Michigan Midseason All-American DT Facing Felony Concealed Weapon Charge from October 7
- Thread starter Knight Shift
- Start date
With the blue bloods, winning often supersedes everything, including personal conduct. No worries their media doesn't treat them like NJ media treats Rutgers.
Well… the NJ media should cover it since it’s the B1G and would get them some clicks. They go out of their way to conjure up BS stories about Rutgers… Here is a nice one on a sliver platter and there are plenty of UM fans living in NJ or NY that get the Star Liar. They should also run with the Mickey Joseph story too…
Last edited:
This is part of the problem, and the reason for my post. In short they will not touch it, or if they do they will make it sympathetic. The most successful programs have media that supports them. Ours has actively tried to shut us down, or cast us to a lower level.
Anyone who wants a laugh should follow what local Michigan news does with this. Oh, and then compare it to the Melton paintball story coverage Rutgers received last year. I'm not saying it is the only problem, but it definitely does not help.
The more interesting thing is the prosecutor's Twitter profile and the Go Blue. According to some reply tweets, some Michigan fans claim the player had submitted his paperwork for a carry permit and it was granted 2 days after the arrest. However, the player still broke the law. Should the the athletics department and the football program be bypassing the legal process in a felony charge? We know what the answer would be at Rutgers.
Remember when Joe Pa used to whitewash and run interference when his players got arrested. This is how many blue bloods operate.
Paterno's Players Got In Trouble More, Disciplined Less
A former Penn State official charged with enforcing discipline at the school said Tuesday that Joe Paterno’s players got in trouble more often than other students, and got special treatment compared to non-athletes.
www.nbcphiladelphia.com
SUCCESS WITH HONOR at the cult (2018 lather piece):
Last edited:
Obviously Rutgers didn't offer or the SL would have had their hook and covered it.
Saw that story yesterday. Here's more on it.
Ann Arbor police confirmed Savit’s account of Smith’s booking, as he was released with charges pending review.
Smith was in the process of getting his concealed carry permit when he was pulled over, said his attorney John Shea in the Dec. 1 arraignment. Washtenaw County 14A-1 Magistrate Elisha Fink said Smith can travel with the team to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday on a personal recognizance bond.
Ann Arbor police confirmed Savit’s account of Smith’s booking, as he was released with charges pending review.
Smith was in the process of getting his concealed carry permit when he was pulled over, said his attorney John Shea in the Dec. 1 arraignment. Washtenaw County 14A-1 Magistrate Elisha Fink said Smith can travel with the team to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday on a personal recognizance bond.
Carrying a concealed weapon does not imply homicide. Millions carry everyday and murder no one.
This is how the blue bloods operate . If we want to compete , this is what we should do . The Melton suspension last year was ridiculous. I said it at the time . You don’t suspend guys at this level for pretty much anything if they can help you win. I don’t agree with it, but it’s the way it is .The more interesting thing is the prosecutor's Twitter profile and the Go Blue. According to some reply tweets, some Michigan fans claim the player had submitted his paperwork for a carry permit and it was granted 2 days after the arrest. However, the player still broke the law. Should the the athletics department and the football program be bypassing the legal process in a felony charge? We know what the answer would be at Rutgers.
Remember when Joe Pa used to whitewash and run interference when his players got arrested. This is how many blue bloods operate.
Paterno's Players Got In Trouble More, Disciplined Less
A former Penn State official charged with enforcing discipline at the school said Tuesday that Joe Paterno’s players got in trouble more often than other students, and got special treatment compared to non-athletes.
SUCCESS WITH HONOR at the cult (2018 lather piece):
I keep saying this is not what universitie should be about and big time sports is not really in line with the university’s mission . But it seems many of our fans want this .
Here it is. Don’t suspend Melton
Football - Max Melton & Chris Long Suspended
Arrested last night https://rutgers.rivals.com/news/rutgers-football-freshman-dbs-malachi-melton-and-chris-long-suspended
rutgers.forums.rivals.com
Sure you do when this is your theme song:This is how the blue bloods operate . If we want to compete , this is what we should do . The Melton suspension last year was ridiculous. I said it at the time . You don’t suspend guys at this level for pretty much anything if they can help you win. I don’t agree with it, but it’s the way it is .
I keep saying this is not what universitie should be about and big time sports is not really in line with the university’s mission . But it seems many of our fans want this .
Here it is. Don’t suspend Melton
Football - Max Melton & Chris Long Suspended
Arrested last night https://rutgers.rivals.com/news/rutgers-football-freshman-dbs-malachi-melton-and-chris-long-suspended
Knight Shift, you are on target here as usual, in my opinion.
And contrast this with how quickly such a high number of Michigan State players were felonied up for the tunnel brawl at Michigan (not that I am defending that)...
And contrast this with how quickly such a high number of Michigan State players were felonied up for the tunnel brawl at Michigan (not that I am defending that)...
I think Rutgers is the norm, here, and that the Michigans/Penn States (even more ridiculous there under Paterno) of the world are the outliers. Most schools do it like Rutgers. Hell, at Maryland they flunked the captain of the basketball team out of school for academics in mid-season a couple years after winning the national championship...
From the MLive! story:
EMU Basketball player (EMU has no juice):
Bates was arrested at the scene of the Sept. 18 incident and lodged overnight in Washtenaw County Jail, Savit said. Per Michigan law, charges needed to be authorized within 24 to 48 hours later, Savit said.
"Smith was in possession of a handgun inside the vehicle without a valid concealed permit license and did not have his driver’s license at the time of the stop, police said."
LOL- quite speedy for MSU incident?:
"The investigation into Smith overlapped with the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office investigation into multiple Michigan State football players were seen on multiple videos attacking two Michigan players in the Michigan Stadium tunnel after the Oct. 29 rivalry game."
"When asked why the tunnel investigation and subsequent charges took less time than with Smith, Savit said they were “two entirely separate cases.”
Savit’s office announced charges on Nov. 23 for seven MSU players. "
Was it for dance appreciation? Did the basketball coach visit the teaching assistant to see if there is anything he could do to change his grade?
Concealed weapon permit does not matter on the campus of University of Michigan.
I know this did not happen on campus but I will go out on a limb that he regularly carries while on campus.
Damn I remember a classmate getting jammed up by campus police for having a filet knife in his trunk during striper season.
WEAPONS ON CAMPUS | Division of Public Safety & Security
Possession of firearms, dangerous weapons is not permitted on property owned, leased or otherwise controlled by U-M, even if you have a ccw/cpl.
www.dpss.umich.edu
I know this did not happen on campus but I will go out on a limb that he regularly carries while on campus.
Damn I remember a classmate getting jammed up by campus police for having a filet knife in his trunk during striper season.
I think the difference was one was arrested right away so had to be charged in 24-48 hours and the other wasn't arrested so it takes longer and can be up to months.From the MLive! story:
EMU Basketball player (EMU has no juice):
Bates was arrested at the scene of the Sept. 18 incident and lodged overnight in Washtenaw County Jail, Savit said. Per Michigan law, charges needed to be authorized within 24 to 48 hours later, Savit said.
"Smith was in possession of a handgun inside the vehicle without a valid concealed permit license and did not have his driver’s license at the time of the stop, police said."
LOL- quite speedy for MSU incident?:
"The investigation into Smith overlapped with the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office investigation into multiple Michigan State football players were seen on multiple videos attacking two Michigan players in the Michigan Stadium tunnel after the Oct. 29 rivalry game."
"When asked why the tunnel investigation and subsequent charges took less time than with Smith, Savit said they were “two entirely separate cases.”
Savit’s office announced charges on Nov. 23 for seven MSU players. "
That is what they are using as justification. Tell me why someone carrying a weapon without identification is not processed for 7 weeks? I think it rhymes with shmootball freason.
Concealed weapon permit does not matter on the campus of University of Michigan.
WEAPONS ON CAMPUS | Division of Public Safety & Security
Possession of firearms, dangerous weapons is not permitted on property owned, leased or otherwise controlled by U-M, even if you have a ccw/cpl.www.dpss.umich.edu
I know this did not happen on campus but I will go out on a limb that he regularly carries while on campus.
Damn I remember a classmate getting jammed up by campus police for having a filet knife in his trunk during striper season.
There's a season for Strippers?
And the carry prohibit on campus is unconstitutional.
He's not ashamed of how he handled it. Why would he delete? LOL
He did scrub "Screw Sparty." --that's a joke, lest anyone think it was a serious comment.
Well he's been charged now and he's not stopped from playing in the B10 champ game. So why would they have stopped him from playing in the regular season. He most likely was carrying it on campus though.
Easier to justify allowing him to play in one game, post approval of concealed weapons license, than playing someone immediately after an arrest. But the real reason is because they still had to play Ohio State.
Last edited:
1 P not 2. Less of a season and more of a shift for strippers. You do not want to see what the day shift looks like. Worked construction in high school and the owner of the business loved the buffet at a strip joint. Crazy I know. Dancers were a menagerie of toothless meth addicts and bullet ridden fatties. Not a pretty scene.
You do realize that if this had happened in Alabama with one of their football players, the cops would have taken him to the shooting range and let him practice.
I would respect that more than this charade. Less waste of resources. 50 rounds of ammunition versus hundreds of billable hours.
I don't think it would have changed anything. I think he would have played while the process ran its course. It sounded like he disclosed it to police on the stop and told them he was in the process of completing classes for his permit. I think he was irresponsible but no malicious intent and probably why he wasn't arrested on the spot vs the other case where the person was and so had to be charged quickly. Was that person in the process of getting a permit or did he disclose his possession of a gun when stopped? I don't know but if not I can see the difference in treatment.
I don't care about the other case. That is a distraction. Do you think if you were speeding, had a concealed gun without a permit (pending or not) in your car and did not have a drivers license, you would be given the same leeway. Again I am not surprised any of this happened but the delay of bringing this to light had more to do with the Ohio State game than a normal processing timeline.
My experience with gun licensing process. Once you have a weapon or carry offense that would automatically exclude you from the license.
Last edited:
What was the situation leading to the charges? DWB? Late Night Party? Until Michigan law changes, one needs a permit to conceal carry. Just speculating, but it does seem that enforcement is selective as, barring the ability to gather evidence of other charges, targeted rich old white guys get charged with tax evasion while targeted young black men get charged with weapons possession. Until we know the circumstances, we can only speculate as to what really occurred and whether punitive measures are needed.
Another point- the player's offense reeks of entitlement. He somehow "knew" he was going to get the permit? How did he know this? What if he was denied and/or was required to submit more information to obtain the permit. What if he never got the permit, or it took him 6 months to get the permit? What is the point of the permit then? You wait to get your permit before you carry the gun. Fish and game wardens don't want to hear about your hunting or fishing license is in the mail. You have to have it on you or display it. Again, this is a different set of standards for a Michigan football player than anyone else.
Did a quick lookup and found a link to penalties in a county in Michigan and for someone who has a license and failure to disclose possession or not having the license on you would result in fines and suspension of the carry license for a certain period, 6 month or permanent revocation for a second offense. He didn't have the license technically yet but I would think his situation doesn't seem far off from those statutes to give some leeway.
Responsibilities of Individuals With a Concealed Pistol License | Houghton County, Michigan
Responsibilities of Individuals With a Concealed Pistol License - Houghton County, Michigan
www.houghtoncounty.net
As I noted above, how did he know he was getting his permit? What if it was denied?
Would you give him a pass on a speeding ticket if he was speeding, crashed his car into wall, but nobody was injured and there was no damage to the wall? Nobody was hurt, so no big deal--but his speeding led him to crash into the wall
Big difference between having a gun permit and not having it on you and not having a permit at all. He is carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. He also was driving without a license (did not have on him). For that reason alone, without the concealed weapon, the cops could have jammed him up but did not. I just hope if you or I are ever pulled over in Ann Arbor we are given the same respect. But I doubt it.
I don't think the scenarios are the same. IMO this is a guy who was irresponsible and his intent was following the rules but he didn't fully follow them. I don't see how what he did is much more egregious than someone who had a permit and didn't have it on their person. I see what he's done as a misdemeanor not felony. Technically it may be but I think leeway can be given if the officer/prosecutor deems it worthy of leeway.
That is the crux of the issue. Doesn't matter if he was going to get it in the next 20 seconds, 5 days or 2 months: he did not have a permit to carry that weapon.
I don't disagree with the notion players get special treatment. I think that does happen. But I take every circumstance different, case by case basis. This IMO is a misdemeanor type incident even if by the books it might be a felony.
Case by case basis. That is why I told you the other case was a distraction. This kid could have been jammed up.
According to Michigan Penal Code § 750.227, a person shall not carry a concealed pistol unless they are in their own home, business, or on their own land unless they have a license to do so. The violation of this provision is a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to $2,500.
In this case I would hope it would be plead down to a misdemeanor, That is not the debate. The debate is that it took 7 weeks to process a possible felony where all of the details were present the day of the event. 7 weeks coincidentally corresponded to the week after the Ohio State game. Crazy I know.
Well I'll go along with that if you can tell me similar cases with similar circumstance didn't take as long. What is the average? What is the longest etc...I'm certainly not going to bother to look that up, I don't think you would either. Who knows if they would even keep stats on a such a thing.
In the end IMO, this is a misdemeanor crime from the info out there currently and it would have not changed much with the way he was treated in the regular season. IMO, he would have likely played all along while the process played out. If he's going to play in the B10 champ game and playoffs, I don't see why they would have held him out of the regular season.
edit: Gonna let this go here but I don't really care much about the story but was just passing info along. Added 2 cents but not looking to add a dollar lol.
As to carrying in a vehicle quick lookup on some law firms website gives info on carrying firearms in vehicles.
From the website:
According to Michigan law, there is no way to openly carry a firearm within a motor vehicle. As a result, it’s necessary to have a valid concealed pistol license in Michigan in order to legally carry a loaded pistol in motor vehicles. This goes for Michiganders, as well as out-of-staters who hold an equivalent CPL in their home state, as long as that state has a reciprocity agreement with Michigan.
For those who don’t have a CPL, carrying a pistol in a motor vehicle can still be in full compliance with the law as long as the firearm is:
- Not loaded
- Kept in a case specifically designed for firearms
- In an area of the vehicle that cannot be accessed from the vehicle’s cabin (such as the trunk)
The charges for this weapons offense will depend on a number of factors, like whether:
- The accused individual was allegedly transporting an illegal firearm.
- The firearm was loaded and/or accessible from the vehicle cabin.
- The accused is able to show proof of a CPL and/or driver’s license during a traffic stop.
- A misdemeanor if the firearm is not encased or unloaded.
- A felony if a non-CPL holder has access to the firearm from the cabin of a vehicle.
Michigan Laws Loaded Firearm in a Car | Okeefe Law
Michigan laws lay out strict rules for transporting guns in motor vehicles. Specifically, the law explains when and how firearms can be legally
okeefelaw.net
