Jon Jones pleads guilty, avoids jail time or fines
“Mr. Jones, you got real lucky, and in a number of ways, I think you need to talk to young people because making one stupid decision changes your entire future,”
In April former UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones was arrested for felony leaving the scene of an accident, and was stripped of his title and suspended indefinitely.
Today he plead guilty to a single charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving an injury. However, Jones avoided jail time.
I am here to accept full responsibility for what happened, and I hope you can give me an opportunity to redeem myself, said Jones.
The fighter will indeed be afforded the opportunity to redeem himself.
Mr. Jones, you got real lucky, and in a number of ways, I think you need to talk to young people because making one stupid decision changes your entire future, said Second Judicial District Court Judge Charles Brown.
Jones will in fact have many opportunities to speak with young people – the court mandated 72 speaking appearances. In addition, Jones will be subject to 18 months of supervised probation.
The baffling part about the judge’s statement and to some extent about the sentence, is that this was not “one stupid decision.” It was part of a widely publicized series of unfortunate incidents:
•October 2011: Cited in Albuqerque, NM for driving with a suspended license.
•May 2012: Arrested in New York for driving while intoxicated, following an accident.
•September 2014: Fined $50,000 for scuffling with Daniel Cormier during a media event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NEvada.
•December 2014: Tested positive for cocaine and fined $25,000 by the UFC.
April 2015: Jones allegedly ran a red light, hit a car being driven by a pregnant woman breaking her arm, and fled from the scene. Witnesses, including an off-duty police officer, reported that Jones ran back to the car, stuffed some money into his pants, and fled again. A quantity of Marijuana and a Marijuana pipe were left in the car.
The UFC released an official statement.
The UFC organization is aware that Jon Jones reached a plea agreement with authorities in Albuquerque, New Mexico this morning stemming from charges associated with a motor vehicle accident earlier this year. As a result, UFC, through Las Vegas-based law firm Campbell & Williams, will thoroughly review the agreement before discussing Jones’ possible reinstatement to return to competition.
More information will be made available following completion of this review.
Jones too released an official statement, via EAG Sports Management.
With regards to today’s decision made by the court, I am very happy to now be able to put this incident behind me. My actions have caused pain and inconvenience in the lives of others and for that I am truly sorry and I accept full responsibility. I have been working hard during this time away from my sport to grow and mature as a man and to ensure that nothing like this happens again. I have learned a great deal from this situation and I am determined to emerge a better person because of it. I apologize to those who were affected by my actions in this incident and I am hopeful that I will be given the opportunity to redeem myself in the eyes of the public, my family and friends as well as my supporters. I am not sure what the future holds for me but I plan to continue to do the work needed to be productive and successful in every aspect of my life. “
Jones was stripped of his title, which was eventually earned by Daniel Cormier. Cormier fights Alexander Gustafsson in in the main event of UFC 192 on Saturday.