slick325
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The NBA does things the right way when it comes to legal issues involving their players, coaches and Association employees. They allow the legal system to resolve the matter and will act accordingly IF a conviction or criminal plea deal is reached.
Take the Blake Griffin matter that was just resolved legally. It was alleged that he slapped and accosted a man in Tao Nightclub in Las Vegas when the man and his friends took pictures of Blake, his teammates and friends. Based on the statements of the accuser, the holier than thou, guilty until proven innocent crowd would have convicted Blake Griffin and seek a suspension. However, the District Attorney's office fully investigated the matter and felt that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. Griffin denied the allegations and provided witnesses that denied the event occurred. The NBA will not be taking any action in the matter because there was no prosecution.
This approach makes sense and is an example of why the Commissioners in that sport are better at their jobs than Goodell. Doesn't hurt that David Stern and Adam Silver are also Attorneys. Goodell does a great job earning money for the League and growing the League. His biggest mistake was attempting to become a Judge and Jury with no legal background. Tagliabue was an Attorney and had the sense to stay away from enforcing the personal conduct rule even without there being a conviction. Not a wise move at all and Goodell needs to avoid it or allow only a Special Counsel or League General Counsel handle these matters. Far less suspensions would occur without convictions.
As it relates to Greg Hardy, the most important thing for the League to do is get all the information (from both sides), review it and ask the Prosecution why they didn't pursue the case even without the alleged victim. As Mickey pointed out in his piece and I also stated in old posts about this matter: "Victims and witnesses routinely stop cooperating in domestic-abuse cases and prosecutors still take the cases to court. (DA Andrew) Murray, though, said the Hardy case was different. He also appeared to raise doubts about Holder’s credibility in a statement to the judge … and only recently had (prosecutors) compared what Holder told police the night of the alleged assault with her testimony at Hardy’s first trial."
ts.He also wrote: "Then there was this passage: Several legal experts around town speculated that prosecutors spotted inconsistencies that prevented them from building their case around Holder’s former accounts. To enter an unavailable witness’s prior testimony and statements as evidence, prosecutors have “to vouch” for its truthfulness, said Charlotte defense attorney George Laughrun." Clearly, the Prosecutors didn't feel comfortable vouching for the veracity of the story told by the accuser and they have all the evidence! This is what the league needs to focus on. Why didn't they trust her statements?Goodell needs to let the lawyers handle the personal conduct policy and avoid his wish to play God on these matters when minds much wiser than his in the legal arena don't pursue the conduct.
Take the Blake Griffin matter that was just resolved legally. It was alleged that he slapped and accosted a man in Tao Nightclub in Las Vegas when the man and his friends took pictures of Blake, his teammates and friends. Based on the statements of the accuser, the holier than thou, guilty until proven innocent crowd would have convicted Blake Griffin and seek a suspension. However, the District Attorney's office fully investigated the matter and felt that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. Griffin denied the allegations and provided witnesses that denied the event occurred. The NBA will not be taking any action in the matter because there was no prosecution.
This approach makes sense and is an example of why the Commissioners in that sport are better at their jobs than Goodell. Doesn't hurt that David Stern and Adam Silver are also Attorneys. Goodell does a great job earning money for the League and growing the League. His biggest mistake was attempting to become a Judge and Jury with no legal background. Tagliabue was an Attorney and had the sense to stay away from enforcing the personal conduct rule even without there being a conviction. Not a wise move at all and Goodell needs to avoid it or allow only a Special Counsel or League General Counsel handle these matters. Far less suspensions would occur without convictions.
As it relates to Greg Hardy, the most important thing for the League to do is get all the information (from both sides), review it and ask the Prosecution why they didn't pursue the case even without the alleged victim. As Mickey pointed out in his piece and I also stated in old posts about this matter: "Victims and witnesses routinely stop cooperating in domestic-abuse cases and prosecutors still take the cases to court. (DA Andrew) Murray, though, said the Hardy case was different. He also appeared to raise doubts about Holder’s credibility in a statement to the judge … and only recently had (prosecutors) compared what Holder told police the night of the alleged assault with her testimony at Hardy’s first trial."
ts.He also wrote: "Then there was this passage: Several legal experts around town speculated that prosecutors spotted inconsistencies that prevented them from building their case around Holder’s former accounts. To enter an unavailable witness’s prior testimony and statements as evidence, prosecutors have “to vouch” for its truthfulness, said Charlotte defense attorney George Laughrun." Clearly, the Prosecutors didn't feel comfortable vouching for the veracity of the story told by the accuser and they have all the evidence! This is what the league needs to focus on. Why didn't they trust her statements?Goodell needs to let the lawyers handle the personal conduct policy and avoid his wish to play God on these matters when minds much wiser than his in the legal arena don't pursue the conduct.
