Tennessee Titans backup quarterback Chris Simms rejected a plea deal Friday after being charged with driving while under the influence of marijuana, putting the case on track for a trial as soon as March.
Simms would have been spared jail and a criminal record if he took what prosecutors said was a last-chance offer to plead guilty to driving while his ability was impaired, a traffic infraction. His punishment would have included a $500 fine, five days of community service and a 90-day driver's license suspension.
Defense lawyer Kim Richman told a judge Simms "will respectfully decline that offer."
That leaves the 30-year-old son of former New York Giants QB Phil Simms facing a trial on charges that could net him up to a year in jail if he's convicted. The judge set a March 1 trial date.
Simms and his lawyer declined to comment on the case afterward.
"See you March 1," Simms, dressed in a crisp gray suit, told reporters cordially.
Simms was pulled over around 1 a.m. on July 1 after making an erratic turn near a police sobriety checkpoint in a nightlife-oriented part of Manhattan, police said. His passengers included his then-pregnant wife, Danielle.
With the smell of marijuana oozing from his Mercedes-Benz, a "zombie"-like Simms told an officer he had been smoking the drug in the car earlier, according to court documents and the officer's testimony at a hearing in October.
Simms, however, told The Tennessean newspaper in August he "definitely didn't say" he had been smoking marijuana. He wasn't tested for drugs, and alcohol tests came back negative.
His lawyers challenged the legality of the checkpoint and the basis for his arrest, among other arguments. A judge rejected all of them earlier this month, saying police were justified in stopping and arresting him and that his statements were obtained legally.
The top charge against Simms is a misdemeanor, driving while impaired by drugs.
Besides the legal consequences, a conviction or any guilty plea that entailed admitting to smoking marijuana could get Simms in career trouble. Under the league's substance-abuse policy, he could be subject to a suspension. The league also has a personal-conduct policy that could result in a suspension.
Simms has a 7-9 record in 16 NFL career starts. A third-round draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003, he ruptured his spleen in a 2006 game against the Carolina Panthers and had to undergo emergency surgery.
After Tampa Bay released him, he went to Tennessee in 2008, played for the Denver Broncos in 2009 as an unrestricted free agent and then returned to the Titans. The Titans released him in September but then re-signed him in November. He didn't play in any games this season.
Simms' father played 14 seasons with the Giants, leading them to two Super Bowls. He is now a CBS Sports announcer and analyst.
Showing posts with label Date. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Date. Show all posts
Friday, January 21, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Brokenhearted Taylor Swift Isn't Ready to Date Again
Delving into her work since the recent split with Jake Gyllenhaal, Taylor Swift isn't in a rush to find another guy.
"Taylor is not exactly a loner, but she fares well on her own and will be fine if she doesn't hook up with a guy immediately, " a source close to Swift tells PopEater.
According to several reports, Swift hasn't recovered from the breakup and isn't her usual bubbly self. If anything, she's busy in the studio working on her breakup song. In the past, Swift, 21, has written plenty of songs about ex-boyfriends including Taylor Lautner and John Mayer.
Her relationship with Gyllenhaal, 30, was short but looked promising. After hanging together after a segment of 'Saturday Night Live' in October, the couple began seeing each other in New York, Nashville and London. Although they tried to keep things secret, they were spotted through the end of November in those cities, including a stint in Big Sur, Calif., walking on the beach and nibbling on ice cream cones.
During the Thanksgiving holiday, the couple spent time together in Brooklyn with Jake's sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and her husband, Peter Sarsgaard. After that, Swift and Gyllenhaal flew back to Nashville for a few days where they were seen holding hands, embracing and sipping coffee.
"While people expected them to spend the Christmas holidays together, they were each photographed separately in different cities," says the source. "It looked like things didn't work out."
While Us Magazine reported that the actor dumped the songbird, Swift remains a prolific songwriter more confident about her musical talent than her personal life.
"I was sort of geeky when I was young and didn't really fit in," she told Barbara Walters during a TV interview last year. "I loved poetry and songwriting, and spent hours with my music. It helped fill the void."
Swift, who recently released her album 'Speak Now' could be doing just that about her split with Gyllenhaal. Stay tuned, Jake!
"Taylor is not exactly a loner, but she fares well on her own and will be fine if she doesn't hook up with a guy immediately, " a source close to Swift tells PopEater.
According to several reports, Swift hasn't recovered from the breakup and isn't her usual bubbly self. If anything, she's busy in the studio working on her breakup song. In the past, Swift, 21, has written plenty of songs about ex-boyfriends including Taylor Lautner and John Mayer.
Her relationship with Gyllenhaal, 30, was short but looked promising. After hanging together after a segment of 'Saturday Night Live' in October, the couple began seeing each other in New York, Nashville and London. Although they tried to keep things secret, they were spotted through the end of November in those cities, including a stint in Big Sur, Calif., walking on the beach and nibbling on ice cream cones.
During the Thanksgiving holiday, the couple spent time together in Brooklyn with Jake's sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and her husband, Peter Sarsgaard. After that, Swift and Gyllenhaal flew back to Nashville for a few days where they were seen holding hands, embracing and sipping coffee.
"While people expected them to spend the Christmas holidays together, they were each photographed separately in different cities," says the source. "It looked like things didn't work out."
While Us Magazine reported that the actor dumped the songbird, Swift remains a prolific songwriter more confident about her musical talent than her personal life.
"I was sort of geeky when I was young and didn't really fit in," she told Barbara Walters during a TV interview last year. "I loved poetry and songwriting, and spent hours with my music. It helped fill the void."
Swift, who recently released her album 'Speak Now' could be doing just that about her split with Gyllenhaal. Stay tuned, Jake!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Ryan Seacrest & Julianne Hough's Golden Globes Date Night
Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough finally did it last night—walked a red carpet together, that is.
Our E! News anchor buddy and the Burlesque beauty walked arm-in-arm as they made their way into the Weinstein Company and Relativity Media party at Trader Vic's.
Michael Yo and I caught up with them during E! Online's (two-hour!) livestream of the party arrivals. Asked if it was, indeed, their first carpet together, Seacrest said...
"With the exception of the one we bought the other day that we put in our house," he said, quickly adding, "Did I say ours? Just kidding—it's mine."
Hough said she "felt like a woman" in her Marchesa gown. When Seacrest asked her what she felt like before, she cracked, "A little girl, which you love." D'oh!
Inside the party (presented by Marie Claire magazine), Seacrest and Hough canoodled in a corner. Ryan Gosling danced to Cee Lo's "F--k You" as he said hello to Michelle Williams and Jake Gyllenhaal.
The Love and Other Drugs Globes-nominee joked that he had prepared an acceptance speech. "I spent months and months and months on it," he told me. "I spent months before the movie was even made working on it." And yes, Jakey wants to work with Anne Hathaway again. "I hope so soon," he said.
Later, Gosling was so excited to see Colin Firth, he walked across a table to get to him. And speaking of getting on top of a table, one very intoxicated-looking woman was dancing on her table when she fell and spilled her glass of champagne all over Marc Anthony.
Sofia Vergara and boyfriend Nick Loeb talked Valentine's Day. "I want flowers and chocolates," the Modern Family beauty said.
Ryan Phillipe was quite possibly the most low-key celeb of the evening. He not only declined doing interviews on the carpet (boo!), but he also spent much of the night by himself.
Paris Hilton hit the photo booth with our very own Brett Malec and Fox News' Deidre Behar. Where was the hotel heiress' boyfriend, Cy Waits? We're told he called it an early night.
Nicole Kidman was one of the first to arrive and hightailed it to her table to nibble on some fruit while Scarlett Johansson was just a few feet away chatting with Matt Damon.
No word if Damon ran into his ex, Minnie Driver, who looked fierce in a zippered body hugging black leather minidress. Thomas Jane sucked on a fat cigar all night, telling me and Yo that he'd love for Halle Berry to guest on Hung and wouldn't mind Betty White, too.
Gosling was one of the last to leave at about 12:30 as were Kate Bosworth (no Alexander Skarsgård in sight) and Golden Globe winner Claire Danes.
Helena Bonham Carter predicted that host Ricky Gervais would be "murdered" today for the jabs he took at celebs during his hosting duties, but also said he'll be back next year. "We're all grateful actually because it's essentially a real snooze fest," the King's Speech star said. "He keeps everyone awake."
Our E! News anchor buddy and the Burlesque beauty walked arm-in-arm as they made their way into the Weinstein Company and Relativity Media party at Trader Vic's.
Michael Yo and I caught up with them during E! Online's (two-hour!) livestream of the party arrivals. Asked if it was, indeed, their first carpet together, Seacrest said...
"With the exception of the one we bought the other day that we put in our house," he said, quickly adding, "Did I say ours? Just kidding—it's mine."
Hough said she "felt like a woman" in her Marchesa gown. When Seacrest asked her what she felt like before, she cracked, "A little girl, which you love." D'oh!
Inside the party (presented by Marie Claire magazine), Seacrest and Hough canoodled in a corner. Ryan Gosling danced to Cee Lo's "F--k You" as he said hello to Michelle Williams and Jake Gyllenhaal.
The Love and Other Drugs Globes-nominee joked that he had prepared an acceptance speech. "I spent months and months and months on it," he told me. "I spent months before the movie was even made working on it." And yes, Jakey wants to work with Anne Hathaway again. "I hope so soon," he said.
Later, Gosling was so excited to see Colin Firth, he walked across a table to get to him. And speaking of getting on top of a table, one very intoxicated-looking woman was dancing on her table when she fell and spilled her glass of champagne all over Marc Anthony.
Sofia Vergara and boyfriend Nick Loeb talked Valentine's Day. "I want flowers and chocolates," the Modern Family beauty said.
Ryan Phillipe was quite possibly the most low-key celeb of the evening. He not only declined doing interviews on the carpet (boo!), but he also spent much of the night by himself.
Paris Hilton hit the photo booth with our very own Brett Malec and Fox News' Deidre Behar. Where was the hotel heiress' boyfriend, Cy Waits? We're told he called it an early night.
Nicole Kidman was one of the first to arrive and hightailed it to her table to nibble on some fruit while Scarlett Johansson was just a few feet away chatting with Matt Damon.
No word if Damon ran into his ex, Minnie Driver, who looked fierce in a zippered body hugging black leather minidress. Thomas Jane sucked on a fat cigar all night, telling me and Yo that he'd love for Halle Berry to guest on Hung and wouldn't mind Betty White, too.
Gosling was one of the last to leave at about 12:30 as were Kate Bosworth (no Alexander Skarsgård in sight) and Golden Globe winner Claire Danes.
Helena Bonham Carter predicted that host Ricky Gervais would be "murdered" today for the jabs he took at celebs during his hosting duties, but also said he'll be back next year. "We're all grateful actually because it's essentially a real snooze fest," the King's Speech star said. "He keeps everyone awake."
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