Ex-Dolphin Denied Bail In Federal Cocaine Case After Judge Sees Video

When injury ended his football career in 1992, Sammie Smith was paid $2.5 million on the remainder of his NFL contract and $500,000 in an insurance settlement. Last year, his lawyer says, he also won $30,000 at the dog races and made a $30,000 profit building and selling two homes.

But a videotape played Wednesday in Orlando federal court gave another view into the business life of the Apopka, Fla., sports hero and anti-drug crusader.

Slouched in the passenger seat of a van, Smith could be seen discussing the fine points of making and selling crack cocaine on Aug. 9. Unfortunately for him, the man with him was Vern Taylor, an undercover agent for the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation.

“Don’t worry about the money,” said the former Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos running back. “I’ll be responsible for that.”

The tape - along with testimony that Smith sold 10-1/2 ounces of crack to drug agents in two deals and that he was arrested last Thursday while meeting with two couriers to pick up 2.2 pounds of crack and 13.2 pounds of cocaine - persuaded U.S. Magistrate Donald Dietrich to keep Smith in jail without bail until his trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Hinshelwood added one other embarrassing detail: A drug test showed cocaine in Smith’s urine after his arrest.

If convicted on cocaine distribution charges, he faces 10 years to life in prison.