NFL Football Player Gets 6 Year Jail Sentence For Codeine Possession

TheLostBoys

TheLostBoys

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Messages
4,315
Location
East Coast
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7246845/green-bay-packers-johnny-jolly-sentenced-6-years-prison


HOUSTON -- Suspended Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday for violating the terms of his probation for a drug conviction.

State District Judge Denise Bradley imposed the sentence despite tearful pleas from Jolly and his mother, Phyllis Jolly, to allow the 6-foot-3, 325-pound lineman to be treated for his addiction to codeine instead of going to prison. Jolly's aunt, agent and drug counselor also testified on his behalf.

"I want to go to rehab to get help," Jolly told the judge as he wiped away tears with a tissue.


Jolly, 28, was charged with possession of a compound containing codeine, a controlled substance, after a traffic stop in Houston in October. He also was charged with tampering with evidence for attempting to conceal the substance from the investigating officers.

Jolly's truck was pulled over after he was seen throwing a bag out the window. The bag wasn't recovered, but Jolly was seen dumping a cup believed to contain codeine on the floor. Two bottles believed to contain codeine were recovered from the vehicle.

The arrest put Jolly in jeopardy of receiving prison time because in April he had pleaded guilty to a codeine possession charge in a deal that wiped out an earlier charge and spared him from prison unless he stumbled again.

After the hearing, Jolly's attorney, Letitia Quinones, told The Associated Press that the player spent eight weeks in court-ordered rehab after his second arrest, but has only recently faced up to his codeine addiction.

"I don't look at Johnny as a criminal," Quinones said. "I look at him as an addict."

Jolly, who grew up in Houston, was a sixth-round draft pick of the Packers in 2006 after playing at Texas A&M. He was a starter for the Packers in 2008 and 2009. However, he sat out the 2010 season after being suspended by the NFL indefinitely the previous July.
 
Codeine? Dude's life is getting ruined over codeine? A low-potency opiate with a ceiling dose is such a threat to society, it's worth years in prison?
 
The judicial system is getting worse in the USA...........it seems someone is making alot of money the more they put people in jail. The judge in this case must me very anti drug or crazy to throw 6 years at this guy for possession of codeine. 6 years for possession of codeine is as retarded as it gets..............
 
This has been all over the news..I just saw it a few mins ago as a matter of fact (living in WI). This is so ridiculous. We need to stop putting addicts in jail (unless a 'different crime' has been committed, of course) and start treating them/rehabilitating.

Also, how many NFL athletes are on or have been prescribed like substances (opioids) for injuries or even day to day 'pains' of the game? Seems just... nonsensical.
 
Six years. Mike Tyson got the same sentence for rape.

I guess the sentence is so long because they weigh the liquid and sentence you for that weight of morphine (there's no sentencing guideline specific to codeine I think).
 
235360287471352662 said:
Six years. Mike Tyson got the same sentence for rape.

I guess the sentence is so long because they weigh the liquid and sentence you for that weight of morphine (there's no sentencing guideline specific to codeine I think).
Click to expand...

From my drug handbook that I got from a state ordered drug class early this year (in Texas)-

Codeine is schedule 2, Penalty group 4
Delivery or manufacture of less than 28 grams is a state jail felony, 28-200 g is felony 2, 200-400 g is felony 1 and 400 or more g is 10-99 years or life.

Possession of less than 28 grams is a class B misdemeanor, 28-200 is felony 3, 200-400 is felony 2, 400 or more is 5-99 years or life.

Class B misdemeanor is up to 180 days in county, up to 2,000 dollars or both.
Felony 3 is 2-10 years in TDCJ and $10,000 max
Felony 2 is 2-20 years in TDCJ and $10,000 max
Felony 1 is 5-99 years in TDCJ and $10,000 max

Since he had priors and was on probation the whole thing is complicated though. I also have no idea how they weigh out the codeine, if they calculate the number of mg or g in what you had (the logical thing to do) or if they just weigh out the stuff you had, bottles of cough syrup in this case. In any case, if you're in Texas try not to get arrested because the judicial system here is crazy fucked up.
 
slimvictor said:
^Just goes to show the priorities of a society.
6 years for a medical and psychological problem - an addiction.
6 years for violent rape.

Is this is the freedom that those vets fought all those wars for?
Click to expand...


The scary thing is that a lot of Americans would say that it is the freedom they fought for.


I really can't see things getting much more ridiculous and unbelievable before the entire planet explodes.
 
Codeine is a pile of shite, but why 6 years? Is there something we don't know here? Seems bloody excessive by any metric, if he got that for straight possession/use.

How much is the trial and subsequent imprisonment going to cost the country? I'm guessing a conservative $300,000-$500,000 total for the 6 years. The US in a deep f***ing recession for christ sake! A community punishment would have been more than enough (If one really feels compelled to punish someone for such a minor crime) - totally disproportionate. This is why I'm wondering if something else is there which hasn't been reported.

Another thing? Why the hell do you send addicts (who clearly have a problem) to prison? The chances are its not only going to make things a load worse for him, but the chances are he's likely to come out addicted to harder drugs and may end up turning to acquisitive crime to fund a habit (given he will inevitably struggle to find work in the aftermath of this). Completely inverted thinking.

To add to this, how much would it have cost to treat his addiction rather than sending him to jail? I'm guessing something in the order of 1% the cost of incarceration. Obviously the recession is no issue now if they can afford this option.
 
Last edited:
CODEINE!?

Jesus christ. I may have to speak up about this one. He is a fucking football player, who takes hundreds of tackles from 300+ pound men in a given weekend. The least that man deserves is a tiny, low strength opiate to help alleviate and relax him. I mean, he probably got an injury at some point from work, and was trying to manage it in a safe and responsible way, BY STICKING TO A LOW STRENGTH OPIATE.
 
I agree that the sentence is harsh, but at the same time you have to realize he knew the risk. I don't know how many of you have ever been given a "break" by a judge, but they aren't playing games. When they say do what you're told or this can happen or that can happen, they mean it. He agreed to go to rehab and "turn his life around"(lol codeine) or face the consequences.

Drug laws are ridiculous, don't get me wrong, but you have to know they exist so be careful. If people feel they are way too strict then I suggest moving to a a place that is a little more lenient.

I know all about the TX judicial system as a girlfriend of mine was arrested for DUI and happen to have some un-scripted pain pills on her at the time. She ended up doing a year after violating her probation(completely her fault because she failed a couple of drug tests).

I think the bottom line is this... these laws, however ridiculous, have been in place for a long long time. If you can't take care to avoid getting screwed by them, either do something to change them, or move to Amsterdam!
 
clubberdude said:
Codeine is a pile of shite, but why 6 years? Is there something we don't know here? Seems bloody excessive by any metric, if he got that for straight possession/use.

How much is the trial and subsequent imprisonment going to cost the country? I'm guessing a conservative $300,000-$500,000 total for the 6 years. The US in a deep f***ing recession for christ sake! A community punishment would have been more than enough (If one really feels compelled to punish someone for such a minor crime) - totally disproportionate. This is why I'm wondering if something else is there which hasn't been reported.

Another thing? Why the hell do you send addicts (who clearly have a problem) to prison? The chances are its not only going to make things a load worse for him, but the chances are he's likely to come out addicted to harder drugs and may end up turning to acquisitive crime to fund a habit (given he will inevitably struggle to find work in the aftermath of this). Completely inverted thinking.

To add to this, how much would it have cost to treat his addiction rather than sending him to jail? I'm guessing something in the order of 1% the cost of incarceration. Obviously the recession is no issue now if they can afford this option.
Click to expand...

Welcome to Texas, the sentences handed out here are absurd.

The reason we send addicts and everyone else to prison is that many (if not most) of the prisons are privatized, and many produce goods (lots of Dell microchips made in one prison for instance), so prisons here are very profitable. The whole "tough on crime" bullshit is a popular attitude here as well. It might cost the state a lot of money, but it will make corporations even more and that's what's really important here. Plus notice that most of these insane sentences are not being given to whites, who get it bad when they cross the system but not nearly as bad as their black and latino counterparts.

In 1990 a man in Texas was given a life sentence. What had happened was he was involved in a robbery (that netted 2 dollars), was put on probation and then came up positive on a drug test for marijuana. The judge gave him life. In 2007 iirc Rick Perry pardoned him. People get enormous sentences just for violating probation.

Texas is fucking crazy, avoid the police here at all costs. HPD are especially dicks.

EDIT- found the case I was talking about if ya'll are interested- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrone_Brown
 
Last edited:
†€¢}{И¡¢λ£ €¢§†λ$¥;10103651 said:
I agree that the sentence is harsh, but at the same time you have to realize he knew the risk. I don't know how many of you have ever been given a "break" by a judge, but they aren't playing games. When they say do what you're told or this can happen or that can happen, they mean it. He agreed to go to rehab and "turn his life around"(lol codeine) or face the consequences.
Click to expand...

That's why they call it addiction. You don't really have a choice.
 
our judicial system is a joke if they catch you with weed they usually weigh the bag and count even if it is big at least where im from, like your gonna sell the bag too or smoke it...there needs to be a new system in place to deal with addicts becuase america is INSANE by the fact that they keep doin the same thing over and over and expect to get different results..its sad they way the govt does people in this country..i dont understand how they can tell somebody yes you can get drunk but you cant alter your mind with anything else cuz we say so...why dont you just charge ppl if they break they law with drugs like they steal or somethin else like that..we need to clean up how our govt operates from head to toe..and we the people need to stand up and demand change this country was founded for the people
 
Who the hell gets addicted to codeine? Poor guy, if he struggled with that he's gonna die doing 6 years.

Either way though I feel bad for the guy, he's getting 6 years for something I could go out right now and buy otc...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top