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Plant's Williams Awaiting Decision

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By KATHERINE SMITH, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 20, 2007

TAMPA - Plant defensive lineman Jamar Williams said he was merely protecting his mother, but Oct. 11, the state attorney's office will decide if Williams' need to nurture warranted his actions.

The senior lineman was arrested July 23 and charged with one misdemeanor count of obstructing or opposing an officer without violence and one felony count of battery on a law enforcement officer.

A Tampa Police Department incident report described the scene as a large group of people engaged in fighting. At one point, police said Williams got on top of an officer and when he got off, stood in a 'fighting stance.' Williams was Tasered and taken into custody, where he was later released on a $2,500 bond.

What isn't in the report is what the 6-foot, 310-pound Williams said was his need to protect his mother, who was also arrested.

'I didn't know it was the police,' Williams said. 'I just saw a guy go up and attack my mom and got her in a headlock. So I went to go grab my mama, but he elbowed me. So I backed up and then another officer tried to bump me off my feet, but I just stumbled.

'I put my hands up and backed up to a police car, and they Tasered me.'

The case was turned over to the state attorney's office, and Oct. 11, Williams will have some options. One includes having the charges dropped, or Williams said he could enter a pretrial intervention program that if completed successfully would get his record expunged.

'We'll have to wait and see what happens,' Williams said.

Williams has started every game for the Panthers this season, all while awaiting his fate with the legal system. He was an integral part of last year's state championship team and is considered one of the leaders on the defense.

'Jamar's been dealing with this for some time now and we're helping him,' Plant coach Robert Weiner said. 'Our goal is for our kids to become better players and better people every day and I think that we're moving in that direction.

'Jamar's an outstanding person to begin with.'

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7860 or ksmith@tampatrib.com.

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