Former Seminoles' case could end soon

Charges in three separate cases against former Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson could be resolved by the middle of next week, his attorney said Friday.

Grady C. Irvin said he planned to talk with State Attorney William Meggs on Monday about a possible plea deal on two felonies involving checks and a misdemeanor charge of gambling, including bets on Florida State football games.

Irvin said he and Meggs met Thursday and discussed the parameters of a plea negotiation to resolve the cases.

The Tallahassee Democrat reported for Saturday editions that Assistant state attorney Paul Driver confirmed Friday that prosecutors and McPherson's attorneys had reached a plea agreement on all the charges.

Phone messages left with the State Attorney's Office after hours Friday were not immediately returned. However, Irvin said later Friday there was no deal.

A hearing on all three charges is set for Wednesday before Circuit Judge James Hankinson.

Trial is set for July 14 on felony charges that McPherson stole a blank check from R&R Truck Accessories in Tallahassee and with receiving stolen goods after the check was cashed for $3,500. The money has not been recovered.

Although probation and community service would be a more likely sentence for a felony first offender, McPherson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted on charges of grand theft and forgery.

The second felony case involves a series of bad checks cashed at local supermarkets, each for $76 and written between Aug. 17-20 when the athlete had no money in his account, prosecutors said.

A trial on the gambling charge earlier this month ended in a mistrial after one juror refused to convict.

McPherson faces up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine if convicted of second-degree misdemeanor gambling, and probably would be banned from playing college sports.

McPherson, who started four games last season for Florida State as a sophomore, is the only Florida athlete ever honored as "Mr. Football" and "Mr. Basketball," awarded to the individual considered the best in his sport.

It was the investigation into the stolen check at R&R that led authorities into the gambling investigation, and more recently a reorganization of the athletic department at Florida State by the school's new president, T.K. Wetherell.

The school's inspector general said the athletic department was isolated from the rest of the university and it's internal reporting system showed poor judgment and a lack of foresight that exposed the university to significant risk.

 

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