Tuesday, November 05, 2002

SUSPENDED: Brentson Buckner, Carolina Panthers NEW YORK -- ESPN.com reports Veteran tackle Brentson Buckner of the Carolina Panthers was suspended four games Monday for violating the NFL's steroids abuse policy. The much-traveled Buckner, in his ninth season in the league, has helped turn Carolina's unit into one of the league's best defensive lines. Buckner's agent, George Mavrikes, said Buckner took a diet pill before training camp with an ingredient that's on the league's list of banned substances. "It was all-organic, all-natural, and that's where you get into trouble,'' Mavrikes said. "He didn't really think that by taking a diet pill it would be banned, because it was not a performance enhancer." Buckner, 31, will be eligible to return to the team after its Dec. 1 game at Cleveland. During the suspension, Buckner cannot work out at Carolina's facility and cannot have contact with team officials. The suspension will cost him $164,705. His base salary this season is $700,000. 7:28:24 PM

INNOCENT PLEA: Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders OAKLAND, Calif. -- Associated Press reports Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski pleaded innocent to charges of driving under the influence. He did not appear in court to enter his plea Monday and remains free on his own recognizance. If convicted, Janikowski, Oakland's first-round draft pick in 2000, could face up to six months in jail. Janikowski was stopped for speeding in Oakland early last month and failed a sobriety test, police said. Officers said his blood-alcohol level registered 0.20, more than twice the legal limit. 7:14:01 PM

	Friday, November 01, 2002

ARRESTED: Tommy Bennett, Former NFL PHOENIX -- Associated Press reports former Arizona Cardinals safety Tommy Bennett was arrested last week, accused of failing to appear in court on charges of drug paraphernalia possession and driving with a suspended license. The Cardinals released Bennett in August 2001, and he signed with the Detroit Lions. He was suspended for the final four games of 2001 for violating the NFL's steroid-use policy. The Lions did not renew his contract. 5:05:09 PM

	Tuesday, October 29, 2002

CONSIDERING PLEA DEAL: Derrick Rogers, Miami Dolphins MIAMI -- Associated Press reports Dolphins linebacker Derrick Rodgers was given an extension Friday to decide on a plea offer on charges he kicked and punched his wife and attacked a man with her at a restaurant. A new hearing is Nov. 15. If Rodgers doesn't accept the offer, he will go on trial Nov. 25. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Rodgers has pleaded innocent to five charges. Under the offer, he would be sentenced to three years' probation. 5:43:02 PM

CHARGED: Deuce McAlister, New Orleans Saints KENNER, La. -- Associated Press reports New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister was arrested for driving with a suspended license after he was caught speeding. McAllister was pulled over Saturday morning on his way to the Saints' practice facility for driving 70 mph in a 40 mph zone, coach Jim Haslett said. McAllister's license was suspended because he had not paid a ticket. McAllister was booked at the Kenner jail, then transported to a Jefferson Parish jail where he was released on bond, police said. The bond amount and length of time McAllister spent in jail was unknown. 5:40:31 PM

DENIAL: Najeh Davenport, Green Bay Packers MIAMI -- Associated Press reports Green Bay Packers fullback Najeh Davenport agreed Tuesday to do community service to settle charges he broke into a university dormitory and defecated in a sleeping woman's closet. Davenport, however, continued to deny the charges.  "Where's the evidence? Where's the manure?" Davenport asked outside court. "I know I didn't do it — I just wanted to get it over with." Details of the player's service were not released during his court appearance. He must sign up for the program by Nov. 12. If he completes the program, a felony charge of second-degree burglary and a misdemeanor count of criminal mischief will be dropped. Prosecutor Jonathan Schwartz said by telephone he couldn't comment on specific evidence because the case could go back to court if Davenport fails the diversion program.  But, he added: "If there was no evidence in the case, we wouldn't have brought any charges." 5:23:24 PM

	Thursday, October 24, 2002

ARRESTED: Bryan Robinson, Chicago Bears CHICAGO -- The Sports Network reports Chicago Bears defensive end Bryan Robinson has voluntarily entered himself into the NFL's substance-abuse program following his second DUI charge of the year, according to published reports. Robinson was arrested for drunken driving and released on his own recognizance early last Friday. He was pulled over by police in suburban Lincolnshire at 2:30 a.m. (ct) Friday for improper lane use. He was then arrested on charges of DUI, driving with a suspended license and improper lane use. Robinson was released on a $3,000 recognizance bond last week and has a court date set for November 15. "He used very poor judgment last week. He was out at 2:30 a.m. on a Friday morning before a Sunday game," Bears' Coach Dick Jauron said Wednesday. "Anything that causes us to be distracted from our goal is really not going to be tolerated on our football team." 4:10:04 PM

ARRESTED: Cosey Coleman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers TAMPA, Fla. -- Associated Press reports Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Cosey Coleman was released from jail Tuesday after being charged with beating the mother of his 8-month-old son outside a day care center. The 6-foot-4, 322-pound Coleman is accused of slapping the woman as she leaned into his car Monday. He then followed her to her vehicle and slapped her again as he held the child in his arms, Tampa police spokeswoman Katie Hughes said. At one point the woman drove away, and when she returned, Coleman pushed, kicked and slapped her before pulling her out of the vehicle by her ankles, police said. 3:36:25 PM

	Wednesday, October 16, 2002

PLEA DEAL: Najeh Davenport, Green Bay Packers GREEN BAY -- Packers.com reports Najeh Davenport will enter into a plea agreement next week in a Florida court which will allow him to perform community service in the form of football camps for kids in exchange for the dismissal of charges levied against him following his July 8 arrest. The Green Bay Packers rookie running back was arrested in Miami Shores, Fla., on charges of breaking into the dormitory room of a Barry University woman and defecating in her closet. 3:11:58 PM

NO CHARGES: Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh Steelers GREENSBURG, Pa. -- Associated Press reports Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis won't be charged following a sexual assault complaint because the uncle of the woman who accused him may have talked about extorting money from Bettis. Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said Tuesday that several people told investigators the woman's uncle had talked of various schemes to entrap a Steelers player in order to reach a financial settlement. Some of the people said the man mentioned Bettis specifically, Peck said. 2:47:24 PM

CONVICTED: Fulton Walker, Jr., Former NFL MARTINSBURG, W.Va.-- Associated Press reports former record-setting NFL kick returner Fulton Walker Jr. has been sentenced to six months' home confinement and five years' probation for distributing marijuana from his home. The 44-year-old Martin pleaded guilty in July to charges that he distributed 228 grams of marijuana. Walker must attend a substance abuse and mental health treatment program, and pay a $1,000 fine and all electronic monitoring costs. Walker played for the Miami Dolphins from 1981-84 and for the Los Angeles Raiders the following year. He set a record with a 98-yard kickoff return in the 1983 Super Bowl against the Washington Redskins. 2:40:12 PM

	Monday, October 14, 2002

CHARGED: Darren Hambrick, Cleveland Browns BEREA, Ohio - Associated Press reports Cleveland Browns linebacker Darren Hambrick has been charged with stealing a check for about $5,700 from the Carolina Panthers. Hambrick is accused of stealing the money three weeks after joining the Panthers in October 2001, according to court records. He flew to Florida last week and surrendered to authorities, who had issued an arrest warrant for the fifth-year linebacker in August, just days before he signed with the Browns. He was released on $10,000 bail. Browns coach Butch Davis said the team did not plan to discipline Hambrick, their starting strongside linebacker. 5:05:24 PM

	Monday, October 07, 2002

CONVICTED: Deidra Lane, Widow of Fred Lane CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Associated Press reports the widow of NFL running back Fred Lane,  who is awaiting trial on charges she murdered her husband, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court to conspiring to commit bank larceny. The agreement, in which Deidra Lane pleaded guilty to a single felony count, was not connected to charges that accuse her of gunning down Fred Lane at their home in Charlotte on July 6, 2000. She has claimed she shot him in self-defense. Lane wasn't sentenced immediately, but faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In exchange for her guilty plea, the government dismissed a bank larceny charge that also carried a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. According to the plea, Lane admitted that between June 15, 1998, and July 1, 1998, she conspired with Natosha Watson, a teller at a Wachovia Bank branch in Charlotte. They stole more than $41,000 from the bank on or about July 1, 1998, according to the agreement. 2:44:48 PM

CHARGED: Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders OAKLAND, Calif. -- Associated Press reports Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski was charged with driving under the influence, adding another chapter to his history of legal problems. Janikowski was stopped for speeding in Oakland early Wednesday and failed a sobriety test, police said Friday. His blood-alcohol level registered 0.20, more than twice the legal limit, police said. 2:40:45 PM

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