I have read articles in which collegiate and professional athletes’ title of ‘athletes’ have seemed to make them above and beyond equality in the realm of law enforcement.In a Florida party last summer New Orleans Hornets guard Rasual Butler was apprehended by law enforcement after publicly threatening people with a handgun. His response was “Do you know who I am?” The comment was quite comical to me.
New York Giants player Plaxico Burress was rushed to a hospital after being injured inside a New York City nightclub by a self-inflicted gunshot wound from an unlicensed gun.
Hospital staff recognized Burress and checked him in under an alias to prevent him from getting into trouble. How many people would have received that priviledge?
Though I do not agree with this special ranking given to athletes of any level, it is a reality that possibly saved my life of freedom.
Two days before a game in 2005 I decided to break curfew. I pulled into Burger King, but I never got the chance to order my chicken sandwich.
I encountered unexpected visitors jumping out of a car pointing the biggest guns at me one could imagine. I then started to uncover my wallet because I assumed I was going to get robbed.
Then I heard, “Police, don’t move.” I did not know what was going on nor did I do anything illegal.
After following the orders and being handcuffed for about half an hour, a policeman told me to “admit it” about an attempted murder the police said witnesses saw me comit.
All the while I thought my future was over. I was to be another victim of mistaken identity. I sat in jail for about ten hours despite having a test the next morning.
After the ninth hour the police officer finally decided to let me say a word and talked to me.
I overheard a couple of them talking about Nicholls football and asking me if I had played because I looked familiar.
After saying “yes” the officers became so engaged with me and were telling me how they are friends with head football coach Jay Thomas.
Minutes later they told me that the whole incident was a mistake and after that I was released.
More than anything I realized on a grand scale the possibilities of athletes and their flexibility when it comes to the law. It definitely is a reality.
