Ryan Leaf: Wanted Fugitive

[LSN80]

Ryan Leaf has gone from one of the biggest busts in NFL history to a recovering addict who seemed to have his life back on track. But following his dismissal from West Texas A &M as their QB coach after requesting painkillers from a player, Leaf's life has spiraled out of control. And now, arrest warrants have been issued for Leaf in Texas, where he was on ten year's of probation for his arrest for burglarizing a player's home.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/story/2012-04-26/ryan-leaf-texas-arrest-warrants/54571290/1

Leaf was initially arrested on March 30th for burglarizing a friend's home. where he alledgely stole 28 Oxycodone pills. Police found a bottle in Leaf's golf bag containing the pills with Leaf's name on it, but also found an empty bottle for Oxyxodone with his friend's name on it. Leaf claimed that his friend had accidentally left the bottle in there, but his friend said otherwise. Leaf was arrested, and posted a $76,000 bond and was released the following day. Following his release, he released the following statement:

I've made some mistakes, and have no excuses. I am using the tools I've learned to move forward rather than backwards, and will be open to talking about the details in the days to come. I am confident that there will be further understanding when the facts are revealed, and feel very blessed for all of the support, especially from my friends and family."

Well, Leaf certainly moved forward, but not exactly in a positive way. On April 2nd, just three days following his first arrest, Leaf was arrested for a second time. This time, it was for burglarizing a home of a couple he didn't know, again for Oxycodone. Leaf claimed he was confused and was in the wrong home, but a search warrant turned up both Oxycodone and Hydrocodone not belonging to him in his home. Leaf was arrested for a second time, and currently remains in prison in Montana, where he has been jailed for 30 days without bail. He is set to be arraigned there on May 3rd. \

Meanwhile, the original prosecutor who had worked out Leaf's ten year probation in Texas for his first conviction in 2010 is seeking to revoke Leaf's probation. In addition to the four felony counts Leaf is facing in Montana, Randall County(Texas) district attorney James Farren has filed motions to revoke Leafs's probation as well.

I anticipate amending that motion to reflect other potential charges. I anticipate and will be pushing strongly for jail time. If his probation is revoked, he could face 20 years in prison. I think that would be appropriate in this case.

Leaf's problems with addiction were thought to be possibly rooted to a benign brain tumor that was removed from Leaf's brain stem in May of 2011. Leaf struggled in his recovery, needing radiation treatment for it, during which time he began taking painkillers once again. But following receiving a clean bill of health, Leaf proclaimed he felt the best he had in his life, and was drug free. Apparently not.

Now, arrest warrants have been issued for Leaf in Texas, citing him as a "fugitive from justice" due to violating his probation. However, jurisdiction could be murky here with Leaf remaining in jail in Montana until at least May 3rd.

Either way, Leaf is screwed here. While I think a 20 year jail sentence is absurd here, I think some time in jail and mandatory rehab would do him some good. He comes across as the pampered former athlete, at least in action, who thinks he can get away with anything he likes due to his celebrity status. While there may be lingering pain from Leaf's brain stem problems or other injuries he incurred during his playing days, the responsibility fall on Leaf to work with his doctor(s) on an appropriate pain management program, not for Leaf to freelance on his own.

What seems to be appropriate punishment for Leaf at this point?

Do you have any sympathy/empathy for him?

Any other thoughts on this story are welcome and encouraged.

 

[Mustang Sally]

He comes across as the pampered former athlete, at least in action, who thinks he can get away with anything he likes due to his celebrity status.

That's for sure, and he has plenty of reason to have thought so. Probably from the time his prodigious athletic talent was discovered in high school, Ryan Leaf was showered with adulation, fawned over by adults and people his age, and told so many wonderful things about himself that by the time he was under consideration for the Heisman Trophy, people could have told him he was the Lord Jesus Christ and he would have believed it.

Drugs? Sure, why not? After all, he's practically superhuman and the problems that sometimes encumber people who take them could never happen to him, right? He's Ryan Leaf and he can do anything he wants.....and has tons of people giving him daily affirmation to that effect.

Sympathy for Ryan? Hell, no. Life is full of people dripping with sympathy for folks they've never met, but if I get the need to feel sorry for someone, I'll pick a person who never had much to begin with, yet suffered after having given it his best shot......not to someone who had it all and blew it because of overconfidence, arrogance and an inflated sense of self-worth. Leaf bought into all the hype said about him....and it's obvious that some people can digest a sense of celebrity without it altering their personalities and causing them to expect life to be handed to them on a silver platter. Ryan Leaf couldn't.