Mike Williams Passed Bucs’ Urine Test
November 22nd, 2010
Minutes ago, Raheem Morris was asked point blank whether he was concerned if Mike Williams might fail a urine test from a sample he gave at a Hillsborough County jail Friday morning following his arrest for DUI.
No concern, Raheem said at his Monday news conference.
“We gave Mike our own independent [urine] test. He’s completely clean,” Morris said.
Morris went on to say the Bucs gave a comprehensive urine screen to Williams on Friday morning after his release from jail. Joe was told by a Bucs official that Williams volunteered for the test.
Good to hear the Bucs were thorough in assessing Williams’ situation rather than wait for the State’s evidence to return sometime next month.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Never a doubt in my mind his piss would come back clean. Just learn from this little hiccup and move on.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Clean urine + BAC under the legal for alcohol?
Speaking as an actual prosecutor (not in Tampa or FLA), I’m looking to cut a deal immediately.
Plea to a reck-op, stipulated sentence of fine + alcohol assessment & counseling if necessary.
Case done. No DUI on the record.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Glad to hear it…. Maybe all those d-bag reporters saying what a bad character guy Mike Williams is will eat some crow…. GO BUCS
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:26 pm
I’m impressed with how the org has handled this situation. Giving him their own test, making a decision to let him play and sticking to it while backing him up personally… great work Rah/Dom.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:31 pm
I’m glad but, doesn’t a urinalysis show past usage. Wouldn’t a blood test be more effective to show if he was under the influence at that particular moment in time? Just a question. Good for Mike.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:35 pm
This is such good news!
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:36 pm
@#41 – There is no deal to be cut…dismiss all charges. Under the limit and no drugs in his system. He’s guilty of speeding. Pay the speeding fine, take the license points and move on. There is no “alcohol assessment” or “counseling” needed for someone whom as done nothing. There wouldn’t be a DUI on the record anyway since there is no evidence that will make it stick.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:38 pm
I wouldn’t plea for a reckless operation charge. From the sound of it all he did was speed by 12 mph. Then he was dragged in, charged, and had his name dragged thru the mud. Why plea?
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Yeah. If his urine is clean then they owe him an apology in my mind. I want to see the film of his test to see just how screwed up he appeared.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:54 pm
@Joe: Do you know the amount of money WIlliams was fined, because I kept on hearing Raheem say “a lot”?
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:59 pm
This just makes me think “How STUPID Ian Beckles is”
November 22nd, 2010 at 6:07 pm
No, not yet.
November 22nd, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Cut a deal?
ARE YOU FREAKING NUTS!!!!!
Personally I think Williams gets a lawyer and SUES TPD for unlawful arrest and and much as I hate to say this RACIAL PROFILING.
I wouldn’t stop until that douchebag of a cop was suspended without pay for 1 week!
YEAH I’M WHITE but this SMACKS OF driving while Black BIG TIME
November 22nd, 2010 at 7:08 pm
#41 You have a typical prosecutors mentality. “If we charged you, you must be guilty”
Plea the case…BS I say, The Tampa PD or Hillsboro Sheriff’s dep’t should issue an apology, suspend an overzealous cop for his inappropriate actions (conclusions)
and pray to God #19 dosn’t get himself a sharp attorney and sue them for wrongful arrest!
November 22nd, 2010 at 7:13 pm
This does sound like a DWB arrest. Hopefully the prosecutor will dismiss everything except the speeding ticket and put an end to this matter quickly and quietly. Mike made a bad decision being out so late and having any alcohol in his system, but it doesn’t sound like he was legally intoxicated and he should not have been arrested. You would have thought the cop would have let Mike go when he realized who he was, especially after Mike passed the breathalyzer. If Mike couldn’t drive it was probably because he was tired, in which case let Mike call a cab and leave the car where it is until someone can come pick it up.
November 22nd, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Everyone needs to take notice of this moment the next time they try to convict someone before they know the facts. There was a few people on this board who shall remain nameless (cough cough Buc You cough cough Thomas) who wanted him benched or suspended before they even knew the results. For what, because he was out too late? When I was 22 years old I slept 3 hours a night, held a full time job, and was a full time student. I survived and actually did pretty well, so there’s no reason he can’t too. It probably was a bad decision, but should we really resort to suspending people for making bad decisions?
I do have a real issue if this cop is not thoroughly investigated for this incident. Him saying Williams was swerving seems to me like a very weak case. Where is the evidence? Why should we just take his word for it? That’s an easy thing for a cop to say to bring someone in. I’d be willing to bet money he wasn’t swerving at all.
November 22nd, 2010 at 7:31 pm
Like I said in another post. TPD is relentless in pursuing DUIs. Plus cops always want to make a name for themselves. That’s how they get promotions. But as I also predicted he will probably still get a reckless driving because the prosecuters will still try and say that he was drunk even at a .061. It’s amazing the crap the judicial system can get away with regardless of the laws legislation makes.
If I were him I would fight it tooth and nail. Get a good defense laywer like KEVIN HAYSLETT and find out all the dirt on the cop who pulled him over. And when I mean dirt, find out how many DUI arrests he has and if he’s just one of those overzealous cops that seem to be common in Tampa.
A man without a badge is still a man, and I think that a lot of officers have a problem remembering that.
November 22nd, 2010 at 7:53 pm
So I guess all we’ve learned here is that Mike Williams is a lightweight? Sparkling clean urine, and with just a .065 the man couldn’t drive straight?
Ah, just kidding. The only way to know exactly what happened is if they release the dashboard cam tape. (Was there one? Does anyone know?)
Anyway, I like the way Mike responded to the situation, taking responsibility and describing the lesson he’s learned. People make bad decisions at 23; if staying out late on a work night is the worst one he makes then he’ll be just fine.
This story also explains why the Bucs’ management came out so confidently on Mike’s side. They had more facts than we did, and appear to have treated the situation appropriately.
November 22nd, 2010 at 8:22 pm
This was probably due to the other joker. Guilty by association. Classic.
November 22nd, 2010 at 8:23 pm
I meant jokers.
November 22nd, 2010 at 8:23 pm
#41 you sound like one of those ambulance chasers that send the uninformed upstate for the prosicution plea out to something that won’t stick thats classic sell out tactics
November 22nd, 2010 at 8:27 pm
And since Free is the leader of the team they will probably raid his house next. Gotta love the dirty South. lol
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:01 pm
Was trained to conduct field sobriety tests(not Civilian laws), believe me when I say, if the Cop wants you to fail, you fail. Back then I was told the only good test when someone is not obviously impaired was the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, may be different now a days, wonder if that test was failed? If he blew that low, probably not.
He was still stupid to be out there that late, but all I can say is I am glad I wasn’t a millionaire at that age, profootballsquawk.com would have hammered me on a weekly basis. I know you love that dude Joe, but I can’t stand that Lawyer, and his horse-dung slinging azz.
I hope he gets a Lawyer, and costs the County a hundred thousand in costs to prosecute the speeding charge. Keep those wheels of justice greased by god.
To all the Peace Officers who do exist out there, keep up the great work, to you slugs looking for a promotion, and citations, well f off.
oathkeepers.org
Won’t be long before some of you will be bending over gleefully for your cavity checks on the side of the road.
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:07 pm
I said from the beginning I questioned this arrest. Didn’t those cops know he’s our star receiver. Geez. Then when he didn’t blow the number needed they looked like fools as far as I’m concerned. If he can sue them for false arrest I hope he does.
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:09 pm
Unfortunately, Tanard Jackson and Jerramy Stevens passed the same test the Bucs gave Williams.
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:10 pm
my friend the other night had one beer in the 1st period of the lightning game and was pulled over on his way home he blew a .02 and the cop still arrested him for dui what is the point of having the law .08 when the cops in tampa arrest everyone even if they blow below the limit..
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:13 pm
The cop was probably a 49ers fan lol
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:13 pm
I agree totally. A test that can only prove you guilty, not innocent. That’s pure crap.
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Actually, according to the cops, there really isn’t a limit. If you have alcohol=DUI…
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:20 pm
But if the illegal limit is .08 doesn’t that make the legal limit something under that? This is crazy.
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Money, $$$$$$, lawyers, and the Courthouse Bureaucracy all get greased.
Start carrying a Lawyers card with you, when you get pulled over, crack your window, and hand the Super trooper the card.
Have someone with you with a video camera, and get your beat-down on camera, and get some of that money back in the same Bureaucracy.
Crazy for sure. LOL.
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:43 pm
@lightningbuc,
Where did you see they passed the same test?
November 22nd, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Missouri Buc fan here. Laws have become much more stringent in just the last few months up this way. Fines have been increased and jail time for second offenses are mandatory! Not to mention the same zero-tolerance for anybody with a trace of alcohol in their system. Hope the DUI is dropped for Williams but not betting on it.
November 22nd, 2010 at 10:21 pm
HAHA!!! Su.ck on that haters!!! I WISH, I WISH!, Mike’s attorney could sue HCSO. I WISH!! OROTY here he comes!!!!!!
November 22nd, 2010 at 10:46 pm
I was pretty tough on law enforcement in an earlier blog. I do mostly appreciate what they do for us all and I do not always agree with the laws but it is the bird brained politicians to blame for stupid laws. I think the deputy made a mistake and should apologize. As a veteran, I fought for the freedom to be out at 3AM, so since we do not live in Russia,he was well within his rights to be out at that hour.
November 22nd, 2010 at 11:11 pm
@ bucfanjeff:
In most (if not all) states, you can still be guilty of a DUI/DWI/OVI even if you test under the legal limit. The threshold issue is if alcohol consumption impairs YOUR ability to drive. If you’re a .06 and showing evidence of poor driving and fail the SFSTs, the prosecutor can successfully proceed on a case against you if it can be showed that your driving is impaired.
The .08 is merely a per-se level at which impairment is presumed.
So yes, he would be well advised to take a plea deal to a non-OVI moving violation if it is offered — especially if he, indeed, failed his SFSTs.
November 22nd, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Read the two responses from the prosecutor, Number 41. He thinks he’s being fair, but he is proving everyone’s point. If you blow, you can implicate yourself but you cannot exonerate yourself. You can take a blood test and pass. You can take a piss test and pass. But if the cop says you weaved between lanes or your eyes were glassy, you can still be convicted. Do you have video of your driving? Do you have pictures of your eyes? Of course not. So, it’s your word versus the cop’s. Are you a 23 year old black man? Better take the plea, so says the prosecutor.
This is par for the course. Overcharge, and if your case falls apart, offer a plea. That way you keep your conviction percentage up. Two cents from another attorney.
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:02 am
Well said.
I had one run in with the law about 10 years ago, and although it was a complete misunderstanding that was blown out of proportion, the whole experience made me realize exactly how screwed up our system is. As you said, they over charge people, and then it really doesn’t matter if they get found guilty or not. Either way the state makes it’s money.
Even something as simple as a speeding ticket is fixed this way. I recently got a ticket for going 56 in a 45. I took pictures proving I was actually in a 55mph zone, not a 45mph zone and fought it. I got out of the $128 speeding ticket…but I still had to pay the $75 court fee. Even though I proved my innocense they still got thier money. It’s all about the money.
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:33 am
If that cop was a bucs fan he should be banned from the games. 9 outta 10 times if a star is under the limit he goes home and the cop gets an autograph. He was clearly a dick which is par for the course. These cops lawyers and legal system are all working in a for profit system.
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:44 am
It was very clever of the Bucs to do a urine sample within hours of the police sample. Bet they are also clever enough to have the lab retIn the ramaining sample, in case an outside party wants to re-test at a later date. I would encourage anyone in a similar situation to Mike’s do the same! You want a clean sample as close to the time you took the other one as possible, Jus in case that first one comes back tainted somehow! Mention to the police that you will be having the test done yourself. That said, mike isn’t innocent here. 3:30 in the morning, weaving, and glassy eyed ain’t a DUI, but it isn’t choir practice either. Let him plea Bargain down to reckless, and take an alchol class. Won’t hurt him, and might make him realize how badly ONE more drink would have made this! I really like this kid, but a Lil accountabiliity might be the best thing for him!
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:52 am
@41 At .065 you are not too impaired to drive unless you are like a 16 year old girl getting her first taste of alcohol. Give me a friggin break. Yeah .08 is an arbitrary number. An arbitrary number that is pretty low already. Eventually half the freakin country will have a DUI. Fines from DUI arrests are one of the ways the state of Florida makes up for not having any state income tax. Its a cash cow for them and thats why they will try to stick anyone they possibly can with the charge.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:02 am
3:30 in the morning….glassy eyes and swerving can easily be caused from being tired. I’m not sticking up for him being out that late. That was stupid. He put himslef in a bad situation and I hope he learned the lesson…but that is beside the point. Legally this whole thing sounds like bu!!sh!t
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:17 am
@gitarlvr – I’m not saying I agree with the law as it’s written, what I’m saying is that merely testing UNDER the legal limit proves absolutely nothing regarding your ability to operate a vehicle safely when consuming alcohol.
It’s why most attorneys advise you not to do anything – don’t take the chemical test (breath, blood or urine), don’t submit to the SFSTs, don’t make any statements to the officer that admit alcohol consumption, DO ask to speak with an attorney immediately. Once the cop pulls you, he’s trained to look for any sign of impairment and everything you do (from pulling your license out and fumbling to swaying while standing) is being used against you.
Also, most DA’s/Prosecutors/Judges have to take a hard-line stance on OVI/DUI/DWI cases because they tend to be high-profile when a screw-up happens. It’s every prosecutor’s nightmare to read about a DUI fatality where some innocent person got killed when a multi-time offender jumped behind the wheel after getting a sentence reduction on his last case. You can bet the media and public will be out for blood when they find out every effort wasn’t made to stop the drunk driver from being on the road in the first place.
November 23rd, 2010 at 8:25 am
@#41 Sorry but I don’t buy it for a moment. You’re an attorney and excuse me but too many LAWYERS are at the root of many of our societies problems. Lack of common sense and relying of ‘well that’s the law.”
Being awake for 20 hours can impair a person’s ability to drive as well.
Texting at 2 a.m. can impair a person’s ability to drive as well.
The cop showed a complete and utter lack of judgement in this case and the DA should ‘man up’, issue an apology and order the officer to classes NOT Williams.
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:29 am
The cop was Black if that matters.
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:38 am
It doesn’t.
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:05 am
This case is going to be thrown out completely. The backlash against the State Attorneys office if they try to move ahead with prosecution of our star wide receiver without a failed breathalyzer or urine test will be huge. All Mike Williams has to do is refuse any b.s. reckless driving plea bargain and hang tight.
November 23rd, 2010 at 3:11 pm
@Mr. Lucky
Your common sense and my common sense may differ — what strikes me as “common sense” might offend your senses of justice, and visa versa. We have codified laws in place so that EVERYONE understands what their responsibilities and duties are in society and aren’t forced to live life at the whim of a cop’s “common sense” or a judge’s “common sense.” I’d hate to live in a world where it was any other way, quite frankly.