NEW YORK — Cleveland Browns receiver Donte’ Stallworth was indefinitely suspended by the NFL on Thursday for driving drunk and killing a pedestrian in Miami.
“The conduct reflected in your guilty plea resulted in the tragic loss of life and was inexcusable,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a letter to Stallworth.
“While the criminal justice system has determined the legal consequences of this incident, it is my responsibility as NFL commissioner to determine appropriate league discipline for your actions, which have caused irreparable harm to the victim and his family, your club, your fellow players and the NFL,” Goodell said.
Stallworth, who will not be paid during the suspension, pleaded guilty this month to a DUI manslaughter charge for striking Mario Reyes on March 14. He began serving a 30-day jail sentence Tuesday and has reached a financial settlement with the family of the 59-year-old construction worker.
After jail, Stallworth must serve two years of house arrest and spend eight years on probation. The house arrest provisions would allow him to play.
Leaf faces charges
DALLAS — Ryan Leaf’s attorney says the former NFL quarterback is back in West Texas and plans to surrender today on burglary and drug-related charges.
Bill Kelly said he was in court all day Thursday and couldn’t get Leaf processed to face one count of burglary and eight drug-related counts associated with the painkiller Hydrocodone.
Leaf was indicted in May in Canyon, Texas, where he coached quarterbacks at West Texas A&M. He was arrested Wednesday in Washington while returning from Canada and told authorities he planned to fly to Texas that night after posting bond.
Leaf was the No. 2 pick out of Washington State University in 1998. He was released by San Diego after three rough seasons and played part of one year with the Dallas Cowboys.
Clarett seeks early release
COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio prosecutor is opposing former Ohio State football star Maurice Clarett’s request for early release from prison to pursue an NFL career.
Clarett says the sooner he can be released, the sooner he can make a comeback, possibly in the NFL. He says he’s heard from teams while he’s been in prison.
But first, Clarett must overcome the objections of Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, who says the former Buckeyes standout hasn’t made a strong case to be released so early in his prison term.
On Thursday, O’Brien asked Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and the Ohio Parole Board to reject Clarett’s April request for an early release.
Clarett was sentenced in September 2006 to serve at least 3½ years for a holdup outside a Columbus bar and a separate highway chase earlier that year that ended with police finding loaded guns in his SUV.
That means Clarett could be out as early as March, although he would still have to spend six months in a halfway house, according to O’Brien’s letter to Strickland.
Clarett asked the parole board for a pardon, reprieve or commutation of his sentence.
Clarett’s attorney, Percy Squire, says his client has an opportunity to play NFL, arena or Canadian professional football if he’s released within the next few months.
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