A recent study showed that 88% of the potential jury pool believed that any person accused of DWI was probably guilty.

Reading the article below is helping me to understand why so many potential jurors show up for jury duty with a belief that the defendant (the person accused) is guilty before they have heard a single piece of evidence. A recent study showed that 88% of the potential jury pool believed that any person accused of DWI was probably guilty.

Just as troubling is the fact that when these same people show up for jury duty they will look me right in the eyes and say that they will not let those feelings interfere with the job of being "fair" to my client. What a line of horse puckey they think I'm buying. It is very frustrating to watch how biased jurors usually are towards people accused of criminal activity.

Another troubling thought I got from reading this article is that people expect each and every NFL player to be choirboys. These men play a violent game, under tremendous pressure and are subjected to extreme psychological pressure as well. They can't go anywhere without being recognized and idolized and sometimes they go overboard.

Why are they expected to behave any better than the rest of society. What about the rest of us? Aren't we supposed to behave as well, and what about the behavior of news reporters? They slant articles to favor the political positions of their owners/stockholders and subjectively report stories like the one below. What happens to reporters that slant stories? They get awards from the people that support those same positions.

I don't think that being a professional athlete gives you the right to violate the law but I believe we should all be held to the same level of accountability. Maybe it's time we quit making idols out of people because of what they do for a living. We should put a higher gauge on character instead of income or athletic ability.

I hope if you end up on one of my jury panels you can be fair and honest in answering my questions. Do that and you will get my highest respect.

I Am the Greatest: Braylon Edwards and Other NFL Players Above NFL Regulations?

By Patrick Ferlise

In the midst of fame and fortune is a seemingly perfect world on the outside looking in at many celebrities and athletes of today. As of late, modesty and ethics seem to take a back seat to power and arrogance in modern-day sports. In a recent case, New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards was pulled over by New York City police officers and clapped with a DUI charge, just another example of bad representation of an athletic organization.

What did the New York Jets do as Edwards' consequence? Let him play the next game on the schedule, of course. Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum seemed very disappointed about Edwards' actions in an interview on September 21. "We are very disappointed in Braylon's actions this morning. The Player Protect program is in place for our organization to prevent this situation. Braylon is aware of this program and showed poor judgment."

In Tannenbaum's words, Braylon Edwards failed to follow Jets guidelines of discipline. But what has been done to punish his offense? A lashing from the media and dead silence from the Jets organization (other than the vague press conferences.)

It is ridiculous to think that an athlete, a representative of a prestigious organization, can escape from punishment such as driving while under the influence. Why can this happen? It seems that the players themselves operate some teams, not the staff.

Without their starters, how are they supposed to win? It is quite simple--better discipline leads to a more organized and successful program. Braylon Edwards is the most recent fallout to this kind of behavior (not to rip on the Jets) it has happened many times in the past where NFL regulations and guidelines were not enforced.

What's the solution in Edwards' case? Suspension is the first step for recovery in dealing with "misguided" athletes. It is an enigma as to why our society today rewards bad behavior. Are these the values the next generation need to envy? Fame and fortune takes precedence over rules and regulation, not just in recent NFL matters, but in celebrity fallouts.

Success needs to be rewarded, but not for people who violate the law. Even if Braylon Edwards "recieved enough punishment from the media," bite the bullet and take responsibility for your actions.
More leadership need to be taken. Celebrities and athletes need to realize that they do not just represent themselves, their organizations, and their teams; but they also show an example for spectators and sports fans. Punishment needs to be justifiable, where a suspension is the necessary tool to setting the example that a team does not house negative conduct (in Edwards' case.) Discipline is the proven first step to a positive outcome in the long run. It needs to be utilized, not broken down.