From: swanger@ducvax.auburn.edu
Subject: The Deuce is Juiced, Part II
Organization: Auburn University, AL
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 01:03:19 GMT

Here we go again.

(the following exerpt is from the Sept 7 Birmingham News)

"Ten days after settling a drunk driving charge in Shelby County District
Court and 11 hours after he sat out Alabama's season opener as punishment,
star football player David Palmer is facing a DUI charge again.

Palmer, 19, was booked at Tuscaloosa County Metro Jail at 2:55 a.m. Sunday
on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol after state troopers
stopped him for speeding, according to a state report.

The report said Palmer was going 75 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone on U.S.
11 South near the Tuscaloosa city limits.

Palmer, who ...... was a standout for Alabama as a freshman wide
receiver/kick returner last season, was arrested on the DUI charge when he
refused to take a breath test, the report said.

By law, ... any person who refuses to take a breath analyzer test "receives
an automatic 90-day revocation of their driver's license and they cannot be
released from jail until their blood alcohol level is below (the legal
limit) of 0.10."

Palmer spent about 10 hours in jail and was released Sunday afternoon at
1:14 p.m. when he passed a breath test and posted $300 bond, jail records
showed.

Alabama coach Gene Stallings said he met with Palmer Sunday afternoon, but
the details of their visit remained private.

Stallings said he would address the Palmer situation today at his weekly
press conference.

Palmer was arrested by state troopers June 26 in Shelby County on a drunk
driving charge.  He was charged with DUI after he rear-ended a pickup truck
..... , according to police reports.

Palmer was granted youthful offender status Aug. 26 by the court, which
sealed the records on that offense.  At that point the only thing that still
had not been dealt with was what disciplinary action, if any, Stallings
planned to take.

Stallings addressed that Saturday when he did not let Palmer play in the
Tide's season opening 25-8 victory over Vanderbilt.

About 11 hours later, around 2:30 Sunday morning, Palmer was stopped for
speeding by state troopers on U.S. 11 south of Tuscaloosa.

Because of his youthful offender status, which by law closes the book on his
first DUI offense, Palmer's arrest Sunday morning is being considered his
first offense rather than second offense.

Palmer could legally operate a vehicle with a valid driver's licnse, which
the trooper report indicated he had.

A first offender, if convicted, faces up to one year in prison, a fine
between $250 and $1000, mandatory attendance at a DUI school and a mandatory
90-day license suspension, which will be in addition to the 90-day license
suspension for refusing to submit to a breath test."

---------------  (end of exerpt)

Ouch.  So, what should Gene Stallings do?  Kick him off the team for good? 
Or, for this season?  Or for another game?  He might not have a choice if
Palmer gets a year in jail.  That could wipe out this season and next.

And what about Palmer?  Is he a problem drinker?  Is he too cocky for his
own good?  Or, is he just nuts?  He is only 19, so I guess he is still part
kid (not leagally though).  He is an awesome player with abilities on the
level of Bo Jackson and Rocket Ishmail.  He could be the difference between
Bama being a good team and a great team this year.  Then again, maybe he
would be a disruptive influence on the team.  I do hope he isn't around when
Auburn and Bama play this year, but I would hate to see him wreck his career
and life like this.

-- 
David Swanger,   Auburn University, Alabama,   swanger@ducvax.auburn.edu 
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college