Gilbert Arenas and his lawyers release a statement on the gun issue
by Mike Prada on Jan 4, 2010 4:22 PM EST
in Agent Zeroisms
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PrintVia Michael Lee, here's the full text of statement Gilbert Arenas' lawyers and Arenas himself made after meeting with the grand jury today.
First, Arenas' lawyer Kenneth L. Wainstean wrote this:
"This afternoon, Gilbert Arenas voluntarily met with federal prosecutors at the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department to explain the circumstances surrounding the presence of his unloaded firearms at the Verizon Center last month.
From the outset of this incident, Mr. Arenas has been fully cooperative with the investigation. He acknowledged his possession of the guns when questioned by Washington Wizards team officials; he immediately offered and relinquished the guns to Wizards security personnel; and he had me proactively reach out to the U.S. Attorney's Office and make an immediate self-disclosure about the guns.
Consistent with that cooperative approach, Mr. Arenas felt it important that we meet with law enforcement at the first possible opportunity so that he could tell the full story. Over the course of a two-hour interview this afternoon, Mr. Arenas answered every question asked of him.
Mr. Arenas has been constrained in his public comment about these circumstances out of concern that he not do anything to interfere with the ongoing law enforcement investigation. Please understand that his public comments will continue to be limited as long as the investigation continues. Nevertheless, now that he has completed his interview, Mr. Arenas wishes to make the following statement about last month's events and today's interview."
Here's a statement Arenas released today:
"I appreciated the opportunity to meet with law enforcement officials today. As the person who caused this trouble in the first place, I thought it was my duty to be the first witness to come forward and meet with the prosecutors and detectives. I told my attorney I wanted to get in for an interview as soon as we could arrange it, and that was today.
I told the detectives and prosecutors the whole story about my storing the unloaded guns at the Verizon Center and what I was intending to do when I took them out of my locker on December 21st.
As I have said before, I had kept the four unloaded handguns in my house in Virginia, but then moved them over to my locker at the Verizon Center to keep them away from my young kids. I brought them without any ammunition into the District of Columbia, mistakenly believing that the recent change in the DC gun laws allowed a person to store unloaded guns in the District.
On Monday, December 21st, I took the unloaded guns out in a misguided effort to play a joke on a teammate. Contrary to some press accounts, I never threatened or assaulted anyone with the guns and never pointed them at anyone.
Joke or not, I now recognize that what I did was a mistake and was wrong. I should not have brought the guns to DC in the first place, and I now realize that there's no such thing as joking around when it comes to guns -- even if unloaded.
I am very sorry for the effect that my serious lapse in judgment has had on my team, my teammates, the National Basketball Association and its fans. I want to apologize to everybody for letting them down with my conduct, and I promise to do better in the future.
I also want to thank the detectives and prosecutors on the case for the professionalism and courtesy they showed me during the interview today. I stand ready to continue to give my full cooperation to them and to the League as they investigate this incident."
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You have to admit
nothing like a lawyer to make a person get their words right.
As long as Gilbert’s version isn’t contradicted by another source, his punishment should be relatively light. the fact he lives in VA but works in DC may help his case (the part about him being woefully ignorant of gun laws).
more like 40 game suspension, maybe even the rest of the season....
David Stern is going to come down on Arenas hard.
by CVC on Jan 4, 2010 4:56 PM EST up reply actions
that is interesting
because (not to blame the media – i hate that) of the publicity, you do wonder if stern feels added pressure to do something strong, even if the most (relatively) harmless account turns out to be true.
"how ironic - you came here with a mouse in a bottle, now YOU are the mouse in the bottle" - B.M. Smith
by little stevie colter on Jan 4, 2010 5:03 PM EST up reply actions
Please understand that his public comments will continue to be limited as long as the investigation continues.
will continue to be limited?? Have these lawyers not seen his twitter page (while he has not mentioned anything directly relating to the gun charges he sure isnt helping his case).
Speaking of his twitter…. anyone who has read any of those posts knows there is no way Gilbert had anything to do with the passage attributed to him.
Does Lil' Penny have an alibi?
"It has come to the editor’s attention that the Herald-Leader neglected to cover the civil rights movement. We regret the omission."
Unfortunately
Hutz is dead, the victim of gun violence.
by MR on Jan 4, 2010 5:10 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Wow-
he actually got a lawyer? Smartest thing he has done in a while. I believe Gilbert – maybe I’m naive or I just don’t want to believe anything worse. I believe he could have misunderstood the gun laws as well. Completely feasible.
not sure i buy the part about misunderstanding the laws
but i do believe that there was no malice and he was not threatening anyone.
"how ironic - you came here with a mouse in a bottle, now YOU are the mouse in the bottle" - B.M. Smith
by little stevie colter on Jan 4, 2010 4:38 PM EST up reply actions
Well -
he should have people around him to help him with this sort of thing. When this went down I was trying to figure out what the hell the laws were because I thought the DC gun ban had ended as well so I can see him being confused as well. And yes definitely no malice
yeah i mean it's possible
but i just think it’s more likely he didn’t consider the laws, since they were unloaded, he probably figured no big deal.
"how ironic - you came here with a mouse in a bottle, now YOU are the mouse in the bottle" - B.M. Smith
by little stevie colter on Jan 4, 2010 4:44 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, I believe that too
I’d guess he was ignorant on the laws.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Yep... Gilbert is well and truly lawyered up... and it is
… a far wiser expenditure of his money than the follies which necessitated it….
"an immediate self-disclosure"
Well, we all knew that was going to happen.
In all seriousness, part of this plays a little to me like the Sprewell thing, and I’m not talking about choking P.J. Carlesimo. I’m talking about the “feed my family” negotiations people ridicule later on.
Fans always talk about how we wish agents and lawyers weren’t around, but when players (like Arenas) are foolish enough to speak for themselves, it often turns into a debacle. There’s a reason athletes and other famous people use “spokespeople.”
"It has come to the editor’s attention that the Herald-Leader neglected to cover the civil rights movement. We regret the omission."
I don't think there was anything malicious
But on a personal level I would have no problem with him seeing jail time and a yearlong suspension. This wasn’t a practical joke it was him picking on Critt. We have a Bully who introduced handguns into his picking on people. Handguns aren’t a joke and any A$$hole who brought a gun into work would get fired and face criminal charges. Will that happen? Probably not. But short of 5+ years of jail time Gil will get no sympathy from me. What a total POS he is.
On the one hand you see no malice,
but on the other hand you see nothing but malice. Got it.
I said I didn't think he put that gun on there as a physical threat
but he was still being a bully who broke the law and I have zero pity for him. I’m not even saying they should jail or suspend him I’m just saying I would have no problem if they did. Handguns aren’t a freakin joke and this is Gilbert’s second offense on that front so it goes beyond “I made a mistake”.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 5:52 PM EST up reply actions
actually I should say I meant "I didn't think he put that gun there as a physical threat"
upon re-reading I realize I was unclear. I just think a bully introduced handguns into his routine and broke a law for the second time. I have zero pity for him if he(unlikely) faces any severe consequences.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 6:05 PM EST up reply actions
By nature
So either he is (or his actions are) malicious, or he isn’t a bully. Can’t have both.
I corrected myself so he was being malicious
but I don’t think he was physically threatening him
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 6:13 PM EST up reply actions
That's splitting hairs.
So you’re saying that his intent was to harm Critt in some way other than physically? He wished to cause emotional distress perhaps, by threatening physical harm? Bully him? Scare him into forgiving the debt? Lay the law down? Let it be known who the sheriff is ’round these parts???
That glove don’t fit Gilbert Arenas…
And by the way, bullying only works if the other person believes you will carry through on your threat of physical harm. So by being the alleged bully, Gilbert would have at least had to smack Critt with the gun or something right? LOL.
If you mean no physical harm to a person, then almost by definition, you can’t be a bully, just because of the mere fact that they’ll see right through you. So having said that, Any sort of malice cannot be promulgated by the threat of physical violence that the presence of a gun should imply. So Gil’s malice would be reduced to passing out notes saying that Critt had the cooties…
Oh I almost forgot: Who, exactly, are you to judge his character? And! How on earth can you possibly claim to know his intent?
I think your the one splitting hairs
if I can even understand you. So your saying someone can’t pick on someone without using physical threats?
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 6:35 PM EST up reply actions
Intimidation is the key factor in bullying.
Without that, its not bullying. Nobody said anything about picking on people. You said bullying.
If you use a gun to bully someone, then you are maliciously threatening physical harm. So:
Either there is malice (the desire to harm) and he’s a bully who threatened to harm Critt physically, or there’s no malice, he’s not a bully, and there was never any physical threat to harm Critt.
It has to be all one way or all the other way, it can’t be a split down the middle. Its not possible.
Unless you think that he was trying to emotionally or psychologically harm the man…. Is that it? You think he was trying to get in Critt’s head???
I think he was just being an asshole and picking on the guy
which is malicious. If you wanna quibble over the meaning of bully go ahead. I don’t think you have to physically threaten someone to be a bully but go ahead and talk yourself in circles.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 7:12 PM EST up reply actions
M'kay
I’m swerving to keep up with your ever-changing opinion. I guess it would look like a circle huh…
First he wasn’t malicious, then he was.
First he was a bully, then he was just ‘picking on him’
But all the time there was never any physical threat. (Glad you were there when it happened. Care to give a detailed account?)
Malicious: Showing malice.
Malice: the desire to harm.
I’m sorry I looked, but I didn’t see ‘just being an asshole and picking on somebody’ under the definition of malice.
And WTF is a gun if its not a physical threat??? Come on… The gun isn’t gonna go slander somebody. Its a physical threat. If I wave a gun in your face wouldn’t you call it a physical threat?
Guns. Malice. But no physical threat. Right.
Buhbye!
you made your point
bayarea’s underlying message has been consistent. he’s just messing up his terms a bit here and there. why are you going at him so hard?
by DarrellWalkerFan on Jan 4, 2010 7:33 PM EST up reply actions
Don't have patience for judgemental people.
Or people who can’t or won’t forgive.Sorry, its a pet peeve of mine. I’ll lay off now.
I said I wouldn't pity him or feel bad not that he is irredeemable
or unforgiveable. I think your just projecting.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 7:41 PM EST up reply actions
With respect to not forgiving yes I was definitely extrapolating. But with respect to being judgemental I would definitely put you in that category. The thing that gets me is that I bet you’ve never had to miss a few months to a year out of your life but you wouldn’t bat an eyelash for someone who has to do just that for nothing more than bad judgement, good intentions, and a prank gone wrong. I could call you a pretentious little twit, but that may get me kicked off the site so I won’t.
by jones-y on Jan 4, 2010 8:02 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
sigh
I’m not sure what your getting at. I mean I certainly haven’t been to jail if thats what your getting at. I doubt that disqualifies me from saying I think someone should be held accountable for their actions though. I had an opinion. Feel free to agree or disagree. I appreciate you not calling me a pretentious little twit though. It was big of you.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 8:23 PM EST up reply actions
If jailtime was the punishment that fit the crime, then I would have no problem with your statements. I’m all for accountability. Yes he should receive some sort of punishment. I just think that any significant jailtime is waaaay too harsh, to the point of being absurd. And I think that anyone who wouldn’t mind if significant jailtime was the punishment in this case is seriously misguided. That’s my opinion. So I guess we can leave it at that.
by jones-y on Jan 4, 2010 9:11 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
then this is all a misunderstanding
I never advocated jailtime. I don’t know for sure what happened. I don’t know what laws were technically broken and what penalties are standard for breaking those laws. I mentioned jail because when you said " I bet you’ve never had to miss a few months to a year out of your life " thats what I assumed you meant. I never advocated any punishment because I don’t know what happened beyond Arenas’s own admission that he brought guns into his work place. I won’t feel bad for him whatever happens. If he committed a crime that deserves jail time so be it. If not then not. I’m just not gonna feel bad for him.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 9:57 PM EST up reply actions
You make no sense
I clarified my earlier statement to say I didn’t think he was waving it at Javaris or physically threatening him. I said while he wasn’t threatening to shoot him I thought he was picking on and bullying Javaris. Notice the word think. I was saying I don’t really buy the post story. My opinion hasn’t changed other than to clarify a part that was confusing. The gun was a prop Arenas used to continue to pick on Critt not a blatant physical threat. Your statements make no sense. Does your definition of harm only apply to the physical? Clearly you don’t wanna argue that on the merits(How could you I just said what I think) so you wanna go round and round go ahead I feel I have been consistent if a little hamhanded.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 7:36 PM EST up reply actions
This is so stupid
I know there are rules, and Arenas broke them, but I don’t see criminal behavior here. DC’s gun laws are ridiculous, much more extreme than almost all the other states and not a proper sample of what gun laws should be. That said, I know Gil wouldn’t have brought his guns to his locker had he known it was such a big deal, risking suspension and/or fines. He was stupid to do so, as he admits, and I think the League can just slap 5-10 game suspension and move on. Whether there was violent behavior (which is not only hard to prove, but also uncharacteristic of Gilbert), Stern can just take the facts and slap a suspension to make a statement on how serious the front office is about bringing guns on NBA ground.
And I don’t think this is reason enough to say we should part ways with Gil. This is one thing where I actually disagree with the Pradamaster. (I knew this day would eventually come.) The beef we have with Arenas is that he’s not worth his contract. Most people would have said that at the time. But he’s still our best player, and I think there are other people to give more blame to than Arenas for our awful start. Getting rid of Arenas for 40 cents on the dollar isn’t going to help us. If we want to blow this thing up, let’s start with people who are stinking it up, like Butler and Foye.
My swag was phenomenal.
DC's gun laws might be ridiculous
when there stops being so many handgun murders. Is handgun laws the only solution? No(better schooling, more jobs, more police, more social support services, etc), but to dismiss them as ridiculous is to ignore the epidemic of handgun violence. Just becuase it is more extreme than other states doesn’t matter. Especially since it could very well catch on now that it has gotten past some legal hurdles. Also there is clearly “criminal behavior here” as Gilbert broke a law. There might not be Physical violence here but the law has been broken. Seriously try and tell me you could do what Gilbert did at your place of work and not have the law get involved or lose your job. Why hold Arenas to a different standard? Just cuz he’s a rich athlete he can break laws with impunity or do something anyone with half a brain would know is wrong and likely to end a career.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 6:02 PM EST up reply actions
No.
It’s because he’s rich. Doesn’t much matter what his profession is.
well I think there is a certain aspect of
“Boys will be Boys” because it happened in the locker room for certain people. Like AJ says it’s not like when Gilbert would dump water on someone using the restroom which people would find offensive/disturbing/innapropriate from a CEO but apparently is ok in an NBA locker room.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 6:19 PM EST up reply actions
The argument over gun laws
Has a much richer background then people being murdered by gun toting humans. Regardless of which way we split it, people aren’t killed by guns. With that said, guns may enable people to kill more then they otherwise would. But differentiate this moral argument from Gilbert’s defense.
DC laws are very strict on guns – much more stringent then most states including Gilbert’s home state. Indeed, they have already been struck down by the Supreme Court once. Something tells me Gilbert truly was unaware of the laws. I am not sure if this law has gone to the SC ( I doubt it) but comprared to most states, Gil would’ve been fine. While ignorance is no excuse, it an help. Also, go to the DC court at judicary square. Go up to the 4th floor. There is a room with computers in it. Look up some offenses. You will see tons of gun related offenses. You will also notice most people didn’t serve any time. They only did when it was in relation to other crimes. This is why Gilbert will get off. Everyone knows the laws are strong relative to the rest of the country. Assuming there was no other behavior, he’ll get fined. Maybe community service. I would be shocked if he went to jail.
well for me he has already run afoul of gun laws once before
so the ignorance factor doesn’t play well with me. He knows there are procedures involved with having a handgun and if he was too lazy to find out what they are and follow them I don’t have much pity though I do think it is a mitigating factor if there was sentencing. As for the SC there was a previous law outlawing handguns which was struck down so they developed the registration law. I’m not saying he SHOULD got to Jail I’m just saying if they threw the book at him I wouldn’t cry for him.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 6:58 PM EST up reply actions
Him pleading ignorance is akin
to NFL players saying they didn’t know there was an illegal ingredient in a supplemement they took. You know by now to protect yourself and do things the proper way(going through the NFL to get approved supplements).
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 7:01 PM EST up reply actions
Little different
Gilbert thinks (a) he has a right to a gun as long as he registered that gun (b) and he registered that gun therefore © he is fine. It’s more like you are allowed to take pills but you can’t inject the same medicine. Still bad, not quite as bad.
I knew they overtunred the previous one
I wouldn’t be surprised if the current one got overturned as well. I doubt it has gone to the SC yet, though wouldn’t be shocked if it did. And this time he had his guns registered. So while he was ignorant and had previous violations of gun laws,this violation is different. Once again, violation of registration laws isn’t that big of a deal.
The only way he SHOULD go to jail is if he is lying about this whole transgression. Logically speaking, he is telling the truth. Other parties have incentives to disagree and they haven’t which should tell us other parties believe his story.
I have never said he SHOULD go to Jail
I just said I lack pity for him and see his ignorance of the law as a mitigating factor not as a magical means of making a crime never happen. He’s gotten in trouble for registration laws before so he should learn them if he wants to own a gun. Is it too much to ask for someone owning a handgun to have a little responsibility? My current state, California, just enacted a cell phone while driving law. Now If I managed to miss the months of articles on it’s passage and implemementation and got pulled over for it I can bitch about it but I still broke the law and would have to pay the fine. If it was the first day of that law hopefully the judge might lower my fine but I can’t argue that my ignorance made the law not matter. Is this a horrible crime. OF course not it’s a stupid and probably minor one, I’m just not gonna cry if they hold Arenas to the letter of the law.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 7:21 PM EST up reply actions
i think it's a good point
that if you have a prior, you should really study up on your laws. at some point you need to stop slapping a guy on the wrist.
and he DEFINITELY should know the NBA policy cold.
gil’s statement is sound, and we can get over it, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t get a harsh penalty. he’s had one strike already.
by DarrellWalkerFan on Jan 4, 2010 7:40 PM EST up reply actions
"Assuming there was no other behavior"
Joke or not, he showed them to another person. That action could add to the problem. David Stern aside, judges and law enforcement find nothing funny about brandishing weapons…even in a practical joke.
Let's not get too loose with our words here
To Brandish: To wave or flourish (a weapon, for example) menacingly.
I’m sure that Law Enforcement, Judges, and Prosecutors would be happy to send Arenas away if he were actually “brandishing” a gun…..
But other than Peter Vescey’s comic-book-like account of events (where Arenas and Crittenton had “heaters at the ready”) , every other credible news source and article I’ve read says that Arenas laid out three weapons on a stool, with a note “pick one”…. I wouldn’t call that brandishing.
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
In the context of weapons....
synonym: display threateningly – NOT just display
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
eh
i think it can just mean display too. i think some people just say brandish a gun ‘cause that’s the verb you use when you’re talking about guns… you brandish them. they don’t necessarily mean to imply a threatening display. i guess that’s poor english, but not necessarily a slur on gil if they didn’t mean it that way.
but you’re right to point it out that gil didn’t necessarily threaten jc with a gun and that people should be careful with their words.
by DarrellWalkerFan on Jan 4, 2010 7:53 PM EST up reply actions
Gilbert's "joke" may be law enforcement's "brandish"
They cannot come across as easy-going or understanding of a practical joke involving guns. If they do, they’re opening the door to a whole host of “I was just joking” defenses.
TOTALLY AGREE.
I mean Kobe was arrested for suspected sexual assault, and the Lakers didn’t overreact by immediately shipping him out or voiding his contract. Based on the latest accounts of what we know to have happened, what Gilbert did was irresponsible and stupid, but NOT criminal. Also, some of the debate I’ve heard about this incident borders on liberal hysteria about players LEGALLY owning firearms, which is a constitutionally protected right. Gilbert should be fined and suspended by the league, but an overly harsh suspension by Stern smacks of sending a message that players shouldn’t own guns period, which I believe is wrong and contrary to the 2nd amendment.
by CVC on Jan 4, 2010 6:08 PM EST up reply actions
you are clearly pulling that out of nowhere
Why does him being punished for breaking league rules and breaking laws equate to a campaign to deny players the right to own guns? Also once again by any story you chose Gilbert broke a law so it is criminal. There is a valid question of whether it is misdemeanor but people should stop lying by saying “there wasn’t anything criminal here”… It is factually incorrect and very misleading.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 6:17 PM EST up reply actions
David Stern is a known liberal Democrat...
…. an unreasonable and overly harsh suspension levied on Gilbert (compared to other players) would send a signal that he doesn’t want NBA players to own guns (by some estimates—60 percent do own guns), period. Players have a right to legally own firearms to protect themselves and their families.
by CVC on Jan 4, 2010 6:23 PM EST up reply actions
That is a total BS statement
Stern and every other employer has the right to restrict firearms in the workplace. For someone to enforce that in no way equates with a campaign to stop players from owning guns. Owning guns is not an issue here. Bringing them into the workplace and breaking laws is the issue. Does someone cracking down on DUI’s constitute a campaign to stop people from owning cars? Also I have no idea about Stern’s political leanings but he can be replaced by a group of owners who I would bet are probably conservative leaning so I doubt that really carries any weight.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 6:32 PM EST up reply actions
NO ITS NOT..
…Gil derserves to be fined by the league for breaking the “no guns” on NBA property rule. A 20-30 day suspension seems appropriately harsh, given other player suspensions for similar gun-related incidents. But a suspension for the rest of the year— or for one full year- is overkill — and it indicates to me that Stern is sending a zero tolerance for players LEGALLY owning guns at all.
by CVC on Jan 4, 2010 7:34 PM EST up reply actions
well we are a ways away from that happening so why don't you wait till it(if) finally happens
before attributing some nefarious plot to Stern
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 7:39 PM EST up reply actions
again
this is not about gil legally owning a gun. he legally owned a gun for a long time and it wasn’t an issue… well except for that prior he had… which, again, makes this a really big deal.
it’s only an issue about players owning guns if stern starts suspending any nba player who owns a gun, which he won’t do. which is why your statement is off target.
by DarrellWalkerFan on Jan 4, 2010 7:42 PM EST up reply actions
You are ignoring the bigger issue
This isn’t about him just bringing guns in, but about him displaying them to a teammate as a “joke.”
Wouldn’t you call the police if you came into work and a co-worker with whom you had been feuding showed you his gun collection?
by Manimal Smith on Jan 4, 2010 6:02 PM EST up reply actions
This story vs. the original story
So, from this statement, it appears that the part of his original story about wanting to give the guns to Wizards Security to give to the police was a lie. It sounds like he brought the guns to the locker room , possibly to keep them away from the kids as he stated. But it sounds like Wizards security had no idea of the guns’ existence until after the incident, ie, the part of Arenas’ story about wanting to give them to security was a total lie. Maybe its not important, but it raises questions for me about the Wizards management ’s behavior concerning the entire incident. In their early statements, after the initial reports they said nothing about an incident or confrontation. Just the usual “we are cooperating with authorities”. And they were silent when Arenas told the story bringing the guns in with the intention of handing them over to security.
Unfortunately, I think there is more to the story that will come out and that the Wizards management will not look good.
well it also assumes that Wizards security people would allow him to break the law
I am sure they are ex-law enforcement. If they are in their jobs I’m sure they realized him having the guns there was a crime so why would they willingly let him do that? If he was really bringing them in the Security people would have told him not to or to work it out with Cops beforehand. So in retrospect maybe I shouldn’t assume competence from the Wiz security people but they would have to be utter failures to let him keep guns there for more than 1 hour so I have always felt the story was fishy from Day 1.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 6:39 PM EST up reply actions
i bet
he wanted the guns out his house…but didnt want to get rid of ’em….its hard to throw guns away!
He has $111 million
That buys a lot of self storage lockers in between VA and DC. If he had brought the guns to the VC to surrender them, then I would have understood. In his lawyer-approved statement, however, he clearly says he wanted to “store” them in his locker. The idiocy of that decision is bad enough. Keeping the decision secret from Wiz management (I cannot believe this was okay’d by management…although doubt lingers), is worse. And then showing them to Javaris (no matter the reason) is cause for a season-long suspension.
Wiz Management
Feinstein said Gilbert was the first to be caught, not the first to introduce guns to an NBA locker room. If this organization knowingly let their players store guns in the locker room, my vomit will know no end.
We don’t know the chronology. For all we know the storage of the guns in the locker (as well as the prank) may have happened before security was made aware of the presence of the guns. There’s no reason to believe that he told them he was bringing them in before he did, and no reason to believe that they let the guns stay there for any amount of time once they knew about them.
by jones-y on Jan 4, 2010 8:49 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Agree: his lawyer says team officials were notified after the incident
After reading that, I calmed down about the Wiz organization. Everything seems to indicate they had no idea about the guns before “the incident.”
This makes no sense.
Wizards managmenet would LOVE for the oringal NY Post story to be true. Then, they could get rid of Gilbert’s contract without giving anything up. They could use that excuse to blow up the rest of the roster and clean house. No way Wizards management attempted to protect Gilbert. Which leads me to believe they believe their was no crime.
Manimal was talking about Arenas's original explanation
that he brought them to be away from his kids and to hand over to security(with security’s knowledge.) I really doubt the Wiz would engineer a crime on the spot to void his contract(which in practice has been impossible). Once again if Gilbert brought a handgun into DC and it wasn’t properly registered in DC it was a crime. Period. It’s just a matter of how severe a crime.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 6:52 PM EST up reply actions
No
He questioned why Wizards management would remain silent about Arenas’s assertion. He concluded they will look bad in a little while. I am saying if Gilbert is lying (i.e. guns were drawn) then the Wizards would have no reason to cover it up. In fact, they would have an incentive. They wouldn’t be manufacturing a crime, but that crime would be in their interest. Therefore, we can conclude that Wizard management believes the latest story – otherwise they would not be acting in this minor.
And if you read my response up top, you will see this crime will not result in felony chargers. Therefore, they cannot dump him. Sorry but severity matters – alot. That’s like claiming speeding = D.U.I. Clearly, some crimes are nowhere close to other crimes. Having unloaded firearms used to pull a joke is much better then pulling a gun on someone.
ahh I misunderstood you I guess
I do think people are too quick to make the “it’s not like he did x,y or z which is worse” argument to sorta brush this under the rug. Not saying that’s what your saying but I think we should be careful with those kinda arguments.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 7:27 PM EST up reply actions
My original post
I was implying that the original story was too perfect . At this point it sounds like no one in management knew about the guns until after the incident. So I’m afraid that someone (management?) assisted Gil with the story and that their first reaction was to try to cover things up. I don’t think the idea of voiding the contract came into play during the initial reaction, so I think it makes sense that they would try to keep things as quiet as possible. And if this is so, I think it will come out.
Completely Disagree
This story vs. the original story
So, from this statement, it appears that the part of his original story about wanting to give the guns to Wizards Security to give to the police was a lie.
How do you figure? His original statement, if I remember correctly, consisted of three parts. Part 1 – he brought the guns to the Verizon Center to keep them away from his kids. Part 2 – he decides that he no longer needs nor wants the guns. Part 3 – he then turns the guns over to Wizards Security to turn in to police. All three parts either coincide or otherwise don’t contradict with his current story. He left out the information about the practical joke, but leaving out information is not the same thing as lying.
"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier
His statement says nothing about turning the guns over
I understand his mistake in bringing them to the VC if he intended to turn the guns over to authorities. I do NOT understand why he selected his NBA locker room as his alternative weapons depot.
Clarification
It’s the Part 2 of his original argument that got contradicted IMO. He gave up the guns after Dec. 21. His original intent was to “store” them there, not give them up.
From the attorney's statement
From the outset of this incident, Mr. Arenas has been fully cooperative with the investigation. He acknowledged his possession of the guns when questioned by Washington Wizards team officials; he immediately offered and relinquished the guns to Wizards security personnel;
So there was no talk of relinquishing the guns until after the incident. And it was only after this that Gil’s original story (I wanted to get rid of the guns, I brought them to Verizon Center, I gave them to Wizards security to give to the police) was released. Like I said, the story was too perfect and I suspect that he had help developing it. I hope I’m wrong.
Right, But Then He Changed His Mind
Part 1 was his original intent to store them. In between Parts 1 and 2 he has the incident with Critt, which he doesn’t reveal in his original statement (not lying). Part 2 then happens – he decides he doesn’t need them anymore. So Part 3 follows. How does this contradict anything?
What he doesn’t reveal is that after the Critt incident, he needed to do something with the guns, because he immediately learned that he can’t keep them in the Verizon Center, which I personally believe he sincerely did not know. So now he has a decision: take the guns back home where his kids are, or get rid of him? Arenas’s original statement makes clear what his decision was:
“It happened like December 10th. Right after my daughter was born. I decided I didn’t want the guns in my house and around the kids anymore, so i took them to my lock box at Verizon Center. Then like a week later, I turned them over to team security and told them to hand them over to the police, because I don’t want them anymore. I wouldn’t have brought them to D.C. had I known the rules. After my daughter was born, I was just like, I don’t need these anymore."
He was also probably like, “oh shit, I hope I don’t get in trouble now that I played that practical joke on Critt!” But he didn’t reveal that part at the time. It doesn’t make his original statement a lie, however. It was partially false, because he turned the guns over more than a week later, but he did say “like a week later,” so even that wasn’t completely false. And being false is not the same thing as lying, in any case, assuming he wasn’t intentionally being false.
"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier
I think there is a narrow window for his story and the later story to both be mostly true
But there is alot of fishyness to it and the timeline but I think technically he could have been truthful both times in a very narrow timeline.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 10:00 PM EST up reply actions
It's Always Fishy
When someone tells a story and leaves a lot of important information out. I agree with you there. I only wanted to clarify that there is a difference between acting fishy and outright lying. Arenas purposely chose to not mention the Crittenton incident at the time, I have no doubt. But that doesn’t mean that what he did say was untrue.
"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier
Minimal suspension and no felony charges.
If this is all there was to it, he will pay a fine to DC and face some community service. I agree that Gil has a bad sense of humor and no judgment whatsoever, but Stern can’t suspend him for more than 5 or 10 games. We all remember this right?
“West was pulled over after making an unsafe lane change while driving northbound on a three-wheel motorcycle, police said. Investigators say West, 26, had a loaded 9mm Beretta pistol tucked in his pocket, a loaded .357 magnum Ruger revolver strapped to his leg, an 8.5 inch knife and a pistol-grip shotgun in a guitar case slung over his back. West was carrying 112 shotgun shells, police said.”
“D. West 23:58 3-6 1-2 2-2 -5 0 0 0 3 1 0 1 0 1 9”
That’s West’s line from last night’s game.
Gil had no ammo, unloaded weapons. West is still playing. He may face some suspension after his trial, but Stern has not suspended him yet …
I think that The Wiz should step up and suspend him 5 games now and fine him big … like 500,000 to a mil and win back some face. There is no way we can void his contract based on this. We need to save face, let him get back on the court and try to trade him if we can. I don’t want to cheer for him anymore, but let’s not make him out to be worse that he is. He is an idiot. He has NO judgement, and he’s not very funny. His tweets have been offensive and I no longer feel like cheering for him, but I don’t think we can void the contract.
this is my point from earlier...
…. Gil’s “offense” is nowhere near Delonte West’s… a 20 game suspension would be harsh (maybe too harsh)…a ban for the rest of the season (as I’ve heard being discussed on talk radio today) is complete overkill…and would prove that Stern is on a jihad against legal gun ownership.
by CVC on Jan 4, 2010 7:40 PM EST up reply actions
Well - either way
It will be VERY interesting to see how the two suspensions come down (Arenas vs. West)…
Will Stern show intolerance of ignorance and “poor judgement” ? But tolerate forgetfulness? (forgetting to take his meds)
OR – will Stern show that he can see the difference between a joke gone bad, and a potential serious situation?
I mean, what was West going to do with two loaded pistols, a knife, and a pistol grip shotgun with 112 rounds? Was he going hunting?
If Arenas is suspended for the rest of the year – then Rondo’s penalty better be more severe !!!
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
You don't understand
what can be a worse looking incident can be a misdemeanor in one jurisdiction while the lessor looking incident can be a felony in another jurisdiction.
The league’s treatment is also very different from a criminal case.
There may also be a civil case here between the Wiz and Arenas and Crit and Arenas.
The law is not based on how one feel’s about a person.
Izman - I wasn't talking about the "Law"
Everyone knows the gun laws in this country are not “fair” – in one jurisdiction you can carry around a pistol on your belt – in another, you can serve 5-years in jail for the same action. Fair and equitable punishment? Not hardly. But I don’t want to debate that on a basketball blog.
NO – what I’m talking about is any potential penalties the NBA (Stern) may dole out for these two incidents. What will be the length of suspensions for Arenas and then for West? What sanctions will the Wizards and Cavaliers have to endure? What will be the cap ramifications?
Stern wants to send a message…. Ok, fine… Let’s see what Arenas’ penalty is…. and then West’s penalty should be harsher than that.
There have been some precedents set:
Sebastian Telfair pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and got three years’ probation after a loaded handgun was found in his luggage.. He was suspended for 3 games in 2008. (By the way, that was Telfair’s second gun violation – having been convicted for having a loaded 45-caliber gun the Police found under his seat after he was pulled over for speeding)
Stephen Jackson fired a handgun 5 times in an altercation outside an Indianapolis strip club. He was given a 7 game suspension from the NBA. (and that was AFTER the 30-game suspension for his participation in the brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills)
Now I know that Stern is going to want to send a harsher message than a 3 or 5 game suspension… My real concern is that Arenas will be made to pay a HIGH price for Stern’s message and that somehow Delonte West will not pay as harsh a penalty.
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
and this is my reply from earlier
it’s only an issue about players owning guns if stern starts suspending any nba player who owns a gun, which he won’t do. somethign like 60% of the players own guns according to that new jersey nets article jake posted.
by DarrellWalkerFan on Jan 4, 2010 7:57 PM EST up reply actions
DarrellWalkerFan
By suspending Arenas for a year, Stern will be sending a not-too-subtle message to all NBA players: Owning guns is unofficially frowned upon in my league. I don’t think that’s right.
by CVC on Jan 4, 2010 8:01 PM EST up reply actions
Even if Stern means to send that message, players can ignore him
As long as they do nothing illegal regarding their ownership, David Stern is powerless to stop NBA players from owning guns.
i hope you are right.
but poor gilbert will be made the scapegoat. if stern comes down hard on gilbert, he ought to hand out the same punishment to D. West, who’s behaviour seems exponentially more menacing than gilberts.
by CVC on Jan 4, 2010 8:20 PM EST up reply actions
different situations dude
and honestly why don’t we see what Stern does before spinning conspiracy theories.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 8:25 PM EST up reply actions
If Stern were trying to send a message
He would have heavily punished West. This is not a gun ownership issue – it’s about bringing guns onto NBA property.
by Palace of Good Play's Golden Toilet on Jan 5, 2010 2:45 AM EST up reply actions
delonte was not on NBA grounds
not to excuse him, but that does make it a different situation
"how ironic - you came here with a mouse in a bottle, now YOU are the mouse in the bottle" - B.M. Smith
by little stevie colter on Jan 4, 2010 10:06 PM EST up reply actions
I posted on another thread-
he also has a certified mental illness. And of course what he did is not excusable but there is a rationale for it. I had a parent with bipolar disorder on no meds at times- very unpredictable, day to day changing behavior. Completely different on medication.
sorry forgot to write -
so it’s a very different situation. In Gilbert’s case as far as I know – they don’t make pills for stupidity.
true - what west is dealing with is no joke.
also have seen up close what mental illness can do, and no matter what have empathy for west.
but still – that cache of arms he had is scary, and a crime.
"how ironic - you came here with a mouse in a bottle, now YOU are the mouse in the bottle" - B.M. Smith
by little stevie colter on Jan 4, 2010 11:11 PM EST up reply actions
It is scary for sure - actually terrifying
But he may not get the same punishment as others because of his illness – he may be required to go to treatment etc.
if he does get leniency and treatment he should have to agree not to own guns anymore.
guns and bipolars who don’t take their meds don’t mix well in my book
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 11:39 PM EST up reply actions
The big difference with West is West didn't use the guns on team property
(Apologize if this has already been mentioned – I’m only at this comment).
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Well
to be “technical” , Arenas didn’t use the guns either…. He couldn’t… they weren’t loaded.
And at some level, I guess you could make the case that Arenas had the guns for self protection… but then wanted them out of his house because he had small children… Not a smart thing to bring them to DC…. but perhaps understandable… SHOWING them to Crittenton in the Locker Room as a prank? – again , stupid…. “poor judgement”… Yes – - – but dangerous? I don’t know.
On the other hand – a person diagnosed bi-polar, riding around Maryland with loaded hand guns and knives strapped to his legs, and a loaded 9 mm handgun in his belt… and a pistol grip shotgun strapped to a case on his back?
Tell me which person you would be more afraid of? Arenas? or West?
Which one poses more of a threat? A prankster with unloaded weapons? OR a person with a mental disorder riding around with multiple loaded weapons.
Team property be damned. That’s just the NBA rules.
Stern wants to send a message? If Delonte West is convicted of the 6 weapons charges – he should be banned from the NBA for life. THAT will send a message.
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
But Stern has no grounds to do so under NBA rules
There’s no jurisdiction. The NBA prevents you from having guns on NBA property. West didn’t have guns on NBA property, he had them riding around PG county. In this case, Stern has no choice but to wait and see how West’s legal situation plays out.
In Arenas’ case, they were on NBA property, so Stern can say Arenas broke a clear NBA rule right now.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Yes - of course
He can suspend Arenas right now… but he has to wait for the legal proceedings for West… I see your point… I wasn’t commenting on the timing of any potential League issued sanctions…. but of the severity.
My point is all about the severity of each instance…. of which, in my opinion, West’s behavior is much more troubling… But if Stern gives Arenas a severe penalty, and West walks (or gets the same penalty as Arenas)- then it’s a sham.
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
you are very correct West's behavior is more troubling
but does that have much bearing on Arenas. We shouldn’t be comparing them. Gilbert did something wrong and West did something wrong. We shouldn’t confuse what Gilbert did by comparing it to somebody else. Especially since it was a real apples to oranges compariosn IMO.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 10:02 PM EST up reply actions
Sorry - but I disagree
There’s very little precedent to go on here.
Mike Prada thinks that Gilbert will be suspended by the League for the rest of the year…. I think he’s right… I don’t think the punishment fits the “crime”… but seeing how Stern wants to send a message about guns, the “thug culture”, etc…. I’m sure that’s what will occur – Whether Arenas gets jail time or not, he’ll be suspended for the remainder of the year.
I’ll be waiting to see what he (Stern) does when Delonte West is convicted of 6 weapons charges in Maryland. Weapons that were LOADED (unlike in the Arenas incident). Multiple weapons, on his person, ready to be used… (for hunting?)… Concealed, loaded weapons; including an 8 1/2-inch Bowie knife and a loaded Beretta 9mm handgun from his front left pants pocket and a loaded .357 magnum Ruger revolver strapped to his leg, – - – AND a Remington 870 pistol grip shotgun
And you’re right – it is an apples to oranges comparison… Let’s hope that David Stern realizes that and gives Delonte West a much harsher penalty.
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
I wasn't arguing for any specific punishment or precedent or something
I just meant I don’t think we should talk about one when debating the other. They are 2 indivdual acts that should stand on their merits and not be compared to each other. The fact that one occurred on league property and one off it should be enough of a difference to not compare the 2.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 10:27 PM EST up reply actions
WEST VS. ARENAS
David Stern won’t punish West (even though West is a walking time-bomb and a real menance based on his behavior) as severely as Arenas because he (Stern) wants the Cavs to make it to he Finals against the Lakers. Stern wants a Kobe vs. LeBron Finals.
Stephen Jackson
He wasn’t on NBA property either. but Stern “went out of his jurisdiction” and suspended him for x number of games.
by corruptparty on Jan 4, 2010 10:20 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah
Stephen Jackson pleaded guilty to one felony count of criminal recklessness for firing a gun outside an Indianapolis strip club…during an “altercation”…
For that Felony conviction – Jackson was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service.
David Stern, who has a “firm” stance against guns and wants to clean up the NBA’s “thug” image, saw fit to suspend Jackson for 7 whole games…..
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
Thank you
This was the point I was trying to make when starting this thread. There are some similar cases. Yes this was on NBA grounds, which is precisely why he will be suspended at all. I don’t think what Gil did is anywhere close to what Jackson or West did. It does not excuse his behavior or make him less of an idiot, but he does not warrant a year long suspension. I think 5 to 10 games tops.
And
It means there is no way we could void his contract for it. No way.
great point on stephen jackson
so if stern suspends gilbert for the season, it proves that stern is out to “make an example” of gilbert, instead of giving him a punishment commensurate with the violation. By the same token, he won’t touch West, because it would foil his dream Final of Lebron vs. Kobe. The NBA players union ought to go ballistic over this.
I don't wanna speculate on anything till we have more info
but if I had to guess I would say Gil gets a token suspension and then by the time the next season starts there is a new policy in place that would have extreme suspnsions attached to it. Stern is gonna do something to combat this he just might not do it to Gilbert.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 10:40 PM EST up reply actions
No - I disagree
The situation has become way too high profile. The sensational media coverage (and the flat out irresponsible coverage by some in the media) have made it impossible for Stern to do anything but suspend Arenas for a long, long time. Peter Vescey’s original damning article, followed by commentary by NBA “insiders”, who didn’t have all the facts….. did nothing but fuel the situation. Now there are articles coming out of the woodwork calling for Arenas to be permanently suspended. Articles that he’s a disruptive force on the team; that he and the Coach do not get along. They (the media) have painted a picture of a bad guy. Of someone that has issues with authority.
There’s now a presumption of guilt for both Arenas and Crittenton in the public eye. Guilt, not of a misdemeanor (possession of a non-registered hand gun) – but guilt of brandishing weapons in the Locker Room ; Angry and threatening confrontations over gambling debts; – - – Like Mike Prada said, I would not be surprised if it’s a suspension for the remainder of this year.
Fair or not; I think that is what Arenas will get.
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
To that point
I’d love to see a poll of NBA fans….
According to your understanding of events, Gilbert Arenas is guilty of a crime because:
1. Gilbert Arenas and a teammate had an angry altercation about a gambling debt, culminating in both players pointing hand guns at each other in the Locker Room.
2. Gilbert Arenas brought unloaded handguns in a locked box to his locker in the Verizon Center; and then put those weapons on a chair in front of a teammate’s locker.
Mike Prada – any way to get that poll on the SBN front page?
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
Stern on guns
Check Sterns comments on guns here: http://www.thesportstruth.com/2006/10/david-stern-tells-nba-players-to-leave-guns-at-home.html
Specifically, this: "It’s a pretty, I think, widely accepted statistic that if you carry a gun, your chances of being shot by one increase dramatically," said the little man who rules with an iron fist. "We think this is an alarming subject, that although you’ll read players saying how they feel safer with guns, in fact those guns actually make them less safe. And it’s a real issue.":
Stern doesn’t believe in the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. And he is going to impose the mother of all fines on poor Gilbert Arenas to make his ideological point.
David Stern is a big-time donor to Democrats...
… who tend to be the “gun control” party. Check out his political contributions here:
http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=name&lname=Stern&fname=David
Again, I think he’s gonna use this Arenas incident to make a bigger POLITICAL/IDEOLOGICAL point about gun control and discouraging NBA players from owning guns.
I got a question for you guys
When(and to what extent) do you think a Practical Joker should bear the responsibility for what actions his joke has caused? I mean say the person doesn’t find it funny and lashes out? What if it goes wrong? How much responsibility does the joker bear? This is off topic a little but I was thinking about it today at work.
Obviously, it would depend on the circumstances
I remember the practical joke that the guys from Jackass pulled… called Terrorist Taxi…
I remember thinking that if the Taxi driver they called had been real, one of those guys could have been shot…. Would it have been the taxi driver’s fault? or the idiots that set him up?
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
or like AJ defined acceptable pranks as dumping water on someone while they used the restroom
What if that person took alot of offense to it and punched Gilbert in the eye so bad Gilbert missed half a season? Obviously a punch in the eye is a little overkill for a water soaking but could Gilbert really complain? Would you feel bad for him? Or what if a trainer walked past, slipped on the water, and cracked his head open? Is that an accident? Gilbert’s fault? Both? Not sure how I feel about it but it does seem like saying “it was just a practical joke” shouldn’t absolve people of responsibility. You never know how the other person will take it and maybe the joker should bear responsibility for whatever crazy shit comes about from the joke. Like I said a little off topic but I thought I would ask.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 8:17 PM EST up reply actions
The injured party has a lot to say about this
Their reaction determines the punishment. If some guy slips on the joker’s water and cracks his head open, he could press charges and stand a good chance of winning something. If Javaris had freaked out and pressed charges, this would be even a bigger circus and Gilbert’s “practical joke” argument would have to stand in court.
I guess what I’m saying is practical jokes leave a lot open to legal system interpretation.
So
Who is the “injured party” in Arenas’ gun joke? Who is the victim?
Unless the story is fabricated, and Javaris was “threatened”, then there is no victim…
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
leaving guns on a chair and telling someone to pick one-
isn’t threatening?
sure
During their argument, Javaris reportedly said something like “I should shoot you in your bad knee”….
To Arenas, EVERYTHING is funny …….. so he put the guns on a stool, with a note “PICK ONE”….
How is that threatening Javaris? He didn’t have a gun in his hand at the time…. (at least according to any credible reports I’ve seen)… It wasn’t a “DRAW you yellow dog” situation…..
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
yes everything seems to be funny to Gilbert-
he seems to like pushing people’s buttons. Javaris may not have the same sense of humor and could easily see it as threatening. I’m not saying it’s threatening for sure – I wasn’t there and didn’t see it. But sure it could easily be interpreted that way whether or not that was the intent.
My understand is Javaris felt insulted rather than threatened, he threw one of the guns across the room and said “I have my own gun”. I think he felt Arenas was trying to demean him after Javaris said he’d shoot him in his bad knee, while Arenas saw the whole situation as a light hearted joke.
by CavsLebronFan on Jan 4, 2010 9:59 PM EST up reply actions
Apparently, Javaris didn't feel threatened
He didn’t press charges, so his “injury” is a non-factor. The District of Columbia, on the other hand, had one of its laws broken. In the right prosecutor’s eyes, Gilbert’s harmless intentions or lack of knowledge won’t matter. He/she may pursue the enforcement of the letter of the law. In this scenario, the joker would have “injured” the district by breaking its law.
In this case, it's Javaris and the city
It’s illegal to bring guns into the district that aren’t registered in the district. So, once the police found out, they could conceivably act on it.
Sorry guys I meant in general not relating to this specific incidence
I think it relates in the sense that practical jokes can have unintended consequences. Applying legal blame doesn’t really work here. Maybe if Critt had thrown one of the “unloaded” guns and a bullet left in chamber went off and hurt someobdy then yes. It’s less about it being a prank than the simple fact that he brought a firearm into the locker room(against league rules) and into DC(illegal). The gun was an ill-advised prop.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 10:07 PM EST up reply actions
There's a political aspect to this instance
DC and federal law enforcement may very well ignore the practical joke aspect and go after Arenas. I don’t know if it will result in jail time, but the simple facts of this case (as I understand them) point to some type of punishment. Even if there was no harmful intent (brandishing or no brandishing) and even though no one got hurt, guns not registered in DC were displayed in the Verizon Center. I’d be highly surprised if they just give him a wrist slap. Even though Arenas can hire good lawyers and win the case in court, law enforcement has to at least try to punish this behavior.
Arenas sure sounds better with a filter
His Twitter posts could use a lawyer. Or at least the guy who used to write up his blog. They use better grammar and punctuation, too.
And less offensive
His twittering has mostly been incoherent, but when coherent has just been rude!
It makes him sound like an idiot, though
Which is precisely the public image he wants to convey right now. It’s no coincidence that the twittering began in the last few days.
Hmmm
You may be right on that point right there.
what about NBA.com comment as well
They talk about he owed money to McGee not to GC and Arenas denies it on his twitter.Is all this people just writing with no idea if is true or not, what kind of media is that
http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/01/04/morning.tip/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1
nba link
Go Wizards
Can we send him to a psych ward instead of jail?
I’m completely serious. The guy just doesn’t seem to understand consequences for his actions. There is a time and place for being a goofball. Riley sending Beasley to rehab has seemed to have worked pretty well. Sorry I’m desperate. I’ve been convincing friends to tell me that I’m on a bad acid trip. No joke.
Good attempt at covering your @ss Gil
But it looks more and more like a very long suspension and end of the line as a Wizard…just see it coming and he looks and sounds like a guy trying to hide his stupidity.
I like how the official excuse from GA is that
he’s a zany goofball prankster who brought unloaded handguns into the Locker Room. So your supposed to excuse him bringing a gun into work(which he had to know was wrong) cuz he’s a goofball AND it was unloaded. What is funny to me is that a self described goofball is the one your supposed to have relied on to make sure the clip was removed AND any bullets were cleared from the chamber(if it was an automatic). That would be the last person I would take their word for it on it being “unloaded”.
Wizards web page...
….changed photo of Arenas with the words “Character” to one with Jamison in front of the words “Connection.” Maybe the Wizard’s top brass is sending a message about who they plan to keep….
Say it ain't so...
I’m thoroughly convinced you can’t build a championship caliber team with Jamison as your starting 4. Competitive team? Sure, perennial second round loser…. But defense wins championships and Jamison couldn’t defend a piece of cheese from a mouse. I actually think he’s at the heart of this team’s lack of desire on the defensive end.
by jones-y on Jan 4, 2010 10:35 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
To Be Fair
I don’t think that Dwight Howard could defend a piece of cheese from a mouse either, and he’s 1st Team All-Defense. Have you seen how fast those little critters move?
"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier
And yet
another article on Yahoo that says Arenas and Crittenton “drew on each other”
One more nail in Arenas’ suspension coffin…. delivered by one more writer who chose to use Peter Vecsey’s version of events, rather than every other credible one out there…..
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
you might be right Rook
I just read Feinsteins article. He basically riffs off of the NY post article. I still think just bringing in the unloaded weapons and putting them on a chair are pretty f-in bad but that will probably be obscured.
by BayAreaBullet on Jan 4, 2010 11:34 PM EST up reply actions
Didn't Deshawn Stevenson cap a guy in Florida?
Whatever came of that? I vaguely recall the story.. something about prostitutes picked up at a gas station, their supposed pimp following in a car, and shots eventually fired outside Stevenson’s house. He claimed to be asleep while things were going on in front of his own house. Any penalty in that case?
no one involved in that case pressed charges
so no action could be taken, legally speaking. it was odd. i suspect everyone involved had a little something to hide.
"how ironic - you came here with a mouse in a bottle, now YOU are the mouse in the bottle" - B.M. Smith
by little stevie colter on Jan 4, 2010 11:39 PM EST up reply actions
Man I must have memory loss-
I don’t remember any of this
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/3797/a-shooting-at-deshawn-stevenson-s-house
That's not the post I'm talking about
Henry wrote something on this recently, like this year. I’ll try to find it tomorrow during work.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
No and there probably should have been
I remember that too – kind of sketchy how it just all went away. I remember True Hoop writing something about that incident well after it happened – can’t find the link now.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
The high point of the defense
is when the defense issues a press release without addressing any questions.
However, if you read the statement, Arenas admits to breaking the law (and becoming a two-time offender) and also says he took the guns out in response to Crit (which subsequent evidence will show is a hostile circumstance).
His only defense is ignorance of the law, which doesn’t carry any weight in a legal proceeding.
It will get worse from here for Gilbert.
1. People need to calm down and not come to legal conclusions when you don’t have a legal degree
2. Nit ethically/morally but legally this is an extremely minor offense
3. I got a custom made shirt, on the front it has a stop sign and says:
STOP SNITCHING on the back is Arenas and the zero under it like the jersey and in the zero is a bullet (reference to old name). I personally thinks it’s bad ass. I like Arenas and I like the old name and firearms what can I say.
Anyway I enjoyed watching a 45 point game from 0 more than many games the past two seasons I hope some silly NBA judgment doesn’t put an end to that
by Unxpekted on Jan 5, 2010 1:41 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Agree
Highly doubt this goes anywhere beyond superficial penalties. Even if Gilbert really fucked up, they probably don’t have the evidence to put him away. But seriously, go to DC court. If it is simply a gun violation, no one gets much of any penalty. Only in combination with a more heinous crime.
Assault is not an extremely minor offense
But with Critt backing Gil ($$$), it’s extremely unlikely the prosecution tries him for assault.
by Palace of Good Play's Golden Toilet on Jan 5, 2010 2:56 AM EST up reply actions
Someone Please
Explain how placing guns on a bench/table qualifies as assault. I seriously don’t know what you could be possibly talking about.
"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier
Are we ever going to see that Arenas again?
Sadly I doubt it.
"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck
by George Templeton on Jan 5, 2010 10:57 AM EST up reply actions
So do I
My fondest wish would be for Arenas to return to anything approaching 2006/early 2007 form, but I am not sure it will ever happen. Next season or even 2011-12 will be the true test on that.
"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck
by George Templeton on Jan 5, 2010 11:17 AM EST up reply actions
the stop snitching t-shirt
really bothers me. i don’t find that funny at all.
by DarrellWalkerFan on Jan 5, 2010 12:54 PM EST up reply actions
I Think
Everybody is assuming that David Stern will throw the book at Arenas because of all of the hype and chatter surrounding the initial reports propagated by Peter Vescey and the New York Post, which implied that a felony weapons assault occurred in the locker room. Now that Gilbert’s story is out there, I think much less will happen, to the surprise of many here. Laying guns on a table to show off to Critt is not very funny, but isn’t that serious either. I don’t think it qualifies as assault, and I don’t think simply possessing a firearm that isn’t properly registered is even a felony. While researching the Web, I came across this article, which says:
According to the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975, all firearms owned in Washington, D.C. must be registered with the district’s police. This act also made it illegal to possess a handgun, but the regulation was struck down by the decision in the 2008 Supreme Court case, District of Columbia v. Heller. The court ruled that a ban on handguns was a direct violation of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gives all American citizens the right to bear arms.
# Firearms owners must register their weapons with the local police department, file a report if it is lost, stolen, or sold and carry the registration certificate with them at all times. Violation of these regulations can result in the following punishments:
# First violation- civil fine of $100
# Second violation- civil fine of $500, revocation of firearm registration, 5-year prohibition of subsequent registrations
# Third violation- civil fine of $500, revocation of firearm registration, permanent prohibition on subsequent registrations
Assuming this information is correct, these are all misdemeanor penalties. Once Arenas is fined for his misdemeanor, I am confident that cooler heads will prevail in the Wizards and NBA head offices and that Gilbert will get a minimal suspension and we can all move on from this. Other than possession of an unregistered firearm, I see no other crime committed. And the severity of this incident doesn’t even come close to the Latrell Sprewell or Ron Artest incidents, IMO. I think a 5-20 game suspension is the most we will see here, and any more than that is unjustified. The NBAPA ought to step up to bat for Arenas should David Stern attempt to punish Gilbert any more harshly than that.
"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier
by cuppettcj on Jan 5, 2010 7:22 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
If you brought a gun to the workplace
loaded or not, joking or not you would be fired, (Any one of you that has a job with a workplace that is) terminated on grounds of violating your contract. … This means your contract would be voided and without any hope of renegotiation or legal recourse. So why then should Arenas be treated any differently? Should he be jailed? I think not. Banned for life from the NBA? I think not. But definitely fired from the Wizards and suspended from league play at least this season.
As for DWest, he’s clearly unhinged and dangerous and should be living in a jail cell for a long time.
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.
spoke to soon I guess
NEW YORK (AP)—NBA commissioner David Stern indefinitely suspended Gilbert Arenas(notes) without pay Wednesday, saying the Washington Wizards guard is "not currently fit to take the court."
Stern also warned that Arenas’ conduct will "ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse."
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.
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