DA tells Vegas police to investigate more before Pacman charged

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Las Vegas prosecutors asked police to do more investigating before charges are filed against Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones in a strip club fight that led to a triple shooting.
“It isn’t that we’re missing things, they just wanted more detailed information,” said Lt. George Castro, leader of the Las Vegas Police Department’s violent crimes unit. “They said there might be more to this than what was recommended.”
Since being drafted by the Titans in April 2005, Jones has been arrested five times and questioned by police in 10 episodes.
He met Tuesday in New York with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, to discuss those cases. Goodell has said he will announce his decision on suspensions or other disciplinary action as early as in the next 10 days.
Las Vegas police have recommended a felony charge of coercion and misdemeanor charges of threat and battery against Jones in the Feb. 19 altercation at Minxx, a club several blocks west of the Las Vegas Strip.
The shooting left one man paralyzed. Authorities haven’t identified the gunman, but Castro has said the 23-year-old Jones was the “inciter” of a fight that started inside in the club.
The attorney representing Jones, Manny Arora, was not in his Atlanta office Wednesday morning and did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.
Castro called it “customary” for prosecutors to seek additional investigation in complex cases.
“It’s still actively being pursued,” said Castro, adding prosecutors did not set a deadline for the case to be submitted. “This has not been placed on anyone’s back burner.”
Police have not re-interviewed Jones or two other people against whom investigators recommended charges be filed.
Castro said police recommended Robert Reid, 37, of Carson, Calif., be charged with felony coercion and misdemeanor battery charges, and Sadia Morrison, 24, of New York, with felony coercion. Castro described both as friends of Jones.
Morrison was arrested the morning of the shooting and charged with battery with a deadly weapon, a bottle.
If Jones is charged in the Vegas case, a Tennessee prosecutor has said it could renew a criminal case regarding an August bar incident in a Nashville suburb. Jones had avoided jail time on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct with a plea agreement that required him to stay out of trouble until July.
The Titans are trying to decide whether to keep Jones, the sixth pick overall in 2005. The cornerback did not tell team officials about being arrested twice in Georgia in 2006 – a potential violation of the personal conduct policy.
The team introduced three recent free agent signees Wednesday, and coach Jeff Fisher said the Titans cannot predict when Goodell’s decision will be issued or what it will be. Asked about filling Jones’ jobs, especially as a punt returner where he had three touchdowns, Fisher said they have prepared.
“We’re equipped to handle it if in fact we have to face the issue or the possibility of Pac not being here,” Fisher said.
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Associated Press writer Ken Ritter in Las Vegas contributed to this report.