Fred Taylor’s Brush With The Law Is Bull

Jaguar fans across Jacksonville got up in arms yesterday after finding out about Fred Taylor’s disorderly conduct charge. Since yesterday, more information has been released. The daughter of a public defender’s gut instinct proved correct: the charge stinks of bull.

From the Florida Times Union:

"Adam B. Swickle, Taylor’s Fort Lauderdale-based attorney, explained the incident as a “catch-all” situation involving officers responding to reports from inside the club about patrons outside fighting, some of which were possibly carrying firearms. The potential for danger in this situation necessitated officers detaining nearly everyone standing outside the club.Taylor was apparently getting into his car as police arrived at the scene, and authorities ordered the running back to put his hands on the hood of the car while patting him down and searching the vehicle for firearms and drugs with a police K-9 unit. According to Swickle, Miami Beach police searched at least two other patrons standing outside the club.“Apparently, what Fred was cited for had nothing to do with why they came there,” Swickle said. “They put Fred and other people out there up against cars, they searched Fred for guns and drugs, and Fred and the officer had choice words with each other. The police apparently decided that’s disorderly conduct.”"

So Fred Taylor was at a club where some people got into a scuffle, some of whom “were possibly carrying firearms”. Taylor was leaving when the police got there and they decided not to interview him but ordered him to put his hands on his car and they then searched his car for drugs (note: nothing to do with fighting). Taylor, a well dressed large black man in a nice car, got searched for drugs and probably mouthed off to the police officers because SERIOUSLY WHAT WAS HE DOING TO DESERVE BEING SEARCHED?

I work in the misdemeanor courts here in Jacksonville and I don’t think I can remember any cases where some one came in for disorderly conduct and disorderly conduct alone. It is a charge they tack on to something like a DUI or battery when the defendant resists arrest.

Taylor’s attorney seems to have the same line of thinking:

"“I expect this to completely go away,” Swickle said. “He didn’t do anything wrong. Assuming he even had choice words with an officer – let’s assume that happened at a worst-case scenario – that’s not obstructing [justice], that’s not resisting arrest, that’s not disorderly conduct. It’s nothing. I haven’t read what police say happened, but I imagine as quickly as it happened is as quickly as it will go away. At least that’s our intent and that’s based on the knowledge I have of the facts.”"

Yeah. While Fred is at practice, his lawyer is going to appear and the charge is going to get dropped because it is all sorts of silly.