On Monday, Clermont County Judge James A. Shriver ruled that Leon Hall is allowed to drive his car to and from work and to medical appointments. The granted request was given to Hall while the case will be continued on May 11.
If found guilty, Hall faces up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,075. He would have to serve at least three days in jail or a residential alcohol-treatment program. He also faces a fine of up to $150 if found guilty of driving left of center.
Ed Perry, Leon Hall's lawyer, represented Chris Henry and Deltha O'Neal when they were busted with drinking and driving. Perry was able to have their charges reduced to a guilty plea of reckless operation.
“(Leon Hall) stated that his wife had told him that he needed to get home because she was having a baby,” Trooper N.J. Pabin wrote. “Mr. Hall admitted that he had been drinking.”
The Enquirer made no effort to follow up on his "wife having a baby" angle -- supposedly because it could cast a simplified light on a DUI charge. Or perhaps it makes celebrity appear more human. The reaction would be, "Hall was about to become a daddy? I hope he names his boy after me!" rather than "big ol' bad Bengals football player stopped from unleashing incurable virus that kills populations by the millions in a 24-hour period. Jack Bauer will receive an award for his action."
In no way do we support breaking the law (did you read that Janet Napolitano?). Nor do we offer reasons that drinking and driving is excused under any circumstance (did you read that Andy Kennedy?). However, why the Enquirer won't follow up, or even mention it beyond the quote of a Trooper, is beyond me.
However, it was important to get this little blurb in:
The police report didn’t indicate what he was doing out at that hour.
Don't you want ask yourself, "What business is it of theirs?"