Link: Former Auburn Players Talk

gwilliams · Apr 9, 2013

TIDE-HSV said:
Not that it makes a huge difference, but I thought that the allegations were originally one gun and then a gun popped up in McNeil's hands which was a BB pistol. As I said, no difference now...

http://blog.al.com/montgomery/2013/04/former_auburn_safety_michael_m.htm

Excerpt from the link:

"Prosecutors, based on testimony from the victims, allege McNeil and former teammates Kitchens and Goodwin entered a residence in Conway Acres Mobile Home Park on March 11, 2011, and robbed five college students while Mosley waited in the getaway vehicle outside. Prosecutors say McNeil was one of the two armed intruders and the only one carrying a real firearm, a .45-caliber handgun borrowed from former AU running back Michael Dyer."

This is why I find it so very odd that Goodwin was offered a 21 year plea deal and McNeil offered a 3 year deal.

BamaMoon · Apr 9, 2013

On Jox this morning Tony and Al de Auburn had a very spirited debate over the synthetic mary jane issue. Al is definitely on the defensive!

bamabelle1991 · Apr 9, 2013

gwilliams said:
http://blog.al.com/montgomery/2013/04/former_auburn_safety_michael_m.htm

Excerpt from the link:

"Prosecutors, based on testimony from the victims, allege McNeil and former teammates Kitchens and Goodwin entered a residence in Conway Acres Mobile Home Park on March 11, 2011, and robbed five college students while Mosley waited in the getaway vehicle outside. Prosecutors say McNeil was one of the two armed intruders and the only one carrying a real firearm, a .45-caliber handgun borrowed from former AU running back Michael Dyer."

This is why I find it so very odd that Goodwin was offered a 21 year plea deal and McNeil offered a 3 year deal.

As long as the weapon "appears" to be real, it is considered real. Still doesn't explain the VAST difference in the sentences, other than Goodwin plead TOO early. He should have held out, got his case continued, and waited for something better. He didn't and took his chances with a jury. When you use the court's time like that, the judge is usually not going to cut you any slack. He will still be eligible for parole before he serves 15 years, it just won't be in 3 years. It is amazing to me that people who serve time now for manslaughter--where a LIFE is taken--can get 75 days for every 30 served for "good time" and people who serve time for robbery, where no lives are taken, can't. Our legal system is crazy.

rtcjny · Apr 9, 2013

BamaMoon said:
On Jox this morning Tony and Al de Auburn had a very spirited debate over the synthetic mary jane issue. Al is definitely on the defensive!

Al is the exact reason I cant' stomach the show anymore.

CrimsonNagus · Apr 9, 2013

Radio shows in Montgomery this morning are already brushing everything aside, even Longshore. Basically according to them is that Roberts gal lied about everything and that is proven by the McNeil guilty plea and some kind of figures and facts that JJ released on Friday. What are they referring to about Jacobs, I knew he made a statement but hadn't heard about and facts and figures to prove Auburn's innocence? Local media is already covering for Auburn, again and, the national media seems to have dropped it as well. I bet we never see this second "booster" story. Honestly, why would you release another story, even if it is true. Auburn has successfully combated every story and somehow turn it around onto the original writer making them look bad so, why bother. It's pretty obvious that justice will never be served so, if I was a journalist, I'd say screw 'em, it's not worth the time and effort to get caught up in there cow dung.

DiamondDust · Apr 9, 2013

rtcjny said:
Al is the exact reason I cant' stomach the show anymore.

And the other two hosts aren't?

gwilliams · Apr 9, 2013

bamabelle1991 said:
As long as the weapon "appears" to be real, it is considered real. Still doesn't explain the VAST difference in the sentences, other than Goodwin plead TOO early. He should have held out, got his case continued, and waited for something better. He didn't and took his chances with a jury. When you use the court's time like that, the judge is usually not going to cut you any slack. He will still be eligible for parole before he serves 15 years, it just won't be in 3 years. It is amazing to me that people who serve time now for manslaughter--where a LIFE is taken--can get 75 days for every 30 served for "good time" and people who serve time for robbery, where no lives are taken, can't. Our legal system is crazy.

Can't get my arms around the 'to early' logic. Maybe if Goodwin had gotten a continuance maybe he would have gotten a better plea offer. But he didn't. That only further mystifies why McNeil gets a mere 3 year offer. Prosecutors won the Goodwin trial, with him getting 15 years. So, they then turn around, AFTER A COURT VICTORY, and offer 3 years?

deltatider · Apr 9, 2013

Capt. Jack said:
I wonder how much it's going to cost AU to keep the Moseleys quiet. Will they get a lump sum or a structured settlement?

I'm not sure I follow the reference to the Moseley's. Has someone in their family threatened to release some type of info? Someone else mentioned them earlier in the thread, and I tried to find what they were referring to, but I couldn't find anything.

RTR91 · Apr 9, 2013

DiamondDust said:
And the other two hosts aren't?

Jay "Roll Chevy" Barker is great. What are you talking about? :wink:

gwilliams · Apr 9, 2013

deltatider said:
I'm not sure I follow the reference to the Moseley's. Has someone in their family threatened to release some type of info? Someone else mentioned them earlier in the thread, and I tried to find what they were referring to, but I couldn't find anything.

Dyer was/is a hoss and was fiercely recruited, while Moseley was not high at all in the recruitment rankings. Both came out of Arkansas and thus had a loose connection to Malzahn and a street agent named Walt Williams.
It has been suggested that Dakota Moseley supposed to have been recruited to Auburn as part of a 'package deal' to get Dyer as they were buds. Dakota had a photo on the internet showing wads of money. The speculation is he knows about payments and/or other improper benefits which may have been paid to him and/or Dyer.

Tider@GW_Law · Apr 9, 2013

deltatider said:
I'm not sure I follow the reference to the Moseley's. Has someone in their family threatened to release some type of info? Someone else mentioned them earlier in the thread, and I tried to find what they were referring to, but I couldn't find anything.

I saw an article last week with texts from Moseley's father, asking his son whether the NCAA asked about the cash in the photo. His son said something to the effect of "I just told her it was from mom selling a car," then to "call so we can talk about it."

I also haven't heard much mention about the fact Dakota was pulled over that night in a brand new Chrysler 300 registered in his name. Did his family buy this for him?

bamabelle1991 · Apr 9, 2013

gwilliams said:
Can't get my arms around the 'to early' logic. Maybe if Goodwin had gotten a continuance maybe he would have gotten a better plea offer. But he didn't. That only further mystifies why McNeil gets a mere 3 year offer. Prosecutors won the Goodwin trial, with him getting 15 years. So, they then turn around, AFTER A COURT VICTORY, and offer 3 years?

There were obviously facts with each defendant that were different and probably something that the defense could tear up in court. That is the only explanation--or the prosecution didn't like the jury venire for the McNeil trial? I'm surprised that they were able to get all of the evidence back from the various labs in this state so quickly. Sure, the prosecution won in the Goodwin case and that may have been why they were not so strict with McNeil. I had a young man in court last week for possession of MJ 1st and carrying a concealed weapon who was also charged with Capital Murder on an unrelated incident. They ended up reducing the Cap Murder to manslaughter and Nolle Prosequi'd the possession of the dope and the gun. All they wanted him on was the death case. As a defense attorney, I would have tried to hold my client out as far as his co-defendants--most judges will do that without hesitation as they prefer the cases consolidated. Godwin should have pushed for a continuance. In my guys case, me holding out for the murder case to be resolved was a good thing for my client. He will come out of prison in 4 years with only 1 felony instead of 3.

Now, when I put on my regular citizen hat, I am glad he got 15 years and wish the others had, too.

rtcjny · Apr 9, 2013

It is easy to forget that the courts could care less about the tie in to Auburn football cheating when it comes to the felonious four. They are just concerned with the crime. I wish one of the four would spill their guts but why would they.

RTR91 · Apr 9, 2013

rtcjny said:
It is easy to forget that the courts could care less about the tie in to Auburn football cheating when it comes to the felonious four. They are just concerned with the crime. I wish one of the four would spill their guts but why would they.

The court may not care, but a Lee County jury does.

bamamc1 · Apr 9, 2013

RTR91 said:
The court may not care, but a Lee County jury does.

Updyke better be glad his is over or he may have gotten life.

BigBama76 · Apr 9, 2013

gwilliams said:
"Prosecutors, based on testimony from the victims, allege McNeil and former teammates Kitchens and Goodwin entered a residence in Conway Acres Mobile Home Park on March 11, 2011, and robbed five college students while Mosley waited in the getaway vehicle outside. Prosecutors say McNeil was one of the two armed intruders and the only one carrying a real firearm, a .45-caliber handgun borrowed from former AU running back Michael Dyer."

This is why I find it so very odd that Goodwin was offered a 21 year plea deal and McNeil offered a 3 year deal.

I haven't followed the McNeil case closely but it sounded like he entered an Alford Plea, which means he agreed to be sentenced for the crime but did not admit guilt. An Alford Plea is a little different from a "No Contest" plea.

gwilliams · Apr 9, 2013

bamabelle1991 said:
There were obviously facts with each defendant that were different and probably something that the defense could tear up in court. That is the only explanation--or the prosecution didn't like the jury venire for the McNeil trial? I'm surprised that they were able to get all of the evidence back from the various labs in this state so quickly. charged with Capital Murder on an unrelated incident. They ended up reducing the Cap Murder to manslaughter and Nolle Prosequi'd the possession of the dope and the gun. All they wanted him on was the death case. As a defense attorney, I would have tried to hold my client out as far as his co-defendants--most judges will do that without hesitation as they prefer the cases consolidated. Godwin should have pushed for a continuance. In my guys case, me holding out for the murder case to be resolved was a good thing for my client. He will come out of prison in 4 years with only 1 felony instead of 3.

Now, when I put on my regular citizen hat, I am glad he got 15 years and wish the others had, too.

Yeah, easy to see dropping dope and gun to get penalty for taking a life.

Here's the thing. I'm not actually wondering about the ostensible 'excuse' for the difference in plea offers. Be there a relationship or not as to the difference in plea offers, Goodwin and Kitchens were not marquee recruits and McNeil was. Moseley, another less than stellar recruit has the Dyer connection. The elephant in the room is whether there was political influence (by Lee County's largest employer) exerted on the judicial process. A pressure such that the ones who would have been mostly likely to get improper benefits (and know where bodies are buried) are/were favored over the ones who would have been less likely to have received improper benefits. Meaning a lesser sentence for not raising a stink about things they know. I doubt even Auburn provides improper benefits to every player.

"There were obviously facts with each defendant that were different and probably something that the defense could tear up in court. That is the only explanation--or the prosecution didn't like the jury venire for the McNeil trial?"

Not the jury pool, as the 3 year deal had been on the table for quite some time per Ben Hand, McNeil attorney. Certainly there were differences in each defendant, but they together committed an armed home invasion robbery. Period. Got caught with the goods and gun in the car seen leaving the scene, id'ed by witnesses and confessed. What Goodwin did is in no way SEVEN times worse than McNeil (who actually had the real gun).

Sure, the prosecution won in the Goodwin case and that may have been why they were not so strict with McNeil.

This statement might be where my ignorance of the legal system is showing. Winning the Goodwin case should (in my blue collar mind) have, if anything, made the prosecution be MORE strict with McNeil.

We'll never know---but the wide disparity in plea deals offered (21 years vs 3 years) reeks of influence somewhere somehow for some reason. iyam.

rgw · Apr 9, 2013

RTR91 said:
Jay "Roll Chevy" Barker is great. What are you talking about? :wink:

Jay deserves to be commended because he doesn't just try to be an outright homer. I feel like he ends up seeming like a weaker host because he won't stick up for Alabama like Al Del Greco will for Auburn.

RTR91 · Apr 9, 2013

rgw said:
Jay deserves to be commended because he doesn't just try to be an outright homer. I feel like he ends up seeming like a weaker host because he won't stick up for Alabama like Al Del Greco will for Auburn.

Jay Barker doesn't just stick up for Alabama. He's not good on the radio.

1958againbear · Apr 9, 2013

gwilliams said:
Yeah, easy to see dropping dope and gun to get penalty for taking a life.

Here's the thing. I'm not actually wondering about the ostensible 'excuse' for the difference in plea offers. Be there a relationship or not as to the difference in plea offers, Goodwin and Kitchens were not marquee recruits and McNeil was. Moseley, another less than stellar recruit has the Dyer connection. The elephant in the room is whether there was political influence (by Lee County's largest employer) exerted on the judicial process. A pressure such that the ones who would have been mostly likely to get improper benefits (and know where bodies are buried) are/were favored over the ones who would have been less likely to have received improper benefits. Meaning a lesser sentence for not raising a stink about things they know. I doubt even Auburn provides improper benefits to every player.

"There were obviously facts with each defendant that were different and probably something that the defense could tear up in court. That is the only explanation--or the prosecution didn't like the jury venire for the McNeil trial?"

Not the jury pool, as the 3 year deal had been on the table for quite some time per Ben Hand, McNeil attorney. Certainly there were differences in each defendant, but they together committed an armed home invasion robbery. Period. Got caught with the goods and gun in the car seen leaving the scene, id'ed by witnesses and confessed. What Goodwin did is in no way SEVEN times worse than McNeil (who actually had the real gun).

Sure, the prosecution won in the Goodwin case and that may have been why they were not so strict with McNeil.

This statement might be where my ignorance of the legal system is showing. Winning the Goodwin case should (in my blue collar mind) have, if anything, made the prosecution be MORE strict with McNeil.

We'll never know---but the wide disparity in plea deals offered (21 years vs 3 years) reeks of influence somewhere somehow for some reason. iyam.

Yes very interesting. Roberts has a second article coming out on boosters. If she nails that and she or someone else were able to get something on influence peddling down in that cesspool of a county then 'whoa nellie'. I won't hold my breath though.

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