Jaguars Rookie Wide Receiver Justin Blackmon plead guilty on Tuesday to charges of Drunk Driving in Oklahoma. With the plea, Blackmon will not be sentenced to any jail time.
“He is mortified by this,” defense attorney Cheryl Ramsey said shortly after she withdrew Blackmon’s previous not guilty plea to a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence and entered the guilty plea as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Blackmon did not attend the brief hearing in Payne County District Court.
“He has apologized to the NFL commissioner. He apologized to the Jacksonville Jaguars. It will not happen again,” Ramsey said.
Special Judge Michael Stano accepted Blackmon’s plea and imposed a deferred sentence of one year, meaning Blackmon will serve no jail time if he fulfills the terms of his sentence. Among other things, Blackmon must pay a $500 fine and $100 to a drug abuse and treatment fund as well as court costs. He must also complete 50 hours of community service and fulfill other plea requirements by Jan. 24.
Blackmon is likely not to face suspension by the league as this is his first strike on the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy, but he will have a microscope on him as his arrest was his second in a 19-month span. He may face a fine by the league, but no suspension is expected.
The Jaguars and Blackmon are still trying to reach a deal in contract negotiations, and with the arrest it’s rumored that the Jaguars are trying to place special verbage in the deal that would protect them barring any setback with the progression of the seventh overall pick.
Although he won’t face any Jail time, Blackmon must submit three clean urine samples to the court over the next six months, as well as have a ignition interlock device in his vehicle for the next two years.
After his arrest, Blackmon said at a press conference “I’m done,” Blackmon said. “Right now, I’m done with all that. … I can’t promise you 10 years down the road that I’m going to be done. I just know that as of right now and what I can speak of. I’m looking forward to getting ready to play football and putting this in the past.”
Let’s hope for the Jaguars sake that he sticks to his word and doesn’t ruin what has the potential to be a great NFL Career.
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OCNN Sports Columnist – Justin Arbogast @NFLGuy_SK
