Wisconsin NFL fans may have heard that on Sept. 26, former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy was pulled over by police in Richardson, Texas. During the stop, police found .7 grams of cocaine in his vehicle, but Hardy claimed that he didn’t know where it came from. Six weeks later, Hardy was indicted on a single count of felony cocaine possession. If convicted, he could spend up to two years in prison.
In addition, he could also face a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted on the drug possession charge. Hardy first played in the NFL in 2010 when he was a member of the Carolina Panthers. While with the Panthers, he was charged with domestic violence and convicted in a bench trial. However, the charges were later dropped on appeal after his former girlfriend failed to cooperate. He was suspended for four games in 2015 for that May 2014 incident.
An individual who is charged with drug possession could face a variety of penalties if convicted. Jail or prison time may be part of a sentence depending on whether the charge is a misdemeanor or a felony. Defendants may also be faced with a fine, probation or other penalties as deemed reasonable under state law.
Individuals may wish to talk with a criminal defense attorney who may be able to help create defenses to the charge. For instance, when the drugs were found after the defendant’s vehicle was pulled over, an attorney could question whether there was the required reasonable suspicion to make the traffic stop. If that was lacking, the attorney could move to have the drugs inadmissible as evidence.
