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 No contest plea Strawberry gets probation in drug, solicitation case
Posted: Wednesday May 26, 1999 06:34 PM
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Darryl Strawberry pleaded no contest to drug and solicitation charges Wednesday and awaited word on whether he would ever play major league baseball again. The New York Yankees outfielder was sentenced to 18 months of probation and must be tested for drugs twice a week during that time. Even though he will not go to jail, Strawberry's latest legal entanglement leaves his baseball future unclear. He is on leave from the Yankees and faces possible suspension as a multiple offender of baseball's drug aftercare program. "Now that Darryl Strawberry's legal proceeding has been resolved, I will promptly review all of the facts and circumstances surrounding this matter in order to determine what action is appropriate under baseball's drug policy," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. He said he would consult with medical advisers from baseball and the players' union who evaluated Strawberry. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the team will not comment on Strawberry's status until major league baseball rules. "My concern is about Darryl as a person," manager Joe Torre said at Yankee Stadium. "In my four years here, he has been nothing but a model citizen." Florida Circuit Judge Jack Espinosa Jr. ordered the eight-time All-Star to stay out of bars and asked police and prosecutors to supply Strawberry with a map of Tampa "hot spots" to avoid. "This really isn't about baseball," the judge said. "It isn't about your job, but about you. ... This is about what's in your heart and what's in your mind." "When you stop producing, nobody will care about you," he added. "If this is the picture of life after baseball, it's not pretty. This is only an opportunity. I hope you make the best of it." Without being asked, Strawberry replied: "I will." Strawberry, accompanied by his wife, Charisse, and lawyer Joseph Ficarrotta, apologized outside Hillsborough County Courthouse. He spoke from a handwritten statement before driving off in a white van. At the time of his arrest April 14, the 37-year-old Strawberry was in Tampa working out at the Yankees' minor league complex in hopes of making a comeback from colon cancer surgery in October. "My recovery has not been easy," he said. "I am, however, committed to it and now that I have finished chemotherapy and feel healthy, I'm looking forward to the future." Strawberry was charged with possession of 0.3 grams of cocaine and offering an undercover female police officer $50 for sex. The cocaine found wrapped in a $20 bill inside his wallet had an estimated street value of about $20. He told police the cocaine did not belong to him and that he was joking with the officer and never intended to have sex with her. The judge said Strawberry also must undergo more drug treatment, perform 100 hours of community service and pay $456 in court fees. If he successfully completes probation, his criminal record will be cleared. Espinosa told Strawberry the only difference between his case and many others he handles is that it involved a famous person. "They've all made mistakes. They've all got the same problem. They've all got an excuse," the judge said. Strawberry at first declined to address the court, then expressed remorse. "I'd just like to say I'm truly sorry," he said. Neither Strawberry nor his lawyer answered questions outside court. Ficarrotta said Strawberry pleaded no contest "to get this matter behind us and to go forward with his life." Prosecutors insisted Strawberry did not get special treatment. "This is his first criminal drug offense," assistant state attorney Pam Bondi said. "That's why he was placed on probation with intensive drug treatment and community service." Following the arrest, Strawberry was placed on administrative leave that barred him from training or playing for the Yankees or any of their farm teams. He was suspended for 60 days in 1995 after testing positive for cocaine. The previous year, he spent four weeks in a rehab clinic for a substance abuse problem. In 1995, he also was ordered to repay $350,000 in back taxes and sentenced to six months of home confinement, except for games. Since returning to baseball from his suspension four years ago, Strawberry has been tested regularly for drugs. He has spent 15 years in the majors and had his best season in seven years in 1998, hitting .247 with 24 home runs and 57 RBIs in 101 games. "We all make mistakes," Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte said Wednesday. "He's a professional athlete, so his tend to get magnified more. We're just pulling for him as a person."
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