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The Miami-Dade State Attorney's office on Thursday dropped drug charges against Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem, after his fingerprints were not found on pill bottles containing marijuana that were in a car that he was driving last month.
Haslem was stopped on the Gratigny Parkway Aug. 15 and cited for illegal window tinting and for traveling 78 miles per hour.
Police found two bags containing marijuana. His passenger, Antwain Fleming, told police it was his, according to a police report. Fleming was charged with misdemeanor possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, and the state will pursue those charges.
Haslem said at the time that he was unaware of any marijuana in his vehicle.
The pot was found in pill bottles in two different bags, one of which also included a plane ticket in Fleming's name. The bottles were sent for prints ``and came back as having prints only matching the co-defendant Antwain Fleming,'' assistant state attorney Errol Portman wrote in a memo closing the case.
``It took until Sept. 16 to get the results of the print analysis. Thus, while there was probable cause for the arrest of Udonis Haslem (it was in the car driven by Udonis Haslem, the car belonged to Udonis Haslem, the cannabis was in the immediate vicinity of Udonis Haslem, etc.), the state could not prove Udonis Haslem's knowledge or possession of the cannabis beyond a reasonable doubt. And as a result, the state attorney's office will not be able to file charges on this defendant.''
Haslem's attorney, Eric Schwartzreich, said Haslem ``never should have been arrested in the first place.''
Schwartzreich added, ``It was never his marijuana. It's been proved it's not his marijuana. We're relieved the charges in the case are over. His vehicle has been returned. Case closed.''
Haslem, 30, had never been linked to any drug-related incidents.
Had he been convicted, he would have faced a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $5000 fine and two years of license suspension.
Miami Herald staff writer Jennifer Lebovich contributed to his report.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source:MiamiHerald.com - Miami & Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Miami Dolphins & More
Author: BARRY JACKSON
Contact: Contact Us | MiamiHerald.com
Copyright: 2010 Miami Herald Media Co.
Website:State drops pot charges against Miami Heat's Udonis Haslem - Miami-Dade Breaking News - MiamiHerald.com
Haslem was stopped on the Gratigny Parkway Aug. 15 and cited for illegal window tinting and for traveling 78 miles per hour.
Police found two bags containing marijuana. His passenger, Antwain Fleming, told police it was his, according to a police report. Fleming was charged with misdemeanor possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, and the state will pursue those charges.
Haslem said at the time that he was unaware of any marijuana in his vehicle.
The pot was found in pill bottles in two different bags, one of which also included a plane ticket in Fleming's name. The bottles were sent for prints ``and came back as having prints only matching the co-defendant Antwain Fleming,'' assistant state attorney Errol Portman wrote in a memo closing the case.
``It took until Sept. 16 to get the results of the print analysis. Thus, while there was probable cause for the arrest of Udonis Haslem (it was in the car driven by Udonis Haslem, the car belonged to Udonis Haslem, the cannabis was in the immediate vicinity of Udonis Haslem, etc.), the state could not prove Udonis Haslem's knowledge or possession of the cannabis beyond a reasonable doubt. And as a result, the state attorney's office will not be able to file charges on this defendant.''
Haslem's attorney, Eric Schwartzreich, said Haslem ``never should have been arrested in the first place.''
Schwartzreich added, ``It was never his marijuana. It's been proved it's not his marijuana. We're relieved the charges in the case are over. His vehicle has been returned. Case closed.''
Haslem, 30, had never been linked to any drug-related incidents.
Had he been convicted, he would have faced a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $5000 fine and two years of license suspension.
Miami Herald staff writer Jennifer Lebovich contributed to his report.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source:MiamiHerald.com - Miami & Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Miami Dolphins & More
Author: BARRY JACKSON
Contact: Contact Us | MiamiHerald.com
Copyright: 2010 Miami Herald Media Co.
Website:State drops pot charges against Miami Heat's Udonis Haslem - Miami-Dade Breaking News - MiamiHerald.com
