New York NFL fans may be familiar with former Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon. He was suspended in 2013 due to violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, and in December 2015, he was taken into custody for the third time on alcohol-related charges. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI and will face sentencing on June 8.
Blackmon was pulled over this last time when officers reportedly noticed a problem with his brake light. Allegedly, his speech was slurred, and he smelled like alcohol. He refused to give his phone number or take a Breathalyzer test after he was detained although he had already failed a breath test.
Blackmon was also detained in 2010 and 2012. In the former incident, a misdemeanor DUI was reduced to underage alcohol possession. In the latter, his blood alcohol content was reportedly three times the legal limit. In another incident, police said they smelled marijuana after making a traffic stop. A misdemeanor marijuana charge in that case was reduced to disorderly conduct. Blackmon has been through voluntary drug rehab as well as the NFL’s substance abuse program.
His career has been seriously impacted by his multiple DUIs, and others may also find that getting a DUI affects their job or other areas of their life. However, a DUI charge does not automatically mean a penalty or that the charge will remain on a person’s record. A charge may be reduced as happened with some of Blackmon’s charges. An attorney may be able to find problems with the evidence. For example, a blood alcohol test might have been conducted incorrectly, or the stop itself may have been conducted without probable cause.
Source: ESPN, “Justin Blackmon pleads guilty to misdemeanor DUI,” April 28, 2016
