'14 JUCO F Devonta Pollard

#76
#76
Tyler was riding round with that Nina... With no serial number... Really only one reason to have a gun without a serial number.. That's if you don't want it traced back to you..

Add that on to his story of his place being broken into, a threat to his son, he knew who was responsible but didn't go to the cops and instead got an untraceable gun?? That's urban Meyer player territory.
 
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#77
#77
UTFanForLife said:
Wasn't charged with kidnapping. Was charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was not convicted of that. Looks like his involvement was going to pick up someone who had broke down and took her to where she needed to go. He learned of the kidnapping after it was too late and actually testified against his mother.

His mother seems to be a POS, but I'm not sure I'd label this kid.
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Judge OKs plea deal for Devonta Pollard in kidnapping case

Former University of Alabama basketball player avoids prosecution


By Holbrook Mohr | The Associated Press
Published: Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 12:22 a.m.
JACKSON, Miss. | A federal judge in Mississippi approved a plea agreement Tuesday allowing a 19-year-old former University of Alabama basketball player to avoid prosecution in a kidnapping case if he stays out of trouble for two years.

U.S. District Judge William Barbour in Jackson told Devonta Pollard that the deferred prosecution means he must avoid drugs and alcohol, stay out of trouble and not move out of the judicial district for southern Mississippi unless he gets approval from a probation officer.

After the hearing, the judge spoke privately with Pollard and lawyers in the case. Pollard’s attorney described the conversation as a “man-to-man” discussion about Pollard’s future and the judge’s desire to see him succeed.

Pollard was on a basketball scholarship at Alabama before being arrested on a conspiracy charge in the kidnapping case. He’s now playing at East Mississippi Community College and hopes to get back to a four-year university, his lawyer, Lisa Ross, said in a telephone interview after the hearing.

Prosecutors offered Pollard the deal in exchange for testimony against his mother, Jesse Mae Brown Pollard. She was convicted last month of orchestrating the plot to kidnap a 6-year-old relative in a dispute over a piece of land and a portable storage shed in east Mississippi.

The girl was abducted in April from East Kemper Elementary School and released unharmed the next day.
Devonta Pollard testified that his mother was behind the plot, but said he didn’t know anything about it until the girl had already been abducted and authorities were investigating. On the day of the kidnapping, he said his mother called and asked him to pick up his cousin, whose car had broken down, and bring the cousin to meet her. He said he didn’t know that the cousin was going to watch the abducted child for Jesse Pollard.

“We’re happy to have this behind us and Devonta, we believe, will be successful. With a lot of love and support from family and friends, he can still make something of his life,” Ross said. “His mother put him in a very compromising situation, and we hope that with this second chance people will see who the real Devonta Pollard is.”

Five others, most of them related to each other, Pollard and the victim, pleaded guilty Nov. 6 and await sentencing. They include a school secretary charged with telling Jesse Pollard where to find the child that day — in the school library.

Investigators say the child was taken from the school to a hotel in Bessemer, Ala., then moved to a hotel in Laurel, Miss. She was dropped off near Enterprise, Miss., and told her mother was in a nearby mobile home and she should run up to it.

Two rolls of tape and a 20-foot dog leash cable were found in the rental car used in the abduction. Prosecutors said Jesse Pollard was prepared to use them on the girl.
 
#78
#78
VegasBaby! said:
Judge OKs plea deal for Devonta Pollard in kidnapping case

Former University of Alabama basketball player avoids prosecution


By Holbrook Mohr | The Associated Press
Published: Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 12:22 a.m.
JACKSON, Miss. | A federal judge in Mississippi approved a plea agreement Tuesday allowing a 19-year-old former University of Alabama basketball player to avoid prosecution in a kidnapping case if he stays out of trouble for two years.

U.S. District Judge William Barbour in Jackson told Devonta Pollard that the deferred prosecution means he must avoid drugs and alcohol, stay out of trouble and not move out of the judicial district for southern Mississippi unless he gets approval from a probation officer.

After the hearing, the judge spoke privately with Pollard and lawyers in the case. Pollard’s attorney described the conversation as a “man-to-man” discussion about Pollard’s future and the judge’s desire to see him succeed.

Pollard was on a basketball scholarship at Alabama before being arrested on a conspiracy charge in the kidnapping case. He’s now playing at East Mississippi Community College and hopes to get back to a four-year university, his lawyer, Lisa Ross, said in a telephone interview after the hearing.

Prosecutors offered Pollard the deal in exchange for testimony against his mother, Jesse Mae Brown Pollard. She was convicted last month of orchestrating the plot to kidnap a 6-year-old relative in a dispute over a piece of land and a portable storage shed in east Mississippi.

The girl was abducted in April from East Kemper Elementary School and released unharmed the next day.
Devonta Pollard testified that his mother was behind the plot, but said he didn’t know anything about it until the girl had already been abducted and authorities were investigating. On the day of the kidnapping, he said his mother called and asked him to pick up his cousin, whose car had broken down, and bring the cousin to meet her. He said he didn’t know that the cousin was going to watch the abducted child for Jesse Pollard.

“We’re happy to have this behind us and Devonta, we believe, will be successful. With a lot of love and support from family and friends, he can still make something of his life,” Ross said. “His mother put him in a very compromising situation, and we hope that with this second chance people will see who the real Devonta Pollard is.”

Five others, most of them related to each other, Pollard and the victim, pleaded guilty Nov. 6 and await sentencing. They include a school secretary charged with telling Jesse Pollard where to find the child that day — in the school library.

Investigators say the child was taken from the school to a hotel in Bessemer, Ala., then moved to a hotel in Laurel, Miss. She was dropped off near Enterprise, Miss., and told her mother was in a nearby mobile home and she should run up to it.

Two rolls of tape and a 20-foot dog leash cable were found in the rental car used in the abduction. Prosecutors said Jesse Pollard was prepared to use them on the girl.
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Federal District Court is all I need to read. Being in that business, the Feds don't mess around. They would prosecute someone who they thought was dangerous and committed the crime. His testimony helped him, too. Just my opinion.
 
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#79
#79
If Coach T wants to make a big splash in his first year and compete for a tournament birth, he must take chances on kids like this.
 
#80
#80
NashvilleFan said:
He was not cleared - Read the article - It was a defferred prosecution - If he complies with the terms of the pleas arrangement then he does not go to jail.... Tennessee has no business signing players charged with serious felonies....What's next let's sign OJ Simpson since he was aqquitted of two murders.... I believe in second chances but not to players who agree to a defferred felony charge of conspiracy to committ kidnapping.... Not a good headline fot the local media... Get Cofer and we will be OK.....
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seriously???

you compare OJ Simpson trial to Pollard's criminal entanglement???

there is no comparison of the two situations that is even remotely similar....
 
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#81
#81
VolGee4 said:
I am kind of mixed on it, but I have certainly seen guys take advantage of second chances and succeed. Memphis brought in Geron Johnson, and he had committed multiple crimes and I think was at multiple junior colleges. He simply couldn't stay out of trouble. Pastner signed him, laid down the ground rules, and by all accounts, he was a model citizen. It can happen.

Just wish Tyndall wouldn't have said what he did at his PC because it opens the door for criticism. I also like to stay away from controversy and whether it is right or wrong, that "word" is controversial.
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like bring back BP :whistling::whistling::whistling:
 
#82
#82
VolGee4 said:
The elements of a "conspiracy" are 2 or more people conspire to commit a crime, the defendant willfully becomes a member of the conspiracy, and that one of the conspirators knowingly commits an overt act to further the conspiracy.

I can understand why you would think that it is a "loose" legal phrase because it is kind of a catch-all kind of crime. But, in many cases, the government has proof that a defendant was willfully involved. It doesn't matter that he didn't commit the "overt" act as long as someone else in the conspiracy did.

In my jurisdiction, you hardly ever see conspiracies involving violent crimes (i.e. robberies, kidnappings, etc.). You see many more drug conspiracies where there is a group of individuals that deal drugs. Unfortunately, the low level dealer can get caught up in it and face just as much time as the top guy.

My guess is that they offered Pollard 2 years of diversion on such a serious case because they didn't think he was very involved. Just looking from the outside.
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Thanks for bringing your expertise to the discussion. :hi:
 
#83
#83
You vet the kid's situation and get input from everybody you can. If satisfied you bring it up with UT officials to get their backing. If they say to back off, you move on. If they say it is go on their side, you try your best to land this kid. As a university and coaching staff, it is not your job to make judgments on individuals' pasts. For potential athletes it's your job to provide a quality education and sports experience to those that are eligible to receive it. Don't try to tell me UT has stopped people from being students that are on federal probation currently or in their past previously. I know better.

Good grief, it was his mother. Most everybody on here would want to believe and protect their mother. The Feds used the situation with him to nail the case tightly.
 
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#84
#84
So Daniel Hood was all gangsta huh?...much worse crime than helpin his Momma.
 
#90
#90
butchna said:
Point lost on you about risk? I was referring to presuming.

You don't remember the furor when Kiffin offered him? :blink:
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I could only wish that all our players could rep the university as well as Daniel did while with the Vols....
 
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#92
#92
As much as I hate the signing class for leaving this presents an opportunity for someone talented to come in and get immediate playing time. Not fund of a team loaded with Juco's, but if you can recruit that right kind of blend...you might get something special!
 
#93
#93
tennrich1 said:
I could only wish that all our players could rep the university as well as Daniel did while with the Vols....
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So based on that we should give a kid who gave his cousin a ride "a second shot"? to play SEC basketball....amirite
 
#94
#94
He wasn't even tried, don't commit any crimes in two years and he won't ever be tried.

A combination of his true lack of knowledge about what was going on and him testifying in court.

Just based on the circumstances of what happened, I can't imagine he's any bigger risk to do something dumb than any other recruit.

Did see an article from a couple days ago that Kentucky was still in pursuit.
 
#95
#95
VolArmy74 said:
He wasn't even tried, don't commit any crimes in two years and he won't ever be tried.

A combination of his true lack of knowledge about what was going on and him testifying in court.

Just based on the circumstances of what happened, I can't imagine he's any bigger risk to do something dumb than any other recruit.

Did see an article from a couple days ago that Kentucky was still in pursuit.
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That was before poythress and Dakari announced they were staying iirc
 
#96
#96
NashvilleFan said:
He was not cleared of conspiracy to committ kidnapping charges...He recieved a defferred prosecution & is on probation for two years so if he gets a jaywalking ticket the DA can try him on the charges and he could get up to 25 years in jail.... We can do better than this Yahoo.... If his judgement is bad enough to get involved in something like this how could he ever be trusted.... We are not talking about a frat fight or DUI ...I believe in second chances as well but not for murder or felonies that carry 25 years in prison......If everbody deserves a second chance then why is Jerry Sandusky in jail.... Let him get his second chance somewhere else....
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:crazy:
 
#97
#97
bleedingTNorange said:
Looking at the possibility of going from potentially Reese & Pops at the 4&5 to Pollard & Ellis makes me smile.

Sometimes you gotta take risks on some guys to win now, if that's what Tyndall is willing to do he could shock the hell out of some people next year.

If he could pull: Suarez, Paige and Carmichael from USM...and then land Punter, Ellis and Pollard from the JUCO ranks.

You're looking at:

Thompson/Suarez
Hubbs/ Paige
Richardson/ Punter
Pollard/ Davis/Moore
Ellis/ Pops


That could be a very good lineup IMO, and would be fun as hell to watch.
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I agree but it seems unlikely for all of that to play out. Pollard Ellis Punter seem like long shots but lets hope the stars align. Whats ur educated guess for each player
 
#98
#98
Magic8Vol said:
I agree but it seems unlikely for all of that to play out. Pollard Ellis Punter seem like long shots but lets hope the stars align. Whats ur educated guess for each player
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I don't think Punter is a long shot at all, I would say very good chance he's a Vol.

With Ellis, once again I don't think he's a long shot either, biggest competition could be grades. If he can get qualified he very well could be a Vol.

Pollard is probably the biggest long shot, it's not really known if Tennessee is gonna reach out or recruit him. If they do I think they've got a decent chance, but too early to know for sure if Tyndall is gonna make a run at him.
 
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