From the Bleachers

My day started out good on Feb. 12 until I turned the TV to ESPNEWS. After seeing Kansas outlast Texas, I listened to the anchor (J.W. Stewart) tell me some disheartening news. Utah Jazz guard Deshawn Stevenson was sentenced to two years probation on Feb. 11 for having sex with a minor who was just 14 years old.
I thought, just how much can a sports figure get away with? Think about it. It is ridiculous just how much a famous athlete can actually get away with.
I think that if I, or anyone who may be reading this, had sex with a 14 year old, we would instantly go to jail, no questions asked. But if you have a title in this world, like being a professional sports star, you just get a slap on the hand. How does that make society right?
You got me?
In my opinion Deshawn Stevenson should go to jail; whether it be a year, two years or whatever, he needs to be in jail. I do not care that Stevenson is a player with a world of potential. If you mess up, you better claim it. Stevenson acted like a child and needs to be disciplined. If I was the judge, then you better believe he would be in jail.
I also found out that he didn’t even show up for the trial. That’s terrible. Don’t you think someone who committed a crime should at least be there to testify for him or herself?
Stevenson probably got some high-priced lawyer and figured he had nothing to worry about. Which it turns out he didn’t. After pleading no contest to the event with the 14-year-old, his lawyer, Roger Litman, then pled guilty for his client.
But Litman did say Stevenson never made any excuses.
I’m sorry, but to me that does not make up for what he did. That is wrong, both morally and physically, but seeing how he is a sports figure, the whole thing just seems to be forgotten.
Deshawn Stevenson is nothing more than dirt on the ground to me now. If he was a man, then he would have been in court and pleaded guilty right away.
I’m sorry if you disagree with me on this, but how can you agree with what he did? He probably knew the girl’s age the night all this happened, and he still continued to proceed with his wrongdoing. I feel that jail time was the right thing for Stevenson, but he is a sports figure in this world so that makes it excusable. Maybe to the sports world it is right, but to me it is just flat wrong.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 15 2002. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry