Let me get this straight - Assault and Battery is a misdemeanor in Florida but setting off some fire extenguishers is a felony??? Is there really a Willie Williams or is the whole recruiting visit saga a made up story?
Hey, don't you get three sqare meals in the crossbar motel ? Willie should be happy with that. It ain't Red Lobster but its a start. However, he may have to give up his food to others until he gets "adjusted" to prison life.
More on Willie's incidents: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/7878327.htm Williams joins UM as incidents in Gainesville come to light By MANNY NAVARRO [email protected] NURI VALLBONA / HERALD STAFF Carol City star linebacker Willie Williams began Wednesday by signing to play football for the University of Miami. By the evening, he was answering questions about three separate sworn complaints to police during his recruiting trip to the University of Florida this past weekend. One of the complaints was sent to the Gainesville state attorney's office Wednesday as a possible felony; the other two were sent as possible misdemeanor battery, according to police. One of two incidents at The Hilton University of Florida Conference Center on the Gainesville campus could carry the felony charge, according to the campus police report. UF police information officer Joe Sharkey said his department received a call about Williams discharging three fire extinguishers at about 4 a.m. Saturday at the UF Hilton, where Williams and other recruits were staying. While UF police sent that felony complaint to the state attorney's office, State Attorney Bill Cervone told The Associated Press his office has the ``discretion to deal with it differently.'' Gainesville city police filed a sworn complaint to the state attorney's office that says Williams, 19, was involved in an altercation with another man at a downtown nightclub at 2:30 Saturday morning. Williams, a USA Today and Parade All-American, denied being involved in the club altercation, which could hold a misdemeanor battery charge according to police. ''I wasn't arrested,'' Williams said when reached on his cell phone Wednesday evening in Atlanta, where he was a guest on a recruiting TV show. ``Basically, nothing happened. I was at a club and there was a fight, but I wasn't involved.'' Gainesville public information officer Keith Kameg said witnesses at Royal Blue Nightclub said they saw Williams punch Akeem Thompson of Gainesville several times in the face ''for no apparent reason.'' The police report says Thompson sought medical attention for a cut lip and bruised face. According to another incident report by campus police, a female guest at the UF Hilton was hugged by a man she did not know at about 11 p.m. Friday. The report said when Joanna Braganza of Gainesville realized she didn't know the man, she tried to remove herself from his grasp and he did not let go immediately. Braganza and her boyfriend, David A. Cohen of Gainesville, exchanged insults with the man before they parted, the report said. Braganza and Cohen said they did not know the man's name, but the police spoke to Williams about the incident when he came to the campus police station about the fire-extinguisher matter, the report said. Williams told police he hugged a woman he did not know at the hotel, according to the report. UF athletic director Jeremy Foley said the incidents involving Williams are ``not a University of Florida issue. It is a Willie Williams issue. I was aware there were some issues, but I know for a fact he was not arrested when he was here.'' When asked if something could have been done to prevent the incidents, Florida coach Ron Zook said ``Yeah, not brought him in.'' 'Obviously, when we bring a prospective student-athlete on campus, I'm responsible,' '' Zook said. ``. . . We try to school our players on keeping the [recruits] out of situations where things can happen. And from what I understand, our players did a great job.'' Said UM coach Larry Coker: ``We will see the attorneys and see all the allegations and take appropriate action. Sure, it concerns us when those things are out there.'' HAPPIER NEWS Before the revelation of the Gainesville incidents, Williams started national signing day by playing to the crowd at the Carol City High library. First, he tried on a Florida State jersey, a Deion Sanders No. 2 throwback. Then, he wore a UM Jerome Brown No. 98 jersey. ''When I put on the UM jersey, I got a feeling I couldn't explain. I said this is where I've got to be,'' the 6-2, 228-pounder said later. So, the MVP of the Class 6A state title game announced his decision: He will join the Hurricanes. The announcement drew cheers. Then, over a speakerphone so reporters could listen, Williams called UM linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves. ''Coach Hargreaves, I'm there,'' Williams said over the speaker phone so reporters could listen. ``I'm going to UM, coach.'' Hargreaves didn't believe Williams at first. ''Stop playing,'' he told Williams. Hargreaves then ran to go ''tell the boss,'' Coker. ''I'm doing cartwheels over here,'' Coker told Williams. ``Let me tell you something, you're going to do great. You're committed to us and we're committed to you.'' Williams then told Coker he wanted to come to Coral Gables right away. ''Matter of fact, I might come by and tackle you today,'' Williams said. Coker laughed, then reminded Williams he can't visit UM until Friday because of NCAA rules. TOUGH DECISION Williams said he would be ready to play when the Hurricanes meet Florida State on opening night and even challenge for a starting spot at weak-side linebacker. The Hurricanes have just four linebackers on the roster. In the minutes before his announcement, though, Williams said he wasn't sure which side he was going to be on. When Williams first went up to make his announcement, he asked reporters to give him five more minutes. He sat back down with his aunt and uncle, Adriana and Kevin Rutledge, rubbed his head and walked over to teammates. ''I actually made the decision when I stepped up to the podium,'' said Williams, who has a 3.0 GPA and a 1070 SAT. ``. . . I'm not sure if signing day was tomorrow if I might not pick FSU. This wasn't easy.'' Herald sports writers Susan Miller Degnan and Mike Phillips contributed to this report.
Remember people, I am the one that predictied a prison sentence by the age of 25. Move over Cecil, meet your new "friend".
