Joe Deters says he’s waiting to see what the Bengals and the NFL do about Adam “Pacman” Jones before deciding how to prosecute the Bengals defensive back.
So, under that precedent, should we now expect that the Hamilton County prosecutor’s office will consult first with the employers of anyone else awaiting trial for assault? Or DUI? Or drug possession? Or any of the litany of offenses that are prosecuted every day?
If not, then it looks like Pacman is getting treatment that the rest of us could not expect to get from the county prosecutor.
Jones’ police mugshot
Jones was arrested Downtown shortly after midnight on Tuesday, Jan. 3 and charged with assault. The arrest report describes a scuffle with a security guard at the Millennium Hotel. The report also describes Jones kicking and head-butting the Cincinnati police officer who was making the arrest.
Then, according to the county sheriff, Jones spat on a nurse as he was being processed at the jail and was so combative that he had to be “placed in a restraint chair.”
Just wondering: If that had been Joe Sixpack instead of the Bengals starting cornerback, would Deters wait to see how the arrestee’s employer responded before proceeding with his prosecution?
Not likely.
Deters’ office said that the NFL’s punishment might be significant enough to consider before deciding how to prosecute. Deters told WCPO: "I want to have a global picture of what is going to happen to this man for being an idiot. The actions the NFL may take could affect how I'm going to deal with him on our case."
But what can the NFL do? Fine the wealthy Mr. Jones? Make him sit out a few games? Big deal. What the NFL and the Bengals do or don't do should have no bearing on justice or on keeping Hamilton County safe.
What Deters should consider is Jones’ previous record.
He's been involved in scrapes with the law going back to his college days. He seems to have a penchant for getting feisty at bars, spitting on women and fighting the police. Then there was thatcase in Nevadawhere he was involved in a strip club melee that ended in the shooting of two club workers.
And while we’re on Pacman, this was his “apology” after bonding out of the county jail: “I’m sorry that this happened, and it’d be different for beating people’s a**, but for touching someone, come on."
Doesn’t sound like there’s much remorse in his heart.
That’s what Deters should be considering, not what the Bengals or the NFL might do.
