Jones’ appeal says suspension in unprecedented
By Terry McCormick,
tmccormick@nashvillecitypaper.com
May 07, 2007
The basis of the appeal of the year-long suspension of Adam “Pacman” Jones will be centered around the severity of his punishment as it has related to numerous other acts and allegations involving hundreds of NFL players from the past seven-plus years.
It also leaves open the possibility of legal action if the appeals process proves unsuccessful.
The City Paper has obtained a copy of the 24-page document outlining Jones’ appeal to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, which will be heard on Friday in New York.
The document points out the four areas for which Goodell disciplined Jones back on April 10, handing him the one-year ban, the harshest penalty any player has received for non-football related misconduct.
Those four areas for which the original one-year discipline was meted out include:
1) The felony obstruction charge from Feb. 6, 2006 of biting a police officer in Fayette County, Ga., which is still pending in the court system there after being delayed twice this year.
2) The public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges in Murfreesboro from Aug. 25, 2006 where the matter has been deferred and will be dismissed if Jones can stay trouble-free for six months.
3) Jones’ failure to report the Feb. 6, 2006 charges to the Titans or the NFL.
4) Jones’ failure to report a March 23, 2006 marijuana possession charge (later dismissed) to the Titans or the NFL.
The document states, “Among the grounds upon which Mr. Jones bases his appeal is his contention that the Decision imposed a disciplinary sanction upon him which is unprecedented in its severity, given the League’s historical treatment of offenses which are of similar or greater gravity.
“While much of the evidentiary support for Mr. Jones’ contention in this regard is a matter of public record, there remains some relevant information which is maintained exclusively within the possession and control of the League.”
What the document outlines in the appeals process is a list of more than 280 NFL players arrested or involved in incidents with police, dating back to 2000 and includes such major incidents as the double murder charges originally levied against Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis as well as scores of other felony and misdemeanor charges, many of which were dropped or pleaded out.
The appeals document argues that punishment in these previous matters is inconsistent with the punishment handed out to Jones. It also requests that the NFL show evidence that each of these matters was reported to the respective team or the league in proper and prompt fashion, which the league alleges Jones failed to do in the two Georgia incidents from last year, a violation of the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy.
Jones’ attorneys Manny Arora and Worrick Robinson could not be reached for comment in the matter.
Greg Aiello, vice president of public relations for the NFL, said the league would not have any public comment regarding its stance on Jones’ tactics for the appeal.
“The purpose of the appeal is to give him an opportunity to respond to the decision, and we will not comment on the process now,” Aiello said.
The appeals document concludes with a paragraph indicating that Jones might pursue other avenues to reinstatement even if the appeal back to Goodell fails. A decision from Goodell is expected within a week of Friday’s hearing.
The document reads, “As previously indicated in our correspondence dated April 27, 2007, by pursuing this appeal and thereby exhausting his administrative remedies, Mr. Jones respectfully does not concede that the Commissioner’s resolution of the appeal will constitute full, final and complete disposition of the dispute. Mr. Jones expressly reserves and does not waive any and all other legal remedies which may be available to him.”
