Charges dropped against UGA's Patrick
WINDER, Ga. - Barrow County prosecutors have dropped criminal charges against Georgia linebacker Natrez Patrick and dismissed DUI charges against reserve wide receiver and special teams’ player Jayson Stanley.
The action came in a Thursday morning hearing in Barrow County Probate Court, following the players’ December 3 arrest.
Stanley’s attorney, Kevin Christopher, told FOX 5 Stanley agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor possession of marijuana and speeding.
Christopher said the judge sentenced Stanley to 12-months’ probation, a $1,030 fine and told him he must comply with the standard conditions of the marijuana case.
A Barrow County deputy arrested the pair only hours after Georgia won the SEC Championship in a 28-7 upset over Auburn at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Christopher said, “This is the first time Jayson has been in trouble, and he’s happy to put this behind him.”
The deputy pulled over the vehicle for speeding as it headed to Atlanta on Georgia Highway 316 with Stanley driving and Patrick as a passenger.
Patrick's attorney, Billy Healen, said in a statement to FOX 5 that officers arrested Patrick after “discovering a loose leaf of marijuana that was smaller than a penny.”
According to his statement, Healen said, "As Mr. Patrick did not have any marijuana on his person, there was no evidence to support the prosecution of Mr. Patrick, and the District Attorney had no choice but to dismiss the charge.”
A police video of the arrest released to the media by the Barrow County Sheriff’s office shows Stanley claiming ownership of the marijuana and pleading with officers not to charge Patrick.
Patrick faced dismissal from the team following his third-marijuana arrest.
He served a four-game suspension following his October arrest on misdemeanor marijuana charges.
Patrick served a one-game suspension in 2015 on the same charges as a freshman.
It’s not immediately known how the case will impact the availability of Patrick or Stanley when the No. 3 Bulldogs play second-ranked Oklahoma in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl on January 1.