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Cleveland Browns receiver Donte’ Stallworth was suspended without pay for this season Thursday after pleading guilty to killing a pedestrian while driving drunk. He cannot participate in any team activities until his reinstatement after the Super Bowl.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Stallworth placed a “stain” on the reputation of the league and all its players.

Stallworth struck 59-year-old Mario Reyes on March 14 in Miami. He pleaded guilty June 16 to DUI manslaughter, a second-degree felony, and was suspended indefinitely by Goodell two days later.

Stallworth drew a 30-day jail sentence and reached an undisclosed financial settlement with the family of Reyes, who was leaving his crane operator job when he was struck.

In a letter to Stallworth released by the NFL, Goodell said he didn’t take into account the sentence in determining the 28-year-old player violated the league’s substances of abuse and personal conduct policies.

“Your conduct endangered yourself and others, leading to the death of an innocent man,” Goodell wrote. “The NFL and NFL players must live with the stain that you have placed on their reputations.”

Goodell held a hearing with Stallworth, his representatives and union officials Aug. 5. He also met privately with Stallworth on Monday at the player’s request.

Police said Stallworth had spent the night drinking at a Miami Beach club and had a blood-alcohol level of .126, above Florida’s .08 legal limit. Besides jail time, his sentence included two years of house arrest, eight years of probation and other restrictions.

A college star at Tennessee, Stallworth has also played for the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints. His first year with Cleveland was marred by injuries. He hurt his leg in training camp, which sidelined him for most of the season.

The Browns signed him to a seven-year, $35 million contract in 2008, hoping he could be a complementary No. 2 receiver and take pressure off Braylon Edwards. But Stallworth never got going because of the injury and made only seven starts. Edwards spent the season dropping important passes and Cleveland finished a disappointing 4-12.

Once it became apparent Stallworth could miss time, the Browns signed 12-year veteran David Patten and drafted Brian Robiskie and Mohammed Massaquoi in April to add depth at receiver.

Related

VIDEO: Donte Stallworth Speaks For The First Time Since Fatal Accident

NFL’s Stallworth Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter Gets 30 Days

Tags: Donte Stallworth, NFL
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Blake27/ Blake27

    In no way am I against Stallworth. What I want to simply point out is he received 30 days for killing a man as a result of his reckless conduct. Vick received almost 2 years for “dogs.” WOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DMY19151/ DMY19151

    ALL OF THE MONEY THAT THIS GUY SIGNED FOR AND HIS DUMBASS COULD’NT TAKE A TAXI TO THE CRIB…I TELL YOU…HE GOT OFF REAL LIGHT WITH THAT JAIL S**T,BUT THE NFL MADE SURE THAT THEY HURT HIS POCKETS…LOL

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/hillsider1/ hillsider1

    I couldn’t agree more with Blake 27. How do we live in a world where a dude kills a MAN because he was drunk-driving, but Mike Vick gets treated like the devil for fighting/killing dogs??? Let me say that gain…DOGS!!!??? That practice has been goin on for ages, just like c**k fighting was prevelant during slavery. They are animals people. Sorry if you are an animal-lover reading this, but damn. Our justice system is f**ked. 30 days for killin a man, but 2 years for killin dogs?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/resistance/ resistance

    This is crazy and don’t make sense at all.. I mean I can only echo what hillsider1 is saying. But I might be more outraged. How the f**k can you kill a person, and be convicted of D.U.I and not get the ridicule Mike Vick got?? That says a lot about America. This is still and will always be a white man’s land, where f**kin DOGS matter more than human life. I’m not against dogs, but they are just a everyday f**kin animal lets be real. You can lose a dog for whatever reason your mind can think of, and you can just go get another one right?!? You lose a life, and that can’t ever be replaced. And I’m not trying to bring Stallworth down, but he needs at least 3-5 full years in prison, and more than a damn 1 year suspension from the NFL. The old saying is still true: MONEY TALKS, BULLS**T WALKS!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SWANKness/ SWANKness

    Blake21, Stallsworth took a deal..and the only reason why he got the deal is that the man’s daughter didn’t want to go through a trial ! it’s not just about him, the family also has a say in what happens..what Vick did and what Stallsworth did is two different things..you cant compare the two together just because they happen to be in the NFL..he got suspended, he’ll be back..

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/masculine31/ masculine31

    I think da difference is accidental vs heinous, Mike Vick knowingly conspired, initiated and funded dogs killings, where as this kat accidentally hit a pedestrian, and just happened to under da influence of alcohol. I mosdef see da difference. Is it fair? Hell Naw lol

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