Athletes and Guns

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Nov 2, 2011

Athletes and Guns

Jeremy Mayfield

It was reported Nov. 2, 2011 that in addition to finding methamphetamine at ex-NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield's home, police also seized roughly 40 firearms from his North Carolina house. Catawba County Sheriff's office Joel Fish stated most of the guns were rifles and shotguns with a few handguns. The police were initially called to search Mayfield's home after a tip suggested there was stolen property stored there. Reports claim there was stolen merchandise in the home including sound equipment and Red Bull Racing gear. After the police raid, Mayfield was arrested for felony possession of methamphetamine. This is not Mayfield's first incident with illegal substances. His narcotic use in 2009 had him suspended by NASCAR.

Oliver Miller

Former NBA player Oliver Miller reportedly plead guilty to pistol-whipping charges Nov. 2, 2011. Miller, 41, was initially charged in April for pistol-whipping a man, later found to be his girlfriend's brother. He was formally charged with first-degree assault and carrying a handgun. The maximum sentence for the charges sits at 25 years. However, reports claim that though Deputy State Attorney Thomas J. Fleckstein will seek jail time, it will be nowhere near the maximum considering Miller has no prior criminal charges and has entered a guilty plea. Miller played for six different teams across his nine seasons in the NBA, the majority in the 1990s.

Gilbert Arenas and <br> Javaris Crittenton

Devin Harris told the New York Post that "60 to 75 percent of [NBA] players own weapons," while it's been estimated that more than half of NFL players possess firearms. On Christmas Eve 2009, "Agent Zero" and Crittenton reportedly drew guns on each other in the Wizards' locker room over a gambling debt. Arenas allegedly tried to get out of paying the $25,000 loss he incurred during a poker game on board the team's charter flight days before. On Jan. 25, 2010 Crittenton pleaded guilty and was given a year of probation on a misdemeanor gun possession charge stemming from this incident. Two days later, both players were suspended for the remainder of the season.

Stephen Jackson

In October 2006, Jackson, who served a 30-game suspension and legal consequences for his role in the infamous 2004 Malice at the Palace, was involved in another altercation. This one was outside an Indianapolis strip club and ended with his firing at least five shots from a 9-mm pistol in what he claimed was self-defense after being hit by a car. Jackson pleaded guilty to a felony charge of criminal recklessness and served a seven-game suspension in 2007.

Lonny Baxter

The former Bobcats forward/center, who now plays with Beşiktaş Cola Turka in Turkey, was arrested by the Secret Service in August 2006 after firing a .40 caliber Glock handgun into the air just blocks from the White House. Baxter pleaded guilty to gun charges and was sentenced to two months in prison. A year later he was charged with shipping four guns via FedEx. He pleaded guilty in July 2007 and was sentenced to 60 days in jail, two years of supervised release and a $2,000 fine.

Jayson Williams

On Valentine's Day 2002, the former Nets forward-center accidentally fired a shotgun that killed 55-year-old limousine driver Costas "Gus" Christofi at Williams' estate in New Jersey. After a retrial, Williams accepted a plea deal for aggravated assault and will spend up to three years in prison.

Zach Randolph

In 2006, the then-Trail Blazer was cited for drag racing in the streets of Portland. When police gave Randolph a speeding ticket, they found marijuana and loaded guns in his car.

Sebastian Telfair

Telfair, then with the Celtics, was stopped in April 2007 after getting caught driving 77 mph in a 45 mph zone. Not only was Telfair driving with a suspended license, but he also had a loaded .45-caliber gun resting under the passenger's seat. In September 2008, Telfair pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and got three years' probation. The next month, the league handed him a three-game suspension and $50,000 fine for violating the collective bargaining agreement.

Delonte West

In September 2009, after being stopped for a traffic violation near his Maryland home, West was arrested after police found a 9-mm Beretta pistol, .357 Magnum and a Remington 870 in his motorcycle. He could face a fine of $2,500 or a three- to five-year sentence on weapons charges.

Plaxico Burress

Perhaps the most infamous gun-toting athlete of late, Burress, a former Giants wide receiver, is serving a two-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to weapons charges. In November 2009, Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg when his pistol, tucked in the waistband of his sweat pants, went off while he was at a New York City nightclub.

Allen Iverson

In August 1997, the league's Rookie of the Year the previous season was arrested on drug and gun possession charges and later sentenced to probation and 100 hours of community service. Iverson was a passenger in a car that was caught going 93 mpg in a 65 mph zone. Police found a .45-caliber pistol on the floor in front of Iverson's seat.

Scottie Pippen

In January 1994, the Bulls' All-Star forward was arrested after officers found a loaded .380-caliber pistol in his Range Rover, which was illegally parked outside a Chicago restaurant. Though Pippen had a license for the gun, police said he was not entitled to carry it in public.

Charles Barkley

In one of the more bizarre tales of athletes facing legal trouble, Barkley, the former NBA star and current TNT analyst, was arrested on New Year's Eve 2008 for drunken driving. According to the police report, Barkley told officers he ran a stop sign because he was in a hurry to receive sexual favors from a woman. The report also said police found a handgun in the vehicle.

Damien Robinson

The Jets' defensive back was charged with firearms possession when a .223-caliber Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle and 200 rounds of ammo were found in the trunk of his car as he entered Giants Stadium in October 2001. He helped the Jets beat the Dolphins a few hours later and was arraigned afterward.

Bobby Knight

In December 2002, Knight reached a settlement with Thomas Mikunda, who claimed Knight pressured him to lie about an October 1999 hunting accident in which Knight hit Mikunda with 16 pellets from a 20-gauge shotgun. After being cited for failing to report a hunting accident and hunting without a license, Knight paid $582.10 in fines. The terms of the settlement with Mikunda weren't made public.

Barry Switzer

In August 1997, Switzer, then the Dallas Cowboys' head coach, was arrested after a loaded .38-caliber revolver was found in his luggage at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. Switzer, who was returning to the team's training camp facility in Austin, said there were children at his Dallas home and he put the gun in his bag to hide it from them. He said he accidentally forgot to remove the gun from the bag before heading to the airport.

Steve Howe

In June 1996, two days after being released by the New York Yankees, embattled pitcher Steve Howe was arrested at Kennedy Airport for carrying a loaded .357 Magnum pistol in his bag.

Jose Canseco

In April 1989, the Oakland A's slugger was arrested for carrying a loaded semiautomatic pistol in his Jaguar while cruising at 120 mph. He claimed he carried the gun for protection -- "I have been getting a lot of threats at home for the past few weeks," he said -- and was unaware his Florida license for the weapon was invalid in California.

Fred Lane

The late Carolina Panthers' running back was arrested in February 2000 after police found a rifle in the trunk of his car. Five months later, he was fatally shot in his Charlotte, N.C., home. His wife, Deidra (inset), pleaded guilty to killing Lane with his 12-gauge shotgun; she was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Andre Rison

In September 1993, the then-Falcons wideout was arrested after firing a pistol when two men tried to break up a fight between Rison and his girlfriend, the late Lisa Lopes of the music group TLC. He was charged with carrying an unlicensed pistol and discharging a firearm.

Darryl Strawberry

In January 1990, the eight-time All-Star and four-time World Series champion was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon during an argument with his wife. He allegedly hit her in the face and threatened her with a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun. He was released on $12,000 bail.

Steve McNair

In May 2003, the late Tennessee Titans quarterback was accused of driving while intoxicated and illegally possessing a handgun. Police found a loaded .40-caliber gun and extra ammunition in his car, and though he had a gun permit, it's illegal for an intoxicated person to have a loaded weapon in Tennessee. In July 2009, McNair was shot to death by his 20-year-old girlfriend.

Mushin Muhammad

In 2002, the Panthers' receiver was arrested on weapons charges after police found two 9-mm handguns when he was pulled over for speeding. The charges came almost 10 years after he was found in possession of a gun while at Michigan State.

Gerard Warren

The defensive lineman and the Cleveland Browns' top draft pick in 2001 was arrested three months into his rookie season for carrying an unlicensed firearm outside a Pittsburgh nightclub. He was suspended by then-coach Butch Davis and fined the equivalent of one game's paycheck by the team.

T.J. Slaughter

The former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker was arrested in October 2003 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly pointed a gun at two people. Slaughter was driving on a highway when two men drove up next him, pulled down their window and started gesturing toward Slaughter's car. Police found an additional 10 rounds of ammunition in his car.

Athletes and Guns