunk. They then ride their motorcycles through a day care center, killing a number of the inhabitants. Shortly afterwards, they appear before the cameras (surrounded by their supportive attorneys, agents, family members, and hangers-on) and confess their sorrow over the loss of the children (“Won’t someone think of the children?!”). During the trial, both the state prosecutor and the presiding judge receive large, anonymous, contributions to their favorite charity and their 401(k). As part of the plea agreement that sentences both men to 100 hours of community service (reversed on appeal), they make public service announcements entitled, “Don’t Get Drunk and Kill Kids, and Shit.” God bless America.
@thetruth: Put the crack pipe down. Step away from the crack.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Ok, Stallwoth go shoot yourself in leg…and really see if you were lucky.
June 17th, 2009 at 11:31 am
This particulatr punishment should be spelled: man’s laughter
June 17th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Just to add to jurok, who is completely correct:
In Florida, Manslaughter is “the killing of a human being…without lawful justification” (Section 782.07) that doesn’t rise to the level of “unjustifiably killing another human being” such as premeditated murder, reckless disregard for human life, or felony murder, which doesn’t require specific intent but is more circumstantial. 782.04.
Manslaughter is a second degree felony, which is punishable up to 15 years in prison. 775.082.
Law nerdness aside, a friend of mine works at the Chicago prosecutor’s office and laughed his ass off when he heard 30 days. He says most people don’t get more than 5-8 years, but 30 days is laughable.
However, lets not forget the possibly MASSIVE wrongful death settlement that the family accepted.
/lawyer with too much time on his hands
June 17th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Didn’t Vick get busted on the perjury/gambling charges, and not the actual dog-fighting? Yes, Stallworth should get more time. Sure it was an accident, but possibly preventable if he wasn’t under the influence. And as mentioned, federal charges are a lot worse than state/local charges. Doesn’t make it right, but Vick got what he deserved for a pre-meditated crime. It’s b.s. to compare their sentences.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
This is kind of ridiculous. You just know if he was not as rich/not as famous, he’d be in jail a lot longer.
http://www.newsy.com/videos/questioning_justice_for_stallworth
June 17th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong, but hasn’t Stallworth already been arrested for a DUI previously? How the FUCK did he get out of a 40 year sentence? I mean, granted he’s on probation for something like 8 years (woo fucking hoo) but still. At least his license is suspended for the rest of his life. Which won’t stop him from driving but whatever. It’s the thought that counts, right?
/is bitter and fucking hates people who drive drunk
June 17th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
@ J.L.: are you fucking kidding me? The fish are already dead! I mean, I enjoy a good corpse toss from time to time but for fuck’s sake. What are they going to do now, go down to the golf courses and protest gopher traps? Fuck them.
June 17th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
is the justice system crazy 30 days for killing a person while driving drunk he should be thrown out of the nfl or made to play the steelers all alone
June 18th, 2009 at 9:39 am
I’d like to preface what I’m about to say with: driving drunk is bad, drunk drivers should be punished and drunk drivers who hit and kill people should be punished more severely.
Having said that, I really don’t think a month behind bars plus two years of home confinement is at all unreasonable. In our legal system, the sentence a person receives is determined by his crime as well as aggravating and mitigating factors. In this case, mitigating factors abound, including:
1) His BAC was .126. If it takes 5 beers to get Stallworth to a .08, it would take 7.8 to get him to a .126. That extra beer doesn’t take you from tipsy-but-safe-to-drive to fall-down fuck-a-horse choke-on-your-vomit drunk. And more importantly, no one drinks 5 beers in 5 minutes then gets behind the wheel. Stallworth probably had a few drinks over the course of a few hours, and it’s perfectly plausible that he thought he was under the legal limit by the time he got behind the wheel.
2) Dude was jaywalking. That doesn’t make it ok to hit him, but it does move some of the responsibility away from Stallworth and onto his victim.
3) After the accident, he stuck around, took responsibility and showed remorse. Like it or not, those all count as mitigating factors here.
Remember, this isn’t Stallworth buying a reduced sentence. It’s a plea agreement negotiated between the state of Florida and Stallworth’s attorney, signed off upon by a judge. In those agreements, which are essential to the functioning of our legal system and our society, accused people agree to plead guilty in return, generally, for a slightly reduced sentence.
August 11th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Man fuck donte he needs to go jail wtf jus because you have money doesnt make you better than other people your still a murder I go to the same probation office as he does total asshole wudnt even talk to a fan fuck him he needs to get locked up
August 11th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
plus if it was any other regular person they would have been in jail a long time damn bro i’ve seen people get arrested for 45 days fo stealing free sample cheesecake and donte kills some one and he 30 days wow im sad to say im frm miami bro our justice system sucks