Jail-blazers again ::: Randolph questioned by police

[Max Power]

Blazers' Randolph questioned by police
Associated Press

ANDERSON, Ind. - Portland Trail Blazers forward Zach Randolph was questioned by police and his brother was arrested after three men were shot inside a bar early Sunday.

Zach Randolph was questioned because he witnessed the shootings, detective Terry Sollars said. He cooperated and was released.

Police arrested Randolph's 22-year-old brother, Roger, on three counts of criminal recklessness. He is being held pending an initial court appearance Monday.

Randolph could not be reached for comment Sunday.

The shootings occurred about 2 a.m. at Sinbad's Lounge where Randolph, a native of nearby Marion, went with relatives and one of his business managers, Sollars said.

An argument developed with others in the bar, and someone opened fire, injuring Phillip Corthen Jr., 30, and Travis A. Wilson, 25, and Terry Hill, 29, all of Muncie.

None of the injuries were life threatening. Investigators did not know the reasons behind the argument and shooting.

Randolph, winner of the NBA's Most Improved Player award this year, has had previous brushes with police. While in high school, he was arrested in 1998 in connection with the theft of guns from a store. He pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving stolen property and served 26 days in a juvenile center.

Last September, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of possession of alcohol by a minor for a 2002 incident and was fined $1 and sentenced to 60 days probation.

Last December, Portland, Ore., police arrested him on suspicion of driving under the influence after an officer smelled marijuana in the player's car. Randolph pleaded innocent to driving under the influence of intoxicants and the case is pending.

[EricaLubarsky]

pretty low-class write up. Randolph is being connected to a crime without having done anything, and the tag line is attrocious.

[MavKikiNYC]

The shootings occurred about 2 a.m. at Sinbad's Lounge where (Zach) Randolph, a native of nearby Marion, went with relatives and one of his business managers, Sollars said. An argument developed with others in the bar, and someone opened fire, injuring Phillip Corthen Jr., 30, and Travis A. Wilson, 25, and Terry Hill, 29, all of Muncie.

Police arrested Randolph's 22-year-old brother, Roger, on three counts of criminal recklessness. He is being held pending an initial court appearance Monday.

Zach Randolph was questioned because he witnessed the shootings, detective Terry Sollars said. He cooperated and was released.

Randolph could not be reached for comment Sunday.

[endtroducing]

translation: "nothing interesting happens in indiana, OH LOOK A BASKETBALL PLAYER, A CRIME, READ OUR PAPER!!!!"

[irontoad]

and was fined $1

Man, that's really gotta hurt the wallet...

[Murphy3]

Originally posted by: irontoad

Man, that's really gotta hurt the wallet...

That's $1 more than I got fined.

[Max Power]

I think it is pretty telling that Randolph is still hanging around trouble. I can't remember ever going to a bar where there was shooting and I certainly wouldn't have been close enough to the action to be a witness. What did Randolph's brother do to get arrested?

[LRB]

Originally posted by: Max Power
I think it is pretty telling that Randolph is still hanging around trouble. I can't remember ever going to a bar where there was shooting and I certainly wouldn't have been close enough to the action to be a witness. What did Randolph's brother do to get arrested?

I agree Max. It is telling that Randolph is not attempting to remove himself for potential criminal situations. And I as well am curious about what his brother supposedly did.

[Evilmav2]

Strangely enough, back when Randolph was playing at Michigan State, I actually hung out with him, his younger brother, and a large group of their friends on two different occasions (Once in Bloomington, and once up in Marion, Indiana where one of my roommates had graduated with Z-Bo), and I've actually been to the "Sinbad Lounge" in nearby Muncie.

All I'll say is that I don't know what would possess millionaire Randolph to frequent a dive like the Sinbad these days, and I hope that in the future he learns to distance himself from the kinds of hazardous, troublemaking situations he can find in drinking holes like that. Also, his brother was a really nice kid when I met him, so I do hope that if he's innocent, he's able to find his way clear of this trouble...

[MavsFanFinley]

Associated Press

ANDERSON, Ind. -- Zach Randolph of the Portland Trail Blazers might face a criminal charge for misleading police officers investigating the shootings of three men on a nightclub dance floor, a prosecutor said Monday.

The NBA forward's brother, Roger Randolph, 22, faces preliminary charges of criminal recklessness for the Sunday shootings.

Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said Zach Randolph told investigators he did not know who fired the shots, but other witnesses said he held his brother while Roger Randolph fired a gun.

"I think there's a good chance Zach Randolph is going to be charged with a crime as well," Cummings told The Associated Press. "I would certainly say he's being investigated for false informing or assisting a criminal."

A police spokesman had said Sunday that Zach Randolph had cooperated with detectives during questioning as a witness.

Zach Randolph, 23, lives with his mother in nearby Marion during the offseason, but neither has a listed telephone number there. The Associated Press left messages seeking comment from his agent, Raymond Brothers.

Mike Hanson, a spokesman for the Blazers, said he discussed Zach Randolph with an Anderson police representative Monday.

"The last conversation I had with the authorities, I was being told that he was a cooperative witness, he was not being charged with anything," Hanson said.

The shootings occurred about 2 a.m. at Sinbad's Lounge, which was packed with at least 100 people drawn to Anderson for an Indiana Black Expo festival during the day Saturday, authorities have said.

Zach Randolph, who was named in April as the NBA's Most Improved Player, had an entourage of six to eight people at the bar. A dispute began on the dance floor, and Zach Randolph went to investigate, Cummings said.

"Beer bottles were thrown at them, and that's apparently when Roger start firing," Cummings said.

Gunshots hit three men from Muncie, but none of the wounds were life-threatening. One of the men remained hospitalized Monday, police said.

The Randolph brothers left the scene separately, and after some witnesses told police they believed that Zach Randolph had fired the gunshots, police stopped him in Alexandria, about 10 miles north of Anderson, Detective Terry Sollars said. The player returned to Anderson and spoke to investigators until about 7 a.m.

"Zach Randolph cooperated fully, answered all of our questions and allowed the police to search his vehicle," said Sollars, Anderson Police Department spokesman.

During Roger Randolph's initial court hearing Monday, a judge granted prosecutors 72 hours before formally bringing charges so police could further investigate the shootings, Cummings said.

Roger Randolph was being held in the Madison County Jail on $40,000 bond Monday afternoon.

One of his attorneys, Jeff Lockwood, when asked if his client had any response to the allegations against him, said, "I can tell you one statement he's going to make: Not guilty." He declined to comment further until formal charges are filed.

At the time of the shootings, Roger Randolph was out on bond after being charged earlier this month in Marion with carrying a handgun without a permit and marijuana possession.

The shooting victim who remained hospitalized Monday, 30-year-old Phillip Corthen Jr., told The Star Press of Muncie, he had been on the dance floor when he saw people exchanging words.

"I was in the back of a crowd trying to stay away from him [Roger Randolph] when he shot me," Corthen said.

Corthen said he had been patted down before he was allowed to enter the small, popular lounge, and did not understand how a gun got inside.

[MavsFanFinley]

Randolph is wearing out his welcome
After the player's latest run-in with the law, the Blazers hint they are rethinking plans to offer him a lucrative long-term deal

Thursday, August 26, 2004
JASON QUICK

Zach Randolph might have jeopardized a big payday, and possibly his future with the Trail Blazers, this week when he was associated with a nightclub shooting in Anderson, Ind.

Blazers general manager John Nash on Wednesday didn't hide his disappointment in Randolph, who could face criminal charges for misleading police officers investigating his brother's involvement in an early-morning shooting near Randolph's hometown of Marion, Ind., on Sunday.

"These situations don't sit well with what we are trying to achieve and accomplish here in Portland," Nash said.

The Blazers, who trumpeted Randolph as their future and their foundation last season while he averaged 20.1 points and 10.5 rebounds, entered the offseason saying they would like to sign Randolph to a contract extension before the Oct. 31 deadline outlined in his contract.

Randolph, 23, is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him $1.8 million, and Nash intimated earlier in the summer that the Blazers probably would have to look at signing Randolph to a maximum contract, which would translate to seven years worth upward of $83 million.

But now, after the latest blemish on Randolph's off-the-court record, the Blazers appear to have cooled on their endorsement of Randolph as the future of the franchise.

"It's safe to say we are concerned about players' character," Nash said. "And this certainly doesn't enhance one's value."

Randolph did not fire any shots in the nightclub Sunday, but witnesses say he restrained his brother, Roger, as he shot three men on the dance floor of the club, then helped Roger leave the nightclub. None of the injuries were life-threatening.

Zach Randolph was interviewed three times by police, and each time denied knowledge of the incident. Madison County prosecutor Rodney Cummings said it is "clear" that Zach Randolph provided false information and that it is "likely" he will face either felony or misdemeanor charges.

The incident adds to Randolph's checkered three-year tenure with the Blazers.

Last December, Randolph was charged with driving under the influence of marijuana after his car was stopped by police in Northeast Portland. That case has not been resolved.

In April 2003, Randolph was suspended two games by the Blazers after he punched teammate Ruben Patterson during a practice, breaking Patterson's left eye socket. At the time, Patterson was being restrained by teammates, who held his arms behind his back, after Patterson and Qyntel Woods were separated from a brief pushing match.

And in May 2002, Randolph was cited in Marion for underage drinking. Before the Blazers drafted him with the 19th overall pick in the 2000 draft, he had been convicted for shoplifting, battery and two counts of possessing stolen property (guns), all resulting in 30-day sentences in juvenile detention.

Despite his record, the Blazers have supported Randolph, opting to focus on his happy-go-lucky, albeit naive, demeanor and tireless work ethic. Last season, they had Rasheed Wallace switch positions to accommodate Randolph, then benched former All-Star Shareef Abdur-Rahim in favor of Randolph after Wallace was traded.

But now, the support is waning.

"I love the player, and I like the individual, because I truly believe he has a good heart," Nash said. "But I am concerned that these types of things continue to happen."

If the Blazers do not extend Randolph's contract by Oct. 31, they still retain the right to first refusal after the season, meaning Randolph would become a restricted free agent and the Blazers could match any free agent offer.

[GP]

Punching Patterson shouldn't be held against him. He should get a medal and a pay raise for that. What is not clear from the articles is the question about whether he was trying to prevent his brother from shooting the men or not. It reads like he was, which is not criminal but the opposite. Also, do you know anyone who would rat out their own younger brother? I sure don't.

[Evilmav2]

Punching Patterson shouldn't be held against him.

Supposedly, Zach was sticking up for his buddy Qyntel Woods when that happened, so I also don't anything against the man. Ruben Patterson has always been a bastard, and he probably royally deserved to get decked by Randolph, in retaliation for his reportedly constant efforts to intimidate a young player who might eventually take his job (Qyntel).

[sike]

ahhh the rumblings of trouble for trailblazers....all is right in the world.

[bernardos70]

Is that franchise ever gonna be able to erase their reputation? I thought Randolph was different from that bunch of nutcases that played there in the last few years. But, let's not judge him yet, after all you're innocent 'till proven guilty