Lynch's Punishment

[RI Bills Fan]

The problem with those of you defending Lynch is that you try to pick around the edges and avoid the issue as a whole. When I say "obstructing justice" I mean it in the literal sense, not legalese. We now know that Lynch is pleading guilty in a hit and run accident. He was not forthright with authorities, obstructing the investigation, and as a result dragged the league into it by forcing authorities to come after the team and his teammates to make him come forward. All so he didn't have to own up to a class A misdemeanor.

 

The NFL has made it clear that reason for punishing players is that they want them to be "good citizens" in addition to priveleged athletes. You do the math. I'm not saying he'll be suspended, I tend to think he won't be, but I wouldn't be surprised if he were. Doesn't change a thing, the Bills now have a star player in their lockerroom who has shown a definite lack of accountability. They gotta' know his next hit and run may be of the "under the bus" category.

 

The problem with those of you attacking Lynch is that you try to pick around the edges and avoid the facts. When you say "obstructing justice" you mean it in the sense that you don't like the fact that he used the rights granted to him by the Constitution of the United States of America in the manner that he was advised to by his attorney. We now know that Lynch is pleading guilty in a hit and run accident after a plea agreement was reached between the DA and his Lawyer, which right or wrong is how the system works. He did not throw himself on the mercy of the authorities, which seems to be what you wanted him to do, nor did he obstruct the investigation, because he has no legal obligation to assist the investigation, but he's an NFL Player and as a result of the fame and notoriety, the DA made a decision to exert pressure on him by dragged the league and the team into it.

 

The NFL has made it clear that reason for punishing players is that they want them to be "good citizens" in addition to priveleged athletes. But there is a world of difference between M. Lynch and P. Jones. But somehow I doubt that you can see that far from your seat on the golden throne atop Mount Sanctimonious.

 

And just as a side note, there is an nationally syndicated article about pro football teams "taking chances on athletes with questionable character" running in my local newspaper (The Westerly Sun) today. Can you guess which Team and Players are NOT mentioned?

[elegantelliotoffen]

The problem with those of you attacking Lynch is that you try to pick around the edges and avoid the facts. When you say "obstructing justice" you mean it in the sense that you don't like the fact that he used the rights granted to him by the Constitution of the United States of America in the manner that he was advised to by his attorney. We now know that Lynch is pleading guilty in a hit and run accident after a plea agreement was reached between the DA and his Lawyer, which right or wrong is how the system works. He did not throw himself on the mercy of the authorities, which seems to be what you wanted him to do, nor did he obstruct the investigation, because he has no legal obligation to assist the investigation, but he's an NFL Player and as a result of the fame and notoriety, the DA made a decision to exert pressure on him by dragged the league and the team into it.

 

The NFL has made it clear that reason for punishing players is that they want them to be "good citizens" in addition to priveleged athletes. But there is a world of difference between M. Lynch and P. Jones. But somehow I doubt that you can see that far from your seat on the golden throne atop Mount Sanctimonious.

 

And just as a side note, there is an nationally syndicated article about pro football teams "taking chances on athletes with questionable character" running in my local newspaper (The Westerly Sun) today. Can you guess which Team and Players are NOT mentioned?

 

It seems to me that for most of Lynch's adult life he's been involved some sort of legal problem or controversy and I fear that if Lynch is left to his own devices this will probably continue. For the sake of the team I hope someone would sit him down and read him the riot act about how he could be one night of drinking on Chippewa or at Mademoiselles from throwing his career away. I'm hoping the judge takes his license away for a year so that maybe he'll get into the habit of taking cabs or limos.

[SlamnSam]

The problem with those of you attacking Lynch is that you try to pick around the edges and avoid the facts. When you say "obstructing justice" you mean it in the sense that you don't like the fact that he used the rights granted to him by the Constitution of the United States of America in the manner that he was advised to by his attorney. We now know that Lynch is pleading guilty in a hit and run accident after a plea agreement was reached between the DA and his Lawyer, which right or wrong is how the system works. He did not throw himself on the mercy of the authorities, which seems to be what you wanted him to do, nor did he obstruct the investigation, because he has no legal obligation to assist the investigation, but he's an NFL Player and as a result of the fame and notoriety, the DA made a decision to exert pressure on him by dragged the league and the team into it.

 

The NFL has made it clear that reason for punishing players is that they want them to be "good citizens" in addition to priveleged athletes. But there is a world of difference between M. Lynch and P. Jones. But somehow I doubt that you can see that far from your seat on the golden throne atop Mount Sanctimonious.

 

And just as a side note, there is an nationally syndicated article about pro football teams "taking chances on athletes with questionable character" running in my local newspaper (The Westerly Sun) today. Can you guess which Team and Players are NOT mentioned?

 

Please point out to me which part of the constitution that gives any person on this planet the right to run someone over and run away. The constitution is not an article that means a person can look for ways to not except their responsiblities as a human being. But, please do give me your amendement that states anything supporting your view.

[keepthefaith]

The problem with those of you attacking Lynch is that you try to pick around the edges and avoid the facts. When you say "obstructing justice" you mean it in the sense that you don't like the fact that he used the rights granted to him by the Constitution of the United States of America in the manner that he was advised to by his attorney. We now know that Lynch is pleading guilty in a hit and run accident after a plea agreement was reached between the DA and his Lawyer, which right or wrong is how the system works. He did not throw himself on the mercy of the authorities, which seems to be what you wanted him to do, nor did he obstruct the investigation, because he has no legal obligation to assist the investigation, but he's an NFL Player and as a result of the fame and notoriety, the DA made a decision to exert pressure on him by dragged the league and the team into it.

 

The NFL has made it clear that reason for punishing players is that they want them to be "good citizens" in addition to priveleged athletes. But there is a world of difference between M. Lynch and P. Jones. But somehow I doubt that you can see that far from your seat on the golden throne atop Mount Sanctimonious.

 

And just as a side note, there is an nationally syndicated article about pro football teams "taking chances on athletes with questionable character" running in my local newspaper (The Westerly Sun) today. Can you guess which Team and Players are NOT mentioned?

 

 

He turned an accident into a criminal investigation. He deserves to be criticized for that. He will be "at the mercy of authorities", namely the NFL which has bigger level under him than the law in this matter and his conduct in the matter will likely be considered when Roger deals with him. The first smart move Lynch has made in this was to agree to plead guilty. That follwed two dumb moves - leaving the scene and then not accepting responsibility the next day when questioned.

[WellDressed]

Bills' financial struggles ought to keep Lynch from suspension

[Honda Rider]

He should be forced to sing the Beatles tune "Baby I can hit you with my car..." in her hospital room, be suspended for 4 games if the report is true that he stopped then sped off and give that gal his car as a down payment of the law suit.

Lynch is getting away without being charged with a DWI, hit & run. What a loser.

[Dan]

I would offer that "league-wise" Lynch did exactly what they would want. Upon waking up the next morning, his first contact is presumably to have been with the team, then his lawyer (perhaps the other way around). He took their advice and did exactly as he was told - nothing. Because of that, it's not been blown up in the national media and most people around the country don't know anything about it.

 

If he would have come out the next day, addressed the media and publicly owned up to it, as people have suggested, this thing would have been all over ESPN and NFL Network and would be twice the story that it is. Consequently, the league would look much worse.

 

IMO, Lynch did exactly what he should do. He called a good lawyer. He called the team's security guy. He did exactly as he was advised by these people. Now it's about to be resolved, rather quietly for the league.

[BillsWatch]

The problem with those of you defending Lynch is that you try to pick around the edges and avoid the issue as a whole. When I say "obstructing justice" I mean it in the literal sense, not legalese. We now know that Lynch is pleading guilty in a hit and run accident. He was not forthright with authorities, obstructing the investigation, and as a result dragged the league into it by forcing authorities to come after the team and his teammates to make him come forward. All so he didn't have to own up to a class A misdemeanor.

 

We know it because some reporter said that his anonymouse source stated so? There is a right to a free press not a right to a trial by the press. You can try to redefine "obstructing justice" anything you want, it does not make it so.

[Fingon]

Clayton said there is an outside chance that Lynch will get a one game suspension. However, it's unlikely... as Lynch will probably be pleading guilty to a traffic violation.

[Frez]

Clayton said there is an outside chance that Lynch will get a one game suspension. However, it's unlikely... as Lynch will probably be pleading guilty to a traffic violation.

 

 

If that was you or I the outcome would be different.

[Tcali]

I'd be pretty surprised with any suspension. It would set the bar too high for first time infractions - especially with traffic type infractions. Though it sounds serious, the "crime" is extremely small potatoes and if he wasn't a celebrity it wouldn't have been investigated more than superficially since there was no significant injury to any party.

 

If it happened again, or some other thing, then 4 games. Hargrove got 4 games right and he had some kind of prior thing going on - and he assaulted a cop. That's far far more serious.

U R really full of cr%$#p. Gosh just a hit and run...no big deal huhh?? Im sure he checked her to make sure she wasnt injured that badly. She is just some fat chick and he is a big shot football player...let him do an afternoon at the soup kitchen???.

[Tcali]

IMO, Lynch did exactly what he should do. He called a good lawyer. He called the team's security guy. He did exactly as he was advised by these people. Now it's about to be resolved, rather quietly for the league.

 

You dont think maybe he shoulda stopped for the girl?/Just maybe?--Or are u a punk too?

[Nanker]

He'll get sentenced to 6 months of reading this board.

His attorney will have it appealed to The Supreme Court and the conviction will be overturned on grounds of cruel and unusual punishment.

[Fewell733]

U R really full of cr%$#p. Gosh just a hit and run...no big deal huhh?? Im sure he checked her to make sure she wasnt injured that badly. She is just some fat chick and he is a big shot football player...let him do an afternoon at the soup kitchen???.

 

 

simple reality is that the seriousness of crimes is basically directly correlative with damage done. She wasn't seriously hurt. You want to make a moral judgment - fine (assuming he knew he hit her, which is very possible). But you have to understand that's a separate argument.

[Bmwolf21]

At worst he'll get an unclassified misdemeanor (no less than 15 days but not more than 1 year jail time, which he won't come close to seeing) and at best a traffic violation. He, his agent, and the NFLPA will argue that his silence was within his constitutional rights, there was no evidence he was drunk and that he didn't even know he hit her, and there won't be a suspension.

This is pretty much what I think, as well.

 

He'll get sentenced to 6 months of reading this board.

His attorney will have it appealed to The Supreme Court and the conviction will be overturned on grounds of cruel and unusual punishment.

[VOR]

Found this mentioned on BB.com. I didn't see this on Friday, the date it was written. Looks like no criminal charges and just a violation:

 

BUFFALO, NEW YORK (TICKER) —The drama surrounding Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch appears over.

 

Erie County district attorney Frank Clark on Friday reached an agreement with attorneys for Lynch, nearly three weeks after the football player’s Porsche SUV was involved in a hit-and-run accident on May 31.

 

Michael P. Caffery, who is representing Lynch, confirmed the agreement to PA SportsTicker on Friday night.

 

“We’re in the final stages of it,” Caffery said. “Part of the agreement is there will be no criminal charges against my client. It will only be a violation.”

 

Radio station WBEN reported earlier Friday that Lynch is expected to declare that he was behind the wheel when his vehicle struck Kimberley Shpeley of Flint, Ontario.

 

While there has been speculation that Lynch would be charged with a misdemeanor for leaving the scene of an accident, Caffery said the charges are much less serious - “in the class of a speeding ticket.”

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=txbi...t&type=lgns

[lets_go_bills]

I don't think the NFL will suspend him. He'll just get a fine at worst.

[elegantelliotoffen]

I don't think the NFL will suspend him. He'll just get a fine at worst.

 

I doubt even a fine, at worst it puts him on Goodell's radar.

[Fingon]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf

 

John Clayton says it isn't really a big deal to the league... no suspension.

[Dan]

IMO, Lynch did exactly what he should do. He called a good lawyer. He called the team's security guy. He did exactly as he was advised by these people. Now it's about to be resolved, rather quietly for the league.

 

 

You dont think maybe he shoulda stopped for the girl?/Just maybe?--Or are u a punk too?

Well, I'm certainly a punk. But that really has no bearing on the discussion.

 

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that Lynch played the entire incident perfectly. Most certainly, he should have stopped. I could even go further and say he probably shouldn't have even been driving. However, what I was referring to was.... upon realizing he screwed up, he did what he should do. Contact the team, contact his lawyer. Take their advice, i.e. shut up and let them deal with the police/DA. And keep it out of the press as much as possible. As far as the league is concerned, I would guess they'd prefer all players handle their legal issues like this - as opposed to addressing the media and turning the whole thing into a circus.