Talk about a crappy way to spend your summer vacation.
Nuggets guard J.R. Smith, who was involved in a car accident two years ago that ended the life of his friend, Andre Bell, is headed to the hole for about a month. He will also serve 500 community hours. This was Smith`s second reckless driving offense.
The Denver Post has the reactions:
Smith has 20 days to appeal the sentence, but his attorney, Kevin Hexstall, said that is unlikely. “It was what we expected,” Hexstall told The Denver Post by phone Tuesday night. “We knew he had an issue with respect to his driving record, which caused him to be exposed to the 90 days. The important thing is, he wanted to put this matter behind him.
According to Hexstall, Bell’s mother, Wanda, considered “J.R. to be like a son” and wrote a letter stating she did not want Smith to go to jail. Bell’s family has filed a wrongful death suit against Smith. “It’s not like something like this happens and you just move on,” Smith said Tuesday during the hearing. “I can’t talk to ‘Dre…He’s still a part of me.” Smith also apologized directly to Wanda Bell, who then blew him a kiss. “I told her I wish the shoe was on the other foot,” Smith said in court.
Smith, who re-upped with the Nuggets last year, was taken into custody immediately after the hearing last night.
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