Green Bay Packers Johnny Jolly arrested second time for drug possession
After missing the entire 2010 National Football League (NFL) season due to a league-mandated suspension for violation the NFL’s substance abuse policy, Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly has been arrested once more for drug possession.
Police in Houston, Texas said that Jolly was stopped by police just after midnight on Friday. Victor Senties, spokesman for the Houston police department, said that officers found a bottle with an unidentified substance in the vehicle’s driver side door
and a bottle under the passenger’s seat that contained 600 grams of codeine. Jolly was subsequently arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Senties said that the arresting officers asked Jolly for his driver’s license but he provided a state identification card instead. Police ran a background check and found out that his license was ineligible for renewal after being suspended in 2007.
The team did not comment on the incident, nor did Jolly’s agent. Jolly was arrested for a second-degree felony after 200 grams of codeine were found in his possession in July 2008. He appeared in court on 22 July, 2008 and was the first Packer to stand trial
on a felony charge since 2000. Charges were dropped against Jolly but later reinstated, after police acquired new equipment that measured codeine amounts.
He was suspended without pay for the entire season. He could have also faced 20 years in jail but he was given probation with charges being dropped against him if he did not break the law over the next year, since it was his first offense. Jolly was also
required to attend 10 speaking engagements where he would talk about the dangers of drugs as part of his 160 hours of community service.
Michelle Beck was Jolly’s attorney last year but she did not speak about the latest incident, seeing as how it will most likely have a major impact on Jolly’s probation. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers 183rd overall in the sixth round
of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M University. He started at defensive end in his second year with the team and played well until he was injured before a game.
As of now, the league and the Packers have suspended Jolly indefinitely. He is not allowed to apply for reinstatement to the league until after the 2010 season. His defense attorney, Travis Damian, had previously filed a report that would lift the indefinite
suspension but the latest incident may render any acquittal as invalid.
The incident on 25 March, 2011 could be a major problem in his reinstatement and probation. Since his trial was on 16 July, his year of probation was not up, meaning that he could be facing prison time for this and previous charges as well.
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