Stallworth, victim's family reach settlement

[underpants]

Source: Forbes/AP

MIAMI -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth has agreed to plead guilty to DUI manslaughter charges Tuesday, and reached a financial settlement with the family of the pedestrian he struck and killed in a March car crash, a person with knowledge of the deal said.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because they were not authorized to talk about the settlement. The person said the terms of the agreement are confidential but will avoid a potential wrongful death lawsuit from the family of 59-year-old Mario Reyes.

Stallworth, 28, is expected to receive a short jail sentence and a lengthy term of probation if his plea deal is accepted by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy.

Stallworth had faced up to 15 years in prison on the DUI manslaughter charge, but the plea deal calls for far less time.

Read more: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/06/16/ap6549538.html

---

Stallworth had a blood-alcohol level of .126 after the crash, well above Florida's .08 limit. Stallworth has also has cooperated with investigators and issued a statement shortly after the crash expressing sympathy for Reyes' family.

Stallworth stopped after the crash and immediately told officers he had hit Reyes. Police estimated Stallworth was driving about 50 mph in a 40 mph zone.

[Dr.Phool]

1. You think money doesn't talk?

[underpants]

18. Here is the plea he has agreed to

30 days in jail-he will serve 24 because of Florida rules
2 year probation
lifetime loss of driver's license
1,000 hours community service
drug and alcohol counseling and testing (not sure for how long)
settlement agreed to with the Reyes family

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4262751
Link has legal analysis from ESPN

[Baclava]

2. 30 days in jail for pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter

...and paying off the family.


Stallworth pleads guilty to DUI manslaughter in Fla., gets 30-day jail sentence

MIAMI (AP) — Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth is going to serve 30 days in jail after pleading guilty in Florida to a DUI manslaughter charge.

The plea deal announced Tuesday calls for the 28-year-old Stallworth to also serve 10 years' probation and do 1,000 community service hours for killing a pedestrian he hit with his car. Stallworth had faced up to 15 years in prison.

Police say Stallworth was drinking at a hotel bar before the March 14 crash that killed 59-year-old construction worker Mario Reyes. Tests showed Stallworth's blood-alcohol content was .126.

Stallworth also reached a confidential financial settlement with the Reyes' family...the terms of the agreement are confidential but will avoid a potential wrongful death lawsuit from the family of 59-year-old Mario Reyes.


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-fbn-stallworth-pedestrian-killed,0,483389.story

[MessiahRp]

3. One of my brother's best friends got 25 years for this same sort of thing.

He was drunk and swerved, a truck driver who was on barbituates and way over his allowed hours on the road swerved too dramatically and slammed into the car on the right sending it into the concrete barrier and killing him.

The judge and DA were Republicans running for re-election. The victim was a coach of the University Football team. There was a lot of public grief over his death and the candidates saw this as an opportunity to campaign via courtroom.

The truck driver's condition was never discussed, nor was he charged. Only the drunk friend was blamed for it and while he showed great remorse the court decided to send him away with a life sentence. He was 23 years old. Truth in Sentencing means no good time to knock any of the sentence down. He's there until he's 48.

30 days is a complete outrage. 25 years is as well. I guess the problem is the friend wasn't an NFL Player with a lot of money. Oh, and he did his crime during an election year.

Rp

[tom_paine]

15. Rich Man's "Law". Aristocratic Prerogative has really reached new (or old) heights.

It's as simple as that. One law for the Elite, and a bunch of rules for the rest o us, and we'd better not get out of line.

Just how it is, and only a fool would deny it.

[Rebubula]

4. Death and DUI

I forgive NO ONE for this one and anyone that kills another while drunk SHOULD be charged with MURDER.

After 35 years of MADD and 10s of thousands of deaths - everyone knows how dangerous it is to drive impaired. There is no fucking excuse.

[depakid]

12. Whew- aren't we anxious for our pounds of flesh

[blueclown]

5. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the victim was negligent in this instance too.

I believe he crossed a 6-lane road in the dark.

In that case, it makes the 30 day sentence after the plea a little bit more believable, but there is no doubt that Stallworth got off easy.

[Bankhead_ATL]

7. And I think the victim was drunk

[IrishBuckeye]

13. Where did you read that?

The guy had just gotten off work, I've never read he was drunk, why would you say that?

[Baclava]

8. Daylight., early morning. He wasn't in a crosswalk so he was jaywalking, I guess

Must be a loophole there.


Still, bought and paid for.

He just signed a $35M contract, so he had money to blow.

[WriteDown]

9. Crossing a six lane road in the dark...

is a big loop-hole.

[kojak]

6. Our joke justice system at work again

30 frakkin days for DUI manslaughter? If it were some poor schmoe like me, I'd have the book (which isn't much since people love Uncle Al) thrown at me by the DA as a sign of tough justice against drinking & driving. But famous people with $$$ can buy their own justice.

[Blue_Tires]

10. if Stallworth was arrested for holding dogfights, this would have 350+ posts by now...

[Baclava]

11. Money can't buy happiness, unless you're a millionaire (and not killing dogs)

Vince Neil

In 1984 Vince Neil the lead singer for the band Mötley Crüe, lost control of the car he was driving and hit an opposing vehicle. The two occupants of the other car were seriously injured but the passenger of Neil's car, Nicholas Dingley (aka Razzle, drummer for the Finnish metal band Hanoi Rocks) was killed. Neil was charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol.

In July of 1986 he was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 5 years probation, $2.6 million in restitution to the victims of the crash and 200 hours of community service. Neil got out of jail in 20 days for good behavior.

[IrishBuckeye]

14. Not much outrage at DU about this? What's with that? /nm

/nm

[blueamy66]

16. Absolutely ridiculous

This is a sentence for one extreme DUI, not a DUI manslaughter.

He paid off the family and they let the prosecutor know that they didn't want to push forward and Stallworth gets off.

This is a disgrace and teaches our children that money can buy just about anything.

[underpants]

17. Here is the plea he has agreed to

30 days in jail-he will serve 24 because of Florida rules
2 year probation
lifetime loss of driver's license
1,000 hours community service
drug and alcohol counseling and testing (not sure for how long)
settlement agreed to with the Reyes family

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4262751
Link has legal analysis from ESPN

[sarcasmo]

19. How many years in jail would an average person with no money receive?