Building up a professional career often starts at a young age. One of the key ingredients to success is a good reputation. While building up a solid reputation can take years, destroying one can take mere moments. Perhaps one of the biggest threats to one's reputation is a criminal charge.
Current NBA player and Portland native Terrance Jones was just starting to build up his professional reputation as a basketball player when he was allegedly accused of stomping on a homeless man. The supposed incident occurred after the 21-year-old left a nightclub and allegedly approached two homeless men sleeping in a doorway. A police officer claimed to witness Jones yell at one man and stomp on his leg.
The 46-year-old homeless man claimed to have suffered a minor injury to his leg. Jones was ultimately charged with harassment but has pled not guilty to the charges. He was released on a $1,500 bond and will face another court hearing in September.
Every day, people like Jones will face criminal charges, whether they are guilty or not. In today's society, even the most outlandish accusations can cause irrevocable damage to a reputation. Once the media gets a hold of something, they can spin it in any way they choose. But presenting a solid criminal defense in court is a way for individuals to attempt to clear their name and seek to have their charges dropped or reduced. Every offender who faces criminal charges is always innocent until proven guilty. If facing a criminal charge in the Portland area, offenders are entitled to a criminal defense.
Source: KATU.com, "NBA's Jones pleads not guilty to 'stomping' on homeless man in Portland," July 31, 2013
