Jeremy Stephens' camp releases statement on arrest |
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FastKnockout
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 547-328
Season: 38-21 (#697)
Location: Mississippi
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After a bizarre situation this past Friday that saw Jeremy Stephens arrested the morning of his scheduled UFC on FX 5: Browne vs. Bigfoot fight with Yves Edwards, Stephens' management has released a statement.
As many are already aware, the UFC and president Dana White spent the day of the arrest saying that he was still fighting and trying to get him out of jail, but a deal could not be worked out as Stephens was being held on a felony warrant. White blamed the Polk County, Iowa police for being impossible to work with, something that the Stephens camp maintained in their statement.
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Post #1 10/8/12 10:48:03PM
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FastKnockout
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 547-328
Season: 38-21 (#697)
Location: Mississippi
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Can't remember which BE article it was on but someone said Stephens had an altercation with a guy and beat him pretty severely, and sometime during the altercation he also hit a female. They posted a screen cap of the victim's sister's facebook and she said she was happy Stephens was finally captured after almost a full year.
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Post #2 10/8/12 10:52:40PM
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Twenty20Dollars
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 847-533
Season: 0-0 (#-)
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Doesn't make much sense. The timing, as it was from 2011 and now it's some reason being dealt with in late 2012 and right before his fight. 
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Post #3 10/8/12 11:18:52PM
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The Playground OG
Career record: 672-464
Season: 43-16 (#636)
Location: Lake Jackson, Texas
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Just because your an athlete that doesn't mean you should get a free pass when your arrested. ESPECIALLY if its a felony charge. It really is a no brainer. Not sure what the controversy here is
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Ron Paul 2016
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Post #4 10/8/12 11:20:55PM
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Goatenstein
Standup Guy
Career record: 236-167
Season: 36-22 (#1030)
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People want to believe that all fighters are honorable outside the cage. They aren't. If these allegations are true Stephens deserves assault with a deadly weapon or attempted murder.
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Post #5 10/8/12 11:22:23PM
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samelia
Learning to Sprawl
Career record: 173-123
Season: 39-20 (#548)
Location: New Zealand
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I don't think any UFC fighter should be pulling moves on public citizens during every day life - it looks really bad on the organization.
 unless they're pulling a Renzo Gracie - then the above should, of course, be disregarded completely.
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Post #6 10/9/12 1:27:17AM
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Twenty20Dollars
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 847-533
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Posted by george112
Just because your an athlete that doesn't mean you should get a free pass when your arrested. ESPECIALLY if its a felony charge. It really is a no brainer. Not sure what the controversy here is
Sure seems like they get free passes.
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Post #7 10/9/12 2:18:33AM
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Sir_Karl
MMA Sensei
Career record: 884-636
Season: 41-18 (#270)
Location: The Empire State
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Nobody knows the whole story. Everyone is making assumptions and assertions. The only people that know what happened that night are the people that were at the party. As far as Jeremy hitting a female goes. Maybe she was hitting him in the head with a chair or a broken bottle or something. There are times when it is okay to hit a female...you know. self defense? Nobody knows the details. There was plenty of time to arrest Stephens and the timing of the arrest seems quite ridiculous to me. As far as any serious charges like using a deadly weapon goes because Stephens is a cage fighter....that is one of the biggest myths out there. A person's martial arts rank or the fact that they are involved with combat sports has no bearing on any charges or sentencing at all. To begin with this article is more piss poor MMA journalism. The writer gives his own opinion and it is a foolish one at that. The fans themselves, like I said are making all kinds of ridiculous assumptions and assertions. So few facts are out in this case that anything said is just fantastical picture painting.
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Post #8 10/9/12 8:15:44AM
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The Original Playground Bully
Career record: 1002-557
Season: 46-13 (#11)
Location: Minnesota
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I know NOTHING at all about the circumstances surrounding this particular incident, but I may have a bit of anecdotal information to share; having responded to and investigated my share of bar fights.
First and foremost, seldom are bar fights settled with charges greater than something like a disorderly conduct citation (which is often handed out to every person who is involved). In my experience, it's takes a rather one-sided and sustained beating before an individual is pursued for charges. The biggest reason for this is a lack of credible witnesses/evidence:
The thing to remember is this- The court requires "probable cause" to arrest or issue a warrant for someone. There would (in all likelihood) need to be an overwhelming amount of evidence (both physical and though witness statements) for an attorney's office to file a complaint of felony level charges against Stephens. Once the complaint is filed with the court, the judge would have to review it and determine whether a warrant was necessary (same standard of probable cause).
This also makes the process of releasing Stephens once he's taken into custody very difficult. It's not as simple as putting a dollar amount on paper and coming to an agreement. It would take a judge to set a bail amount (which is NOT standard practice for felony charges, let alone assault charges) that Stephens could post without first appearing before the court.
So when Dana says that he was trying to make a deal with Polk County Sheriff's Office; at the end of the day he was more likely dealing with the County Attorney's Office and the Court. Both offices probably had better things to do than work out a way to release Stephens for his fight. Frankly, I would have been shocked if Stephens would have been able to fight that night. People generally aren't in the position of making deals for release without an appearance on felony level crimes of violence. That sort of thing just doesn't happen.
With Stephens living in California, it makes sense financially for the Polk County Sheriff's Office to wait until he's in Minnesota to have him picked up. From an administrative standpoint, it costs far less money to send a deputy a few hours north in a squad car than it does to fly a deputy to California and return with Stephens. That doesn't explain why the Sheriff's Office waited until so late in the week to have Stephens picked up. But it does explain why the matter wasn't handled at an earlier date.
At the end of the day, I'm pretty glad he wasn't able to fight. Suck for those of us who were in attendance. But knowing that he was being held on felony level charges and with the rumors at the time that the charges were stemming from a pretty serious assault, I would have been pretty disappointed in the UFC and the MN Athletic Commission if the fight were allowed to even take place. Bottom line, there's due process under the law. This is not only in place to protect the innocent and process the guilty; but to also protect the victims of a crime. What Stephens is accused of is not a victim less crime. The person who was allegedly assaulted deserves to see Stephens brought to justice. And it really shouldn't be the UFC's place to try to interject.
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And as El Guapo always says- "God speed, and party on. Whoap!"
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Post #9 10/9/12 8:59:51AM
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Bythar
MMA Regular
Career record: 923-466
Season: 45-14 (#70)
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland.
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Posted by Goatenstein
People want to believe that all fighters are honorable outside the cage. They aren't. If these allegations are true Stephens deserves assault with a deadly weapon or attempted murder.
You're going a bit far here don't you think?
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Post #10 10/9/12 9:19:20AM
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The Anti-pansy
Career record: 1054-579
Season: 45-14 (#92)
Location: PA
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At least Sir_karl is consistent! You may want to hold onto your sometimes-violence-against-women-is-justified argument until more facts are out though.
I don't think it was shoddy journalism at all, BE interjecting opinion into their articles is to be expected as the norm rather than a violation of journalistic ethics. The article assumes the felony warrant is legit, in other words it assumes the respective police departments are doing their jobs honestly. Also the article assumes no conspiracy (as did Dana White) as to the timing of the arrest, suggesting it was merely the most convenient timing for them - or perhaps most cost effective as bojanglz suggests.
Also, not sure if everyone saw it... see the post by "IowaWrestling" in this thread:
IowaWrestling
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"Being born with a pair of beady eyes was the best thing that ever happened to me." - Lee Van Cleef
“If we wish to preserve a free society, it is essential that we recognize that the desirability of a particular object is not sufficient justification for the use of coercion” - F.A. Hayek
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Post #11 10/9/12 9:42:42AM
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The Playground OG
Career record: 672-464
Season: 43-16 (#636)
Location: Lake Jackson, Texas
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Posted by Twenty20Dollars
Posted by george112
Just because your an athlete that doesn't mean you should get a free pass when your arrested. ESPECIALLY if its a felony charge. It really is a no brainer. Not sure what the controversy here is
Sure seems like they get free passes.
That's because they do. And its wrong.
Makes me feel like they have more rights then myself when in actuality they do not
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Ron Paul 2016
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Post #12 10/9/12 9:55:10AM
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MODesty
Career record: 1011-533
Season: 42-17 (#206)
Location: Oklahoma
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Posted by bojangalz
I know NOTHING at all about the circumstances surrounding this particular incident, but I may have a bit of anecdotal information to share; having responded to and investigated my share of bar fights.
First and foremost, seldom are bar fights settled with charges greater than something like a disorderly conduct citation (which is often handed out to every person who is involved). In my experience, it's takes a rather one-sided and sustained beating before an individual is pursued for charges. The biggest reason for this is a lack of credible witnesses/evidence:
The thing to remember is this- The court requires "probable cause" to arrest or issue a warrant for someone. There would (in all likelihood) need to be an overwhelming amount of evidence (both physical and though witness statements) for an attorney's office to file a complaint of felony level charges against Stephens. Once the complaint is filed with the court, the judge would have to review it and determine whether a warrant was necessary (same standard of probable cause).
This also makes the process of releasing Stephens once he's taken into custody very difficult. It's not as simple as putting a dollar amount on paper and coming to an agreement. It would take a judge to set a bail amount (which is NOT standard practice for felony charges, let alone assault charges) that Stephens could post without first appearing before the court.
So when Dana says that he was trying to make a deal with Polk County Sheriff's Office; at the end of the day he was more likely dealing with the County Attorney's Office and the Court. Both offices probably had better things to do than work out a way to release Stephens for his fight. Frankly, I would have been shocked if Stephens would have been able to fight that night. People generally aren't in the position of making deals for release without an appearance on felony level crimes of violence. That sort of thing just doesn't happen.
With Stephens living in California, it makes sense financially for the Polk County Sheriff's Office to wait until he's in Minnesota to have him picked up. From an administrative standpoint, it costs far less money to send a deputy a few hours north in a squad car than it does to fly a deputy to California and return with Stephens. That doesn't explain why the Sheriff's Office waited until so late in the week to have Stephens picked up. But it does explain why the matter wasn't handled at an earlier date.
At the end of the day, I'm pretty glad he wasn't able to fight. Suck for those of us who were in attendance. But knowing that he was being held on felony level charges and with the rumors at the time that the charges were stemming from a pretty serious assault, I would have been pretty disappointed in the UFC and the MN Athletic Commission if the fight were allowed to even take place. Bottom line, there's due process under the law. This is not only in place to protect the innocent and process the guilty; but to also protect the victims of a crime. What Stephens is accused of is not a victim less crime. The person who was allegedly assaulted deserves to see Stephens brought to justice. And it really shouldn't be the UFC's place to try to interject.
I agree with everything you say and we both know how law enforcement works. But let me play devil's advocate for a sec.
There are few things about this that are fishy. I sure wish there was more details to this. But from what I have read the timing of the arrest seams fishy. Waiting till the day of the fight and after the weigh-ins to pick him up when he most likely had been in town for days. It would have been easier and better for everyone involved to pick him up before the weigh-ins. Its not like they didn't know where he was at. They could have even waited till after the fight. It almost seams like they waited till there wasn't enough time for him to have a chance of getting out to fight. Now this could have been because of the state issuing the warrant waited till day off the fight to request for him to be picked up but still that is also fishy. It almost comes off as vindictive and that makes me wonder if the victim may be related or friends with someone in the police department. We both know that when it comes to friends and family of cops that they get special treatment.
Also have to take in to account that sometimes people are looking for a big payday. It wouldn't be the first time someone has accused a fighter of assault because they are looking for a big payday. You known as well as I do when fights happen witnesses are not very reliable and will almost always backup whatever party they are friends or family of.
Please don't beat me up to badly just playing devil's advocate. That doesn't mean I think anything I said is what really happened just giving a possibility.
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Telnights
MMAplayground Rules
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Post #13 10/9/12 10:31:03AM
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Twenty20Dollars
Heavyweight Champ
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Last edited 10/9/12 11:54AM by twenty20dollars
Edit note/reason: n/a
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Post #14 10/9/12 11:53:07AM
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The Original Playground Bully
Career record: 1002-557
Season: 46-13 (#11)
Location: Minnesota
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Posted by telnights
I agree with everything you say and we both know how law enforcement works. But let me play devil's advocate for a sec.
There are few things about this that are fishy. I sure wish there was more details to this. But from what I have read the timing of the arrest seams fishy. Waiting till the day of the fight and after the weigh-ins to pick him up when he most likely had been in town for days. It would have been easier and better for everyone involved to pick him up before the weigh-ins. Its not like they didn't know where he was at. They could have even waited till after the fight. It almost seams like they waited till there wasn't enough time for him to have a chance of getting out to fight. Now this could have been because of the state issuing the warrant waited till day off the fight to request for him to be picked up but still that is also fishy. It almost comes off as vindictive and that makes me wonder if the victim may be related or friends with someone in the police department. We both know that when it comes to friends and family of cops that they get special treatment.
Also have to take in to account that sometimes people are looking for a big payday. It wouldn't be the first time someone has accused a fighter of assault because they are looking for a big payday. You known as well as I do when fights happen witnesses are not very reliable and will almost always backup whatever party they are friends or family of.
Please don't beat me up to badly just playing devil's advocate. That doesn't mean I think anything I said is what really happened just giving a possibility.
You'll get no argument from me that the timing of the arrest is questionable. That in all likelihood falls on the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Odds are the Minneapolis PD and Hennipen Co S.O. had no clue there was an active warrant on Stephens. So they were probably notified that Friday morning and went to make the arrest at that time. I'm not going to make assumptions as to why the notification was held off until such a late time; though I will say that it does give the outward appearance of intentionally delaying Stephens' ability to fight.
As to weather or not the person who was assaulted was friendly or related to someone in the law enforcement community- Sure it's possible. But I'm not going to take that leap. It's equally as likely (especially in an election year) that this could have been done as a press grab for someone seeking voter approval. I'm not going to make that leap either... Just simply pointing out that there are any multitude of reasons why the arrest was delayed to the point where Stephens was unable to appear on the charge in time to return for his fight.
With regards to false accusations and looking for a payday. I'll just say that it's not too often that we hear of a enough witnesses and/or physical evidence to bring felony charges against "special guest" at a party. One would imagine that if Stephens was in fact there as person of public interest that more than enough people would have come to see him... Not accuse him of committing a felony assault. The quick paydays generally come from confrontations with limited witnesses where it is the word of the accuser against the word of the accused only.
I'm not saying one way or another how I feel about the accusations against Stephens. I'm simply saying that in my experience, it's difficult to get an attorney to pursue charges of a felony level with little chance of winning the case. Especially when the individual is obviously capable of hiring a private attorney (rather than a public defender).
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And as El Guapo always says- "God speed, and party on. Whoap!"
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Post #15 10/9/12 11:56:46AM
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