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Irvin enters innocent plea in drug case
DENTON, Texas (AP) -- Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin might not stand trial on a drug charge because of problems in the case, his lawyer said. At his arraignment Monday, Irvin pleaded innocent to a felony charge of possessing less than a gram of cocaine. If convicted, he could face six months to two years in jail and up to a $10,000 fine. Attorney Peter Ginsberg said his office will give the judge results of its own investigation into the charge, stemming from Ivrin's arrest last summer. "I'm deeply disturbed by the way Michael has been treated by law enforcement. There's definitely something wrong with the charge," Ginsberg said after the brief court appearance. "... Hopefully we will dispose of this case before it goes to trial." Ginsberg said Irvin was arrested on one charge and is being prosecuted on another charge. He also said he had concerns about the nearly yearlong span between the arrest and indictment.
Irvin was indicted in June, 10 months after his arrest at a Dallas apartment where law officers said they found marijuana and ecstasy pills. He has insisted that the drugs were not his, that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. "I don't know anything about it," Irvin said Monday outside the courthouse. Irvin was not charged after his Aug. 9 arrest. Less than two months earlier, he had completed probation on a no-contest plea to felony cocaine possession. Assistant District Attorney Lee Ann Breading has said several things delayed prosecutors in presenting the case to the grand jury. Her office didn't receive the case until February, and further investigation and additional laboratory testing took several more months. She also said a key police officer involved in the investigation was injured in an accident in March and wasn't available until June.
Adaham was not there, but her sister, Nelly Adaham, and Irvin were found and arrested. Nelly Adaham also was indicted on the same charge as Irvin, but Rhonda Adaham was not indicted. Ginsberg said Monday that the allegations have been upsetting to Irvin, who might pursue a broadcasting career and has been spending time with his wife and children. "Michael is trying to move into the next stage of his life after football," Ginsberg said. "This has been devastating to him emotionally. He's having a hard time living a normal life without being ... faced with allegations that we believe have no substance." Irvin, who retired in July 2000 and was hired for Fox Sports Net's Sunday pregame show. A few weeks after his arrest, Fox said that Irvin would not be an analyst for the network. Breading said after Irvin was indicted that she expected prosecutors to recommend jail time rather than probation because of Irvin's previous offenses. In 1996, Irvin pleaded no contest to felony cocaine possession in exchange for four years of deferred probation, a $10,000 fine and dismissal of misdemeanor marijuana possession charges. The NFL suspended Irvin for five games. He finished his deferred probation on the charge just before he announced his retirement. He was a member of three Super Bowl champion teams with the Cowboys and established himself over 12 seasons as one of the NFL's best receivers.
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