Pubdate: Thu, 21 Mar 2002
Source: Houston Chronicle (TX)
Copyright: 2002 Houston Chronicle Publishing Company Division, Hearst Newspaper
Contact:  http://www.chron.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/198
Author: Carol Christian
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

EX-NFL STAR IS FOUND GUILTY OF DRUG CHARGES

A jury Wednesday convicted former Washington Redskins football star Dexter 
Manley , a longtime drug addict, of possession of crack cocaine. He is to 
be sentenced April 5 by state District Judge Elsa Alcala and could get 
probation to two years in a state jail and a $10,000 fine.

Alcala granted a defense request that Manley , 44, a defensive end on two 
Super Bowl champion teams, remain free on bond.

Manley , 44, was arrested Jan. 10, 2001, when Houston narcotics officers 
were serving a warrant for someone else at the Infinity Hotel in the 3700 
block of Old Spanish Trail. The officers said Manley tried to swallow a 
small amount of cocaine and dropped a crack pipe during the bust.

Defense lawyer Jonathan Munier said outside the courtroom that Manley , who 
grew up in Houston and played football for Oklahoma State, has battled 
addiction for years.

In November 1996, he was paroled from a Texas prison after serving 15 
months of a four-year sentence on two drug convictions.

Munier said the cocaine recovered from Manley 's mouth was obtained 
improperly by officer Scott Siewert's pressing on Manley 's body near his neck.

"I'm not into choking people up against the wall," Munier told the jury. 
"That's the real problem I have with this, and you should, too."

However, prosecutor John Jordan said, "The police were executing a valid 
search warrant. Mr. Manley happened to be in the hallway of this motel 
known for narcotics use."

When police saw Manley drop the crack pipe and chew rapidly, they had 
reason to suspect he had cocaine, too, Jordan said.

"If you let him chew and swallow it, he gets away with disposing of 
evidence," Jordan said. "The officer should be commended. How many people 
would be willing to stick their hand into someone's mouth to retrieve 
evidence?"

Jordan also argued that Manley had asked Siewert to give him a break. 
Siewert testified that Manley had told him he was going to be inducted into 
the Redskins Hall of Fame the following month.

"Someone innocent doesn't say that," Jordan told the jury. "Someone 
innocent doesn't need a break."

Outside the courtroom, Manley said he was inducted into the Redskins Ring 
of Fame in September 2000, four months before his arrest.
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