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Crime

Dallas Cowboys Player Arrested After Late-Night Car Accident Kills Teammate

Dec. 8, 2012 3:49pm Erica Ritz

Dallas Cowboys Josh Brent Charged After Car Accident Kills Teammate Jerry Brown

In this photo taken Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent looks on during warm ups before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Arlington, Texas.

(TheBlaze/AP) — Police charged Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent with intoxication manslaughter Saturday after he flipped his car in a pre-dawn accident that killed teammate Jerry Brown.

Irving police spokesman John Argumaniz said the accident happened about 2:20 a.m. Saturday in the Dallas suburb, hours before Brent was to be on a team flight to Cincinnati for the Cowboys’ game Sunday against the Bengals.

Argumaniz said the 25-year-old Brown – a practice-squad linebacker who also was Brent’s teammate at the University of Illinois for three seasons – was found unresponsive at the scene and pronounced dead at a hospital.

Brown’s death was the second tragedy to hit the NFL in a week. Last Saturday, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend before killing himself in front of his coach and general manager.

“We are deeply saddened by the news of this accident and the passing of Jerry Brown,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “At this time, our hearts and prayers and deepest sympathies are with the members of Jerry’s family and all of those who knew him and loved him.”

Officers conducted a field sobriety test on Brent and arrested him on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, Argumaniz said. The charge, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison, was upgraded after Brown was pronounced dead.

Argumaniz said Brent, who pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge three years ago at Illinois, was being held without bond. Argumaniz also said Brent missed a 10 a.m. Saturday booking session with a judge because he was intoxicated, and did not know whether Brent has an attorney.

Brent was speeding when the vehicle hit a curb and flipped at least once, Argumaniz said. Police received 911 calls from motorists who saw the upside-down vehicle but they did not immediately have any eyewitnesses to the wreck, the police spokesman said.

Argumaniz said when officers arrived at the scene on a state highway service road, Brent was dragging Brown from the vehicle, a Mercedes, which was on fire. Officers quickly put out the small blaze, he said.

Argumaniz wasn’t sure if the vehicle was a car or SUV and said it wasn’t known how fast the vehicle was traveling. The road has a 45 mph limit.

“I can say investigators are certain they were traveling well above the posted speed limit,” Argumaniz said.

Before he was taken to the jail, Brent went to a hospital for a blood draw for alcohol testing and also received treatment for some minor scrapes.

Argumaniz said Brent identified himself to officers as a Cowboys player.

Brent was arrested in February 2009 near the Illinois campus for driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license and speeding, according to Champaign County, Ill., court records.

In June 2009, Brent pleaded guilty to DUI and was sentenced to 60 days in jail, two years of probation, 200 hours of community service and a fine of about $2,000. As part of his plea deal, prosecutors dropped one count of aggravated DUI/no valid driver’s license. Brent successfully completed his probation in July 2011, court records show.

Brent, a nose guard, has played in all 12 games this season and has been a bigger presence on defense with starter Jay Ratliff battling injuries. Brent made his first career start in the season opener against the New York Giants and has 35 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks.

The Cowboys signed Brown to their practice squad Oct. 24, but he hasn’t been on the active roster. He was released from the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad Oct. 20. Brown played in one game for the Colts, a loss to the New York Jets on Oct. 14.

“On behalf of the entire Colts family, our sincerest condolences go out to Jerry’s family and friends,” Colts general manager Ryan Grigson said in a statement. “He was a good teammate that was well liked by all. Today’s tragic news is just another reminder of how fragile life is and how everyday given is a gift.”

Brown played for San Antonio in the Arena Football League this year. In 2011, he played for Jacksonville in the AFL and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League.

He was born and grew up in St. Louis, attending Vashon High School.

This post has been updated.

—

Associated Press Writers Michael Graczyk in Houston and Sara Burnett in Chicago contributed to this report.

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Comments (144)

biffo
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:32pm
Sending a loud and clear message that drinking would put an athlete down the selection list and acting on that criterion is the only way to address this. If these young men know that they will be passed over a few times at draft time for being a boozer, some will avoid alcohol. The football elite still try to ignore and suppress any evidence of drug, alcohol, violence, criminal behavior, from the elite athletes. The NFL wants to win. They will churn through as many players bodies that they can to win. There is a never ending supply of athletes for them to burn through. Now, an elite athlete becomes a hero and role model to millions of people regards of his off the field behaviors. Our children have been raised in a win at any cost environment and by the time a top tier athlete arrives in high school, he is surrounded by a team of lawyers, agents, trainers, sponsors, who’s only goal is to maximize this mans earning potential and their piece of the pie. They all talk the talk but few walk the walk. Of the millions of men who are sucked into this turmoil, on a handful make it, with much more destroyed lives left in the wake. Uneducated, some even illiterate, young men dropped like a bad penny and left to fend for themselves with no adult coping skills, career skills. Many do make it, and live a good life. MANY destroy themselves and the people around them. High school, college, pro’s need to send the message. A few good men. But then, look what these creeps are doing to Tebow.

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- strawberry411a
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 6:57pm
  Believe me you have NO idea what these players got away with and get away with still. I still will not watch a Dallas game…EVER. They are a disgusting group of men.
  
  Report this comment
- Conservative2
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 11:06pm
  Hey why don’t you enlighten us on it then….. I mean the 411
  
  Report this comment
shayelyn
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:31pm
This I know for sure, if Josh Brent didn’t own and drive a car, Jerry Brown would be alive and Josh Brent would not be in jail. Why are football players allowed to own and drive cars?

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- db321
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:52pm
  I Guess Bob Castas will be interrupting Monday Night Football Halftime with more Liberal BS.
  
  Report this comment
- paveprince
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 6:12pm
  If there were no cars they would be alive
  
  Report this comment
- MDECKER
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 6:45pm
  Jerry Jones should forfeit his team. This sort of thing would have never happened had Jones not hired Josh Brent. Right Bob?
  
  Report this comment
pghpatriot
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:27pm
where is Bob Costas when you need him? He needs to go on every talk show and pontificate about banning cars and drivers! Neither are protected by the Second Amendment.

I wonder how many deaths have been a result of car accidents versus legal, licensed guns?

I wonder if (dim)Whitlock will think of this incident the next time he orders a drink?

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- Cadcamtrainer
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 6:27pm
  Bob Costas will demand that cars and alcohol should be banned!
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 10:01pm
  DALLAS COWBOYS PLAYER ARRESTED AFTER LATE-NIGHT CAR ACCIDENT KILLS TEAMMATE
  
  Huh? A “late-night car accident” didn’t kill this guy. A shart-faced football player did. He just happened to do it by getting in an accident late at night.
  
  This headline should read:
  “DALLAS COWBOY PLAYER GETS ARRESTED AFTER KILLING TEAMMATE IN LATE-NIGHT CAR ACCIDENT”
  
  Report this comment
patriotteapress
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:04pm
Now if we had only ban alcohol, cars, and football this would have never have happened. There must be a way to stop this.
Why don’t we, BAN PEOPLE!
People own guns! People are evil!.
People are destroyers!
Animals are good! People are bad!
Vegetables are good! Meat is bad!
Mother earth is good! People are bad!
See the answer is ban people!
Well except the smart PROgressives. It would be okay if they are around. They have been enlightened! They are soooo smart. Above it all, I say!
Okay, maybe we could just ban people who have morals, common sense, money, own a business, work for a bank, hire people, etc.
Eureka, that’s it! Ban all the people that work hard, produce things, pay income taxes, and give to charity.
Bingo, we have a winner! Utopia on earth at last.
Sigh, critical thinking is hard work. I need a break. I need more breaks in my work day, where’s a labor union when ya need one? Trumpka are you at the White House again? How about telling Barry to send some of that Obama Cash from the stash, down my way! Don’t worry, Barry can fix it. He can fix anything! He’s the ONE don’t ya know. Forward!

Just a little critical sarcasm my friend, helps me make it through the news cycle.

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- loriann12
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 6:24pm
  Love the sarcastic rant.
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 6:50pm
  Here comes 12/21/12. It’s a possibility. Obama is working on it.
  
  Report this comment
RightThinking1
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:03pm
Truly surprised to find that an overpaid, underbrained jock would be involved in this…., for the second time.
Can’t wait to find out what kind of car it was…., my bet is $60,000+. Any takers?

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- thegreatcarnac
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:51pm
  Yeah…at least 60,000 dollars…with curb feelers.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 8:25pm
  It was a 2007 Mercedes….. according to the Police Officer who did the report on TV.
  
  Report this comment
rickc34
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:01pm
One life gone and another ruined by a bad choice.

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1HonestInjun
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:49pm
Would someone in the Detroit Lions organization post this headline on the locker of Ndamukong Suh?
Driving responsible seems to me one of his problems too. Maybe this tradegy will wake him up too.

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grayling646
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:47pm
So you think it’s OK to drink and drive?

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FloridaFarmGirl
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:45pm
So sad for all inviolved. Much too young to die. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the people and families involved. What a tragedy. May you rest in peace.

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exfire
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:45pm
That’s IT….no more deaths….BAN CARS NOW…We can no longer afford to lose anymore of our sports idols…

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grayling646
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:42pm
Lots of comments about Costas. I never have liked him and I dislike him even more since his dumbass gun control rant. But if he says anything about this it won’t be that cars are dangerous and should be banned. He will talk about the dangers of getting behind the wheel when drinking. Even though he’s an arrogant, self centered narcissist , he will be right.

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- RedHarley
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:24pm
  But he can’t be allowed to have it both ways.
  He said if it weren’t for the GUN, the dude and his girlfriend would be alive today.
  
  The ONLY way to look at this one using Costas logic is if it weren’t for the CAR, this player would be alive today. He can’t even take the argument to alcohol……….what killed the guy was the impact, which could only have happened with the speed that the car allowed them to go.
  
  This incident only goes to show how ridiculous his original argument was.
  
  By the way……I still say if Barack Obama wasn’t president and Eric Holder wasn’t attorney general, that Brian Terry would be alive today.
  
  Report this comment
- stormerwasright
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:25pm
  This is not directed at your comment, but…who really gives a Crap what Costas would have to say about drinking and driving? It would only serve the purpose (Again) of drawing attention to himself as if he really cares. And if he were honest, he’d admit to having done it himself. I think you’d have to be hiding under a rock for the past 60 years not to see the rendundancy in any comment about the dangers of drinking and driving. Those with the Costas mentality would rather ban the substance from people that they feel just can’t handle it properly….Costas thinks he’s in that crowd they call “elite”.
  
  Report this comment
- grayling646
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:51pm
  I understand your points. I agree with what you are saying. I guess I was saying that Costas is not going to apply his gun logic to this situation. I’d love to see someone on national TV point out your take on his logic to him and watch as he tried to squirm his way out of it.
  
  Report this comment
CommonSenseTalk
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:40pm
Going after legal gun sales is the only way to take away what few freedoms Americans have left. This is not about guns, its about controlling the last semi-free people.

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Proud Southerner
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:32pm
Hey Costas! Check under the seat to see if there was a gun in the car that made him drink and drive. I am sure it was a SUV he was driving since they kill people too. Can’t wait to hear your next commentary.
And Costas, fix your toupee. It was a little crooked the last time I saw you.

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- GeorgieJo
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:44pm
  Costas is a doofus.
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 7:13pm
  Was the passenger also under the influence? He also made a choice. Anytime your off the field, IT’S PARTY TIME. Except Tybow, and the others just jump all over him for having morals. The world is definitely backwards.
  
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daniel3839
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:32pm
Two buddies out for a few beers, chase some girls and an ACCIDENT happens. Now one is dead and the other off to prison. What a tragedy. They should have to prove booze was the deciding factor in the wreck. I drank and drove for 35 years and never bothered a soul or as much as bumped into anything!

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- msconstrue
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:47pm
  well, it was only by the grace of God that you never “bumped” into anything or anybody……have a field day with the drinking, but keep your drunk ass from behind the wheel of a car!!!!!!
  
  Report this comment
- grayling646
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:01pm
  Now that you’ve some how justified your own stupidity, how do you justify all of the deaths, injuries and property damage caused by people like you?
  
  Report this comment
- TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:18pm
  What DANIEL ISN’T saying is that they NEVER caught his drunk @ss on that rider mower going to his job at the barn. He was just too elusive for them out on the south 40 where nobody was looking and his job at the barn was on his own property.
  
  Baaaaa-Baaaaa…
  
  DANIEL never left the place… he had all he needed.
  
  Report this comment
- sligresda
  Posted on December 9, 2012 at 11:41am
  The difference between daniel and those who get into accidents when drunk is that daniel is a professional drunk driver and the rest are amateurs.
  
  Report this comment
Beachmastermax
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:19pm
Can’t wait to get the next Bob Costas sermon on how cars do not make us any safer.

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- WiredRight
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:32pm
  Cars, booze, curbs… Take your pick, we need to rally together and ban something.
  
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- BehindBlueEyes
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:34pm
  Not to mention the drug alcohol.
  
  Report this comment
SPOT_OF_TEA
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:16pm
Costas would be fired if be commented on this…..The league mustn’t upset the beer conpanies…A lot of sponsor money to be lost… Thats why the league had to get rid of Tebow…Imagine if tebowmania really caught on and thousands of fans stopped drinking…….they couldnt take that chance.

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barber2
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:16pm
A terrible price to pay for stupidity. Sorry for everyone involved.

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- Ballot_Box_Revolution
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:31pm
  Ban cars…Ban booze….oh yeah and Ban football players, they have been killing a lot of people lately…
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:00pm
  Ballot: let’s just ban stupidity ! Like one can !
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315_II
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:30pm
  dont worry – all the “dangerous” drugs are illegal
  
  Report this comment
Carbine
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:12pm
I’m sure that ******* Costas will be condemning cars now. A young man shouldn’t have a car. No good can come of it. No NFL players have been saved by a car! Go for it Costa, you have already proven what you are.

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fande3rls
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:03pm
HEy costas . hows that car control working for ya ,or gun laws .did that prevent this or the drunk driving laws work . We Don’t need more laws we need people with more common sense

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- Winedude
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:17pm
  You’re so correct. We need LOTS of people running the country that think everyone needs a gun. How stupid. You obviously are compensating for something much smaller than your gun!
  
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- fande3rls
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:47pm
  You have been drinking to much Obama wine .I am complaining because morel aws would not have prevented this ,just like more gun laws wouldn’t work eather , so get over your wineo self
  
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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:07pm
  Wineo There you go again being the fool you can’t help it though,haven’t you heard that an armed society is a polite society? Of course you haven’t,we have a second amendment right to own firearms dummy.
  
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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:40pm
  Wineo And you continue to display your ignorance,it is amusing though so keep em coming.
  
  Report this comment
- TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:41pm
  “We Don’t need more laws we need people with more common sense.” Correct about the laws, but you might as well forget the other part… ain’t happenin’ unless somebody’s going to cull the herd on a very large scale. VERY large scale. Don’t see that happenin’ either…
  
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neverending
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:00pm
I will probably get blasted but No sympathy from here – some day they will learn that way of living presents a price to pay. Hopefully Brent will pay a part of that price but maybe not.

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- SaturdaysWarrior76
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 7:26pm
  No blasting from me! I agree with you!
  
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Isis79
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 3:59pm
Geez, I guess cars will have to be banned now. Where’s Bob Costas?….Joseph Goebbels would absolutely love the American media today, nothing but lies bought and paid for by you compliments of the government.

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- Swimming-with-the-Sharks
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:18pm
  True dat. Cars, alcohol, cars + alcohol — in the hands of idiots kill more people each year than guns in the hands of idiots do.
  
  We should also ban buckets, swimming pools, plastic bags, balloons and all assorted small objects.
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 7:22pm
  Banning the most dangerous things is the goal of the left. That’s why they focused on dodgeball. I’m waiting for the statistics to show the impact on Americans.
  
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1776freedomofspeech
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 3:58pm
Dumb

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BBReggie
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 3:58pm
It was the car’s fault. This is a car culture society. If he did not have that car, Jerry would still be alive and Brent would not be under arrest. We need to outlaw cars! Bob Costas would agree.

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- Winedude
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:21pm
  Is there not something more you could write to confirm your ignorance? Why are fools from the South (mostly, with some scattered about the country) so obsessed with guns? I’m not saying Costas is right…I’m just amazed that it caused such a stir. Oh yeah, the stir was almost all on here and other conservative blogs. Civilized people who don’t need a gun to get their point across couldn’t care any less about what he said.
  
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- TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:44pm
  WINEDUDE Wrote… “Civilized people who don’t need a gun to get their point across couldn’t care any less about what he said.”
  
  Two scenerios.
  
  1. Sound of broken glass, yelling, screaming, pleading, begging. WINEDUDE runs down stairs to see a rapist on top of his wife with a knife to her throat. He’s already started raping her.
  
  WINEDUDE says… PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE Mr Rapist… PLEASE don’t hurt my wife. Rapist then gets up and stabs WINEDUDE and continues to rape WINEDUDE’s wife. Then the rapist Kills her by stabbing her repeatedly… then escapes.
  
  2. BOOM, BOOM ! Rapist dead… WINEDUDE hugs his crying… but living wife…
  
  Report this comment
- grayling646
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:07pm
  @ Time
  
  Winedude types with his pinky finger sticking out.
  
  Report this comment
- TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:28pm
  @GRAYLING.
  
  Ohhhh…
  
  3. Sound of breaking glass, screaming, yelling, begging, pleading. WINEDUDE invites rapist in and states…. can’t rape the willing!! Then they both laugh and WINEDUDE states… this role play is getting VERY expensive. That’s the fourth storm door glass panel this week !!
  
  Report this comment
- TPartyXpress
  Posted on December 9, 2012 at 4:48am
  Is Costas going to sell his car and start taking the bus?
  
  Report this comment
tothepoint
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 3:57pm
God bless Jerry Brown and those who love him. So very sad that drinking and driving has taken another life.

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- TEXASGRANNY73
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:38pm
  This is not a “story” about guns or Bob Costas and the comments thus far appear to not have any relevance to drinking and driving. Just funny ha ha, not. One life is over and one will live in a penitentiary (likely) and both no doubt have parents or relatives. The cautionary tale is don’t drive under the influence of alcohol no matter who you are. I don’t know anything about football nor care. I do know who Jerry Jones is, of course. I don’t know who either of these people are. But where is the humanity? Thank you for your comment, it has heart.
  
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- fande3rls
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:56pm
  Texas , true it is about people drunk driveing , the thing is, its about another highly paid football player ,who has the money not only to drink in high priced bars ,could afford a cab , but chooses to drive while drunk ,kills someone .may or maynot be jailedlike you or me . I just want equal justice . and more laws will not cannot prevent this
  
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ZAP
Posted on December 8, 2012 at 3:57pm
Hey,Democrats.Time to ban booze,what you say?????????????????

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- fande3rls
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:02pm
  did that already , epic fail .
  
  Report this comment
- AmericanStrega
  Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:34pm
  Nancy Pelosi would have a fit! Hmm, so would John Boehner. They’re both democrats and drunks.
  
  Report this comment

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