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Janikowski cleared of bribery charges
Posted: Wednesday June 14, 2000 08:15 AM
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- A six-person jury needed only 50 minutes Tuesday to acquit former Florida State kicker Sebastian Janikowski of a single bribery charge. Janikowski, the first-round draft choice of the NFL's Oakland Raiders, was accused of offering a Tallahassee policeman $300 outside a local night spot earlier this year to release his roommate who had been arrested on a trespassing charge by the same officer. The defense argued that Janikowski, 22, was simply trying to help out a friend and never had any intention of breaking the law. They claimed Janikowski may easily have misunderstood what was happening because he's only been in the country for six years and is still trying to master the English language. But the prosecution's lead witness, former Tallahassee police officer Chris Knight, said he was convinced Janikowski, who took notes throughout the proceeding in his native Polish, tried to bribe him on Jan. 23 with three $100 bills. "He started counting it out to me, smiling," testified Knight, who recently left the Tallahassee Police Department and now works for the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Janikowski faced up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine and possible deportation if convicted. Assistant state attorney Lee Jantzen called two witnesses, including Knight, who was working off duty as a bouncer at the club. "My mom always told me actions speak louder than words," Jantzen said in his closing argument. "You don't just throw money at a police officer without some kind of an arrangement." But the defense said Janikowski thought he could keep his roommate, Aaron Silverman, 26, from going to jail by paying a fine on the spot. "On that evidence, I just couldn't see how that jury could return a verdict of guilty with the doubt that permeated this whole thing," defense attorney Deeno Kitchen said. "You'd have to believe he's a liar and a perjurer." At one point, the 255-pound Janikowski broke down on the stand when he explained why he shaves his head. He does so in memory of a boyhood soccer teammate in Poland who died in an accident several years ago. But he was all smiles after the verdict, hugging his father, lawyers and agent Paul Healy of Jacksonville. When asked about the verdict, Janikowski said, "It couldn't be better." Healy nearly wound up in more trouble for a celebratory outburst following the announcement of the verdict. He let out a whoop and began to use his cell phone in the courtroom, angering Circuit Judge George Reynolds III. Reynolds, however, decided against a fine after Healy apologized. Janikowski and his father, Henryk, immediately left the courthouse and headed for attorney Steve Dobson's office. Janikowski leaves early Wednesday for Oakland, where he will begin four days of workouts with the Raiders before returning Sunday. "He can move on now with his career," Healy said. "It's a very unfortunate part of his life, but he's now put it behind him. I think he's learned a very valuable lesson throughout this whole matter."
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