RANDOLPH FACES CHARGE IN L.A. FOR POT
LOS ANGELES — Sacramento Kings forward Zach Randolph has been charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession and resisting arrest following an incident this month when a large gathering became unruly at a Los Angeles housing project, prosecutors said Thursday.
The two-time NBA All-Star had initially been arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana with intent to sell — a felony — but Los Angeles city prosecutors instead charged Randolph with misdemeanor drug possession.
Court documents say the 36year-old Randolph possessed “more than 28.5 grams of marijuana or more than four grams of concentrated cannabis or both.” Randolph also is accused of resisting arrest and obstructing a Los Angeles police officer in the discharge of their duties.
Randolph is scheduled to appear in a Los Angeles courtroom on Sept. 14, said Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, which is prosecuting the case.
Randolph’s attorney and agent, Raymond Brothers, did not immediately respond to telephone and email messages seeking comment Friday. He has previously said the charges against his client were “false and misleading.”
Randolph was arrested Aug. 9 at the Nickerson Gardens housing project in Watts after officers observed a crowd of people drinking, smoking marijuana, blasting music and blocking streets, police have said.
The officers observed three people, including Randolph, run off but immediately stopped one of the men, police said. Randolph and another man ran inside a home and were arrested after a crowd of bystanders formed and attempted to block the officers, police said.
Lakers fined $500K by NBA for tampering with George
NEW YORK — New Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka’s contact with Paul George’s agent violated the NBA’s antitampering rule and resulted in a $500,000 fine for Los Angeles on Thursday.
The league said a law firm’s independent investigation didn’t find evidence of an agreement or an understanding that the Lakers would sign or acquire George, who was with the Indiana Pacers at the time. George later was traded to Oklahoma City.
“We respect and accept the NBA’s decision regarding this matter,” Pelinka said in a statement. “On behalf of the Los Angeles Lakers, I want to express our regret over this unfortunate incident to both our fans and the NBA.”
The league had warned the Lakers about tampering following comments by president of basketball operations Magic Johnson about George on national TV on April 20.
The league said Pelinka’s contact with George’s agent “constituted a prohibited expression of interest in the player while he was under contract.”