BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — Jalen Rose was sentenced Wednesday to 20 days in jail for a March drunken-driving crash near Detroit, despite a recommendation that the ESPN analyst and former Nugget not serve jail time and the public support of several prominent figures, including Detroit mayor Dave Bing.
When he pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in May, Rose told the judge he drank six martinis before crashing his SUV along a snowy road in West Bloomfield Township.
“I’m humbled, I’m embarrassed, and I’m very apologetic. I can assure everyone that nothing like this will ever happen again,” Rose said.
One of his attorneys, Keith Davidson, wasn’t so contrite, railing against the sentence handed down by 48th District Court Judge Kimberly Small.
“This was nothing less than an elected judge legislating from the bench,” Davidson said. “This is a man who has given millions of dollars to charity, started schools around the world and worked endlessly for the community, yet her average sentence is 17 days, and she sentenced Mr. Rose to 20 days.”
Rose is scheduled to begin serving his 20 days in jail Tuesday, although Davidson said they might appeal.
Small granted Rose the six-day delay so he could attend a birthday party for his 93-year-old grandmother this weekend.
Footnotes.
NBA owners and players are expected to resume talks toward a new collective bargaining agreement Monday, a month after the lockout started.
• Former Nuggets forward Rodney White was arrested and accused of operating a sophisticated marijuana growing operation from his North Carolina home. He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
The Associated Press
