Ex-Atlanta Hawks Forward Mike Scott was arrested in July 2015, after cops found Molly (MDMA) and marijuana in his car. He was charged with felony drug possession and was facing 25 years in prison.
Scott was a rising player with the Hawks at the time, and his career took a turn for the worst after his arrest. He was traded to the Suns and later waived following a knee injury. Things appear to be turning around for Scott, as major evidence in his case was thrown out by a judge, and the arresting officer was recently fired. Here are more details from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
In a ruling signed Friday, Banks County Superior Court Judge Currie M. Mingledorff found that county sheriffs had no grounds to stop Scott’s car, which precipitated the incident, showed no probable cause to arrest Scott and his brother Antonn, who was driving the car, and that the subsequent search of the car was not proper.
In his eight-page ruling, Mingledorff gutted the sheriff office’s handling of the case, singling out Deputy Brent Register, a key witness, of providing “testimony that was in contradiction to admitted documentary evidence.” Mingledorff also found it “surprising and concerning” there was no video evidence provided of the stop “in an era in which police conduct is so carefully scrutinized.”
Scott’s Attorney Steve Weiner had the following response:
“In my 35 years of practicing law, this could be the worst case of racial profiling I have ever seen,” Steve Weiner, counsel for Mike Scott, told The Vertical. “Hopefully this will lead to Banks County, Georgia, re-evaluating their policies.”
As for the deputy that arrested Scott, he was fired after an internal review of procedures according to Banks News Today.
“Our agency’s recent administrative review of the Scott case ruling has resulted in the dismissal of Brent Register from Banks County Sheriff’s Office,” BCSO spokesperson Carissa McFadden said in a statement to Banks News Today. “We addressed an issue that was brought to our attention immediately. In the profession of law enforcement, issues will arise in every agency due to an essence of individuals being imperfect. One officer’s actions does not reflect the agency as a whole.”
The evidence against Scott that was thrown out should essential end the case against him, which should help him during free agency this summer.