Driving under the influence charges are not something one wants to take lightly. The repercussions from just the accusation can be severe. If a conviction is obtained, the effects can be life-changing. If the defendant happens to be a high-profile individual, the media is sure to make any hay it can of the situation. All these elements reinforce the wisdom that it's important to contact an attorney when DUI charges are pending.
The help of an attorney was definitely in evidence in the case of Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt. He had been facing federal charges of driving under the influence, but today a U.S. magistrate found Britt not guilty of DUI. He was found guilty of refusing to take a breath test and violating Kentucky's implied consent law, but no penalty was issued for that.
Many readers may know that Britt was taken into custody on suspicion of DUI back in July as he was trying to enter Fort Campbell on the Tennessee-Kentucky state line. He tried to enter through a gate on the Kentucky side of the base and was stopped by military police. At the time of the incident, it wasn't clear why Britt was looking to enter the facility, but he reportedly had passengers in his vehicle, which may explain it.
According to the MPs, Britt was seen changing lanes a couple of times before he got to the gate. He was subjected to three field sobriety tests, which experienced attorneys know are notoriously unreliable. Later, after being taken to a police station on the base, he refused to take a Breathalyzer test.
In a five-hour trial at the base yesterday, the magistrate essentially dismissed the evidence of the lane changes saying such driving could be reasonable. He also noted that there was some discrepancy over the results of the field sobriety tests. It was noted that Britt had written on the implied consent form that he had refused to take the breath test because he had passed those field tests.
Britt made no comment to reporters after the decision.
Source: The Associated Press, "CORRECTION: TITANS-BRITT STORY," Teresa M. Walker, March 20, 2013
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