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Simms to fight on in marijuana court case

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Times wires
Tuesday, March 1, 2011

NEW YORK — Titans backup quarterback Chris Simms will fight to clear himself after being charged with driving while high on marijuana, one of his lawyers said Tuesday.

Simms appeared briefly in a Manhattan court, leaving with a May 2 trial date. The former Buc had previously rejected what prosecutors said was a last-chance plea deal. His lead attorney wasn't available to start a trial this week.

"Mr. Simms is going to fight for his innocence and his civil liberties and his good name," said another of his lawyers, Kim Richman, as they left court. Simms, a son of former Giants quarterback and current TV analyst Phil Simms, exchanged greetings with reporters but didn't comment on the case.

Simms, 30, was pulled over at a police sobriety checkpoint July 1 after officers said he'd made an erratic turn. A "zombie"-like Simms then said he'd been smoking marijuana in the car, an officer testified at a hearing last fall. Simms' passengers included his then-pregnant wife, Danielle.

Simms has denied saying he had smoked marijuana. He wasn't tested for drugs. Alcohol tests came back negative.

His lawyers have challenged the legality of the checkpoint and the basis for his arrest. A judge ruled that the arrest was justified and Simms' statements were obtained legally. The most serious charge against him, driving while impaired by drugs, is a misdemeanor worth up to a year in jail.

Mediation Day 8: The Giants' John Mara became the first owner to participate since a federal mediator began overseeing the talks for a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and players union. It was the eighth day of mediation in Washington and the first since a weekend break. In keeping with the mediator's order to not comment, neither the league nor the union would discuss the state of the talks. The current agreement ends at midnight Thursday. The owners have a separate meeting scheduled today in Chantilly, Va.

bengals: Quarterback Carson Palmer, who has demanded a trade, told a confidant he "will never set foot in Paul Brown Stadium again," a Cincinnati TV station reported. Owner Mike Brown has said he won't trade Palmer. Palmer's agent, David Dunn, said in a statement to ESPN that Palmer "strongly feels" a separation would be in both parties' best interests.

bills: Safety and union representative George Wilson signed a three-year contract extension that kept him from becoming a free agent two days before the collective bargaining agreement was scheduled to expire.

seahawks: Leon Washington, second in All-Pro voting for kick returner last season, agreed to a new four-year contract ESPN reported is worth about $12.5 million.

Vick case: A co-defendant in Michael Vick's dogfighting conspiracy case who was shot in the leg after a birthday party for the Eagles quarterback has been charged with violating his probation terms. A federal probation officer said in a petition filed last week that Quanis L. Phillips lied to him about having contact with Vick at the June party in Virginia. Vick told his probation officer he had spoken to Phillips that night. Vick also said Phillips tried to contact him during a football camp before the party. The probation officer said Vick eventually contacted Phillips to request that he not contact him. Phillips has been ordered to appear in court March 15.


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