It seems that every month or so a prominent athlete is getting arrested for committing a criminal offense. In January this year, Olympic gold medalist and boxing legend Oscar de la Hoya was arrested in California on a charge of DUI suspicion. De la Hoya is now retired and will not have to worry about any suspension from fighting, but nowadays, athletes have much to worry about, even if they are arrested but not convicted.
Former Baltimore Ravens football player Ray Rice’s experience with the National Football League is a case in point. Originally, Rice was suspended for two football games after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting his then fiancée. After the video of the incident was released, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him Ray Rive from play indefinitely. Ray Rice have not been convicted of a crime, but due to the media scrutiny, Commissioner Goodell found it necessary to increase the administrative sanction drastically.
Players who hire attorneys to vigorously fight for them normally receive brief suspensions, or no suspension at all; in Ray Rice’s case, his attorneys eventually fought and received a large settlement for his employment termination. An attorney’s role is to protect the client, whether the person is a celebrity or a not, and the sooner an attorney is hired, the sooner the attorney can get on top of the case. A good attorney ensures that the client does not speak to the media, gathers evidence, and immediately builds a defense.
The challenge with athlete cases is that the media gets access to the details of the incident, sometimes through breaches in law enforcement ethics, and the reports are released to the public. To prevent this fallout, it is critical to get an attorney to do damage control. This is something that needs to be done in almost every case. The less details the “public” knows and the less talking you do, the better it is for your case.
Neither law enforcement or the media are there to help you when you are accused of a crime. The former are looking for evidence to convict you, and the latter are looking for ways to create sensational stories to increase advertisement sales. At the end of the day, the police and the press are seeking to build a case against you; only your attorney is fighting for you.
If you have been charged with a criminal offense, contact the lawyers at the Law Office of Patrick J McLain, PLLC. We can help defend you against various crimes and will fight vigorously to protect your legal rights. You can call us 24/7 by calling (214) 238-9392. Don’t wait before it is too late!