| Warrior player Jackson pleads guilty to recklessness charge |
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| Written by Admin |
| Wednesday, 20 June 2007 10:16 |
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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Stephen Jackson pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony count of criminal recklessness for firing a gun outside a strip club last fall and was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service. Misdemeanor counts of battery and disorderly conduct were dismissed as part of the agreement with prosecutors, and a judge added a year of probation to the Golden State Warrior player's sentence. If Jackson violates the conditions of his probation, he could be sentenced to nearly a year in prison. Jackson said after the brief court appearance that he was happy to resolve the case. ``I'm ready to move on,'' the former Indiana Pacer told a small crowd of reporters. ``I'm in a great city with a great new team, had a great year, as all y'all seen. ``I'm ready to experience another one.'' Jackson was arrested Oct. 6 with two other men outside Indianapolis' Club Rio while he was still with the Pacers. He told police he fired shots in the air from his 9 mm pistol to try to break up a fight. The original criminal recklessness charge carried a prison term of six months to three years. Jackson was traded from the Pacers to Golden State in January. In February, Deon Willford, who hit Jackson with a car during the incident, was convicted of felony battery in a bench trial and sentenced to two years in prison, two years on probation and 100 hours community service. Willford was ordered by the judge to pay some of the costs of $1,400 worth of dental work Jackson needed after the fight. Jackson chipped some teeth and had to have plastic surgery on his lip. Willford hit Jackson with his car after the fight started. Willford claimed self defense at his trial, testifying that Jackson was walking toward his car and pointing a gun at him. Other witnesses said Jackson was walking away from Willford's car and had no weapon out when he was hit. Jackson's athletic ability allowed him to leap out of the car's path and avoid more serious injuries, said David Wyser, chief trial deputy for the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, during Willford's trial. The third man charged, Raymel Mattocks, pleaded guilty last month to possession of marijuana and was fined $1,000 and given a 60-day suspended sentence. The fight started after Willford's cousin, Quentin ``Fingers'' Willford, got into an argument with a group of people who accompanied Jackson to the club. That group includes current Pacers Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels, who were not charged. Both do face charges in a separate bar scuffle that police say happened on Feb. 6. At the time, Jackson was on probation for his role in a brawl between Indiana Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans in 2004. Jackson pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault and battery charges in September 2005 for his role in the 2004 brawl. A Michigan judge had ruled that the Indiana charges constituted a violation of Jackson's probation. But Jackson's attorney, Jim Voyles, said the case was resolved last week, and Jackson will perform 10 days of community service. |
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