Seahawks’ Smith Enters Guilty Plea
Seattle Seahawks running back Lamar Smith pleaded guilty Friday to vehicular assault, saying he made “a terrible decision” by drinking and driving before a 1994 car crash that left teammate Mike Frier paralyzed.
Smith’s plea in King County Superior Court averts a second trial, which had been set for March 2. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6.
County prosecutors said that under a plea agreement, they would seek a four-month jail sentence, with 30 days converted to community service. The state’s standard sentencing range for the crime is three to nine months in jail.
Smith also will lose his driver’s license for a year under the felony plea, but Judge Linda Lau allowed him to drive his car home before surrendering his license.
“This is a load off my mind, and I know what is going to happen to me now,” Smith told reporters.
Smith said he decided to plead guilty because he didn’t want to put others - including Frier - through another trial and he wants to eliminate uncertainty that might affect his future in the NFL.
He said he feels a responsibility to earn money for Frier under the settlement they reached previously, which provides for payments out of Smith’s NFL contracts.
“I put him in that chair,” Smith said of Frier, a defensive tackle, whose neck was broken and who is unlikely to walk again.
“That night, I made a terrible decision. I was out drinking and I made a terrible decision,” he said.
Going to jail will not be easy, Smith said: “It’s just something I have to tell myself I have to do.”
Smith earlier reached a $4 million civil settlement with Frier to be paid over seven years with half of his signing bonuses and 35 percent of his income as an NFL player.
Jones in no hurry to find coach
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones accepted the resignation of coach Barry Switzer and indicated that it might be several weeks before a replacement is named.
Jones would like to lure coach Norv Turner away from the Washington Redskins, according to several sources. However, Turner has four years remaining on his contract and emphasized again he isn’t interested in the Dallas job. Redskins sources say the club would not give Jones permission to interview Turner if Jones asked.
With Turner unavailable, former San Francisco 49ers coach George Seifert appears to be the front-runner for the position, according to NFL sources. Jones also will interview Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Jon Gruden. Jones is believed to have a lesser interest in two college coaches, LSU’s Gerry DiNardo and Miami’s Butch Davis.
In addition to Dallas being interested in him, the Oakland Raiders have interviewed Gruden for their coaching vacancy, and apparently also are interested in former Raiders coach Art Shell.
Gruden became the first candidate to interview for the job. He also talked to Raiders owner Al Davis twice last year before the job went to Joe Bugel.
An NFL source said the Raiders hoped to talk with Shell, who had a 56-41 record as the club’s coach from 1989-94. Shell currently is Atlanta’s offensive line coach.
Two other candidates, New York Jets defensive coordinator Bill Belichick and Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green, appear to be out of the running.
Woodson to enter draft
He was cool and confident, as usual. That was how Charles Woodson won the Heisman Trophy. It is how he now will face life in the NFL.
Woodson announced he was giving up his final year of eligibility at Michigan to enter the NFL draft.
“I was thinking of this before the Rose Bowl,” Woodson said. “But I just wanted to stay focused. Also, I wanted my teammates to stay focused, not worrying about Charles.”