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McPherson cuts deal Ex-FSU QB pleads no contest to gambling, avoids jailPosted: Wednesday July 02, 2003 10:53 AMUpdated: Wednesday July 02, 2003 4:11 PM
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Former Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson pleaded no contest to gambling and theft charges Wednesday, avoiding jail time and leaving open the prospect of resuming his college football career. McPherson was ordered to do community service, serve 90 days on a county work detail and be on probation for up to 30 months. If McPherson had been found guilty of gambling, he could have lost his eligibility to play college sports. With the no contest plea, his future eligibility remains up in the air. His lawyer said he has been in touch with schools where McPherson might play, but said that so far the former Florida "Mr. Football" hasn't decided where he will enroll this fall. No judgment of guilt will be entered in McPherson's case under the plea agreement reached between McPherson and Leon County prosecutors, and prosecutors said they wouldn't object to ending his probation after 18 months if McPherson abides by all the conditions of the sentence. He had faced up to 20 years in jail. "I think justice has been served here," said one of the prosecutors on the case, Tony Guarisco. McPherson, 20, was tried on misdemeanor charges of gambling, including betting on Florida State Seminole football games, but the jury couldn't reach a verdict. In addition to the gambling charge, McPherson pleaded no contest to three felony counts and a misdemeanor in connection with the theft, forgery and cashing of a check from a Tallahassee business. The deal also takes care of another felony charge for bouncing checks. The stolen check led to his dismissal from the Florida State football team in November. Trial had been 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. McPherson also agreed to pay back the money. He's also not allowed to write any checks while on probation, but instead must do all his banking by debit card. Circuit Judge James Hankinson warned McPherson to take the conditions of his probation seriously, or, "next time, you'll be sitting over on that bench in a blue uniform." McPherson attended the hearing accompanied by his family. "I'm just relieved it's all over. I'm ready to get back in school and get on with my life," McPherson said. His lawyer, Grady Irvin, said McPherson hasn't decided where he will enroll in school in the fall, but that he had been talking to more than one university, which he declined to name. McPherson's eligibility to play football would still have to be determined by the NCAA. 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. McPherson said he wants to play football again, but realized he might not. "I believe everything happens for a reason," he said. McPherson has a year to complete 90 days of work on a county work detail that won't count toward his community service. That means he won't be required to be in Tallahassee continuously if he enrolls in school somewhere else. In addition, he was sentenced to 50 hours of community service unless he decides to accept an offer from the NCAA to do the service in a program in which he would travel to college campuses to talk about gambling. If he does that, he would only have to do 25 hours. Irvin said he had concerns about that arrangement because McPherson hasn't been convicted of gambling and doesn't admit to having placed bets. McPherson's other lawyer, Chuck Hobbs said he and Irvin were worried that McPherson would be singled out for harsher treatment than other people in similar cases because of his celebrity status in college football-mad Tallahassee. But he said that didn't happen. "I feel as if he got treated fairly," Hobbs said. |
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