Bills' RB Marshawn Lynch arrested on gun charge

[samanthajane13]

By JACOB ADELMAN, Associated Press Writer Jacob Adelman, Associated Press Writer – Sun Feb 15, 6:23 pm ET

CULVER CITY, Calif. – Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch was arrested in Southern California on a weapons charge, police said Sunday.

Police said Lynch was arrested Wednesday night after officers approached him and two other men sitting in a 2006 Mercedes-Benz in this Los Angeles suburb and found a loaded firearm.

Lynch was arrested after officers determined the gun belonged to him. He was released that night on $35,000 bail.

Culver City police did not immediately return a phone message seeking information about why officers approached Lynch and his companions.

Lynch's lawyer, M. Gerald Schwartzbach, said his client was not involved in a traffic incident. Schwartzbach said the player was in California to visit friends.

A Bills spokesman had no comment.

The 22-year-old Lynch was the Bills' first-round draft pick out of California in 2007. He played in his first Pro Bowl earlier this month after being added to the team in place of injured Tennessee running back Chris Johnson.

Lynch's arrest marked the second time in less than a year that he has been in trouble with the law.

In June, Lynch pleaded guilty to a traffic violation and admitted speeding off in his Porsche Cayenne SUV after striking a female pedestrian near Buffalo's downtown bar district on May 31. The victim, a 27-year-old woman from suburban Toronto, was treated and released from the hospital later that day after sustaining a bruised hip and cut to her thigh that required seven stitches.

Lynch said it was raining hard when he saw a woman dancing in the street and slowed to let pass, then continued on his way. He said he was unaware he had hit anybody.

A judge ordered Lynch's driver's license revoked but the player appealed and was allowed to keep his license.

___

Associated Press Writer John Wawrow in Buffalo, N.Y., contributed to this story.

(This version CORRECTS UPDATES with details on Lynch's gun arrest and his previous arrest for failing to stop after striking a pedestrian with his car, corrects that his attorney said he was not involved in a traffic incident sted traffic accident; ADDS byline, contributor line.)


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090215/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_bills_lynch_arrested


This idiot is a MENACE!!!

We have a enough of our own morons here in Buffalo-we DON'T need YOU making us look bad.

Go back to California, dude...

[samanthajane13]

Lynch's Lawyer comments
on Arrest
April 2nd Court Date Set
Updated: Monday, 16 Feb 2009, 7:33 PM EST
Published : Monday, 16 Feb 2009, 7:14 PM EST

Robin Adams
BUFFALO,NY(WIVB) - M. Gerald Schwartzbach, the lawyer that is representing Marshawn Lynch in his recent arrest on a weapons charge in California spoke to News 4 Sports on Monday.

He said Lynch was embarrassed about the arrest, and wants to resolve it quickly.

Schwartzbach, who has represented Lynch in the past said he did not have complete information as he did not see the police report yet. What he did tell News 4 Sports is that he didn't think anyone in the car was doing anything illegal at the time. He went on to say the car, which is owned by Lynch, was not pulled over by police. He did not know why police were searching the vehicle.

"There was no violence or threat of violence" at the time of the arrest, said Schwartzbach. He went on to say "I don't believe police found a firearm on him. I understand one was found in the vehicle that was owned by Marshawn," Schwartzbach said. He also said Lynch does not have a license to carry a firearm.

An April 2nd court date in Los Angeles, California is set for Lynch's case.


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/sports/lynchs_lawyer_comments_on_arrest_2009216

[samanthajane13]

Lynch To Be Charged with Misdemeanor

Marshawn Lynch's attorney and the lead detective on the case tell 2-On-Your-Side that the Bills running back will be charged with misdemeanor gun possession following his arrest in Culver City, California last week.

Lynch was arrested last Wednesday in Culver City California near Los Angeles.

Detective Ryan Thompson tells 2-On-Your-Side's Adam Benigni that he presented the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney Thursday morning, and that Lynch will be charged with three misdemeanors.

A spokesperson for the DA could not outline the charges, saying the paperwork had yet to be filed and they were not ready release any information. Lynch's attorney M. Gerald Schwartzbach says he believes it to be three misdemeanors all on gun possession. Schwartzbach offered this initial comment:

"I'm not pleased that Marshawn was charged... but if he was going to be charged I'm pleased it's a misdemeanor... I haven't seen a police report or charging documents, but I'm certainly pleased Marshawn wasn't charged with a felony."

The National Football League says it's still waiting for all the facts of the case, and that they will be evaluated "under the NFL's policies."

Lynch could face League discipline for the incident. It's not clear at this point if the NFL will consider him a repeat offender, given the hit and run incident we was involved in last spring in Buffalo.

The Bills have issued a statement declining comment until all the facts are gathered. Head Coach Dick Jauron was asked about the Lynch situation at the NFL combine Thursday morning in Indianapolis.

"Well, you never like to see any Bills names or really an NFL name in the news in regard to those kind of incidents. Marshawn has retained a lawyer and the organization has made a statement."

Earlier in the week, Culver City police captain Dave Tankenson offered details of what led to Lynch's arrest. Takenson said police approached the black Mercedes Lynch and two others were sitting in it was parked suspiciously with the engine running, and that the car didn't have proper license plates.

"They (officers) knocked on the window of the car. Someone unrolled the window. They saw three people in the car and they could smell a strong odor - marijuana coming from the car. They had the occupants exit so they could further investigate to see if there was any marajuana in the car. What they found were four, not marajuana cigarettes - what they call blunts or swisher sweets that appeared to contain marijuana in them," says Tankenson.

Tankenson says neither Lynch nor the other two individuals were charged with possession of marijuana because they could not determine who was smoking, or whom the cigars belonged to.

It was during the subsequent search that police say they found a loaded gun in the car that they determined belonged to Lynch.

Lynch's attorney, M. Gerald Schwartzbach wouldn't comment on specifics, but did says he finds it "unfortunate that some persons have chosen to provide one side of an issue when defense counsel hasn't been provided with any information."

The Buffalo Bills released this statement Sunday:

"We can confirm that Marshawn was arrested in California and has retained an attorney. We are in the process of trying to gather the facts and will not offer a comment while that process is ongoing."-Scott Berchtold, Bills VP/Communications

Lynch's attorney in California, M. Gerald Schwartzbach, says the incident was non-violent and there was never any threat of violence. The gun was believed not to be on Lynch's person, but someone in the car.

Lynch has a court date for April 2. His attorney says Lynch is not making any statements, based on his advice.

This is not the first time Lynch has had a run in with police. Lynch was involved in a hit and run in downtown Buffalo last May.


http://www.wgrz.com/sports/story.aspx?storyid=64253&catid=4