Two Bulls basketball players accused of not paying $29 Village Inn bill

[flsportsfan83]

Bollenback's grandparents responded to the state attorney's letter to the editor with their own letter which is attached below.  Bollenback was not exactly a choir boy in school, but I still think his punishment by Judge Ric Howard was grossly excessive.  I only brought this subject up about Bollenback to illustrate how a seemingly innocent thing such as stiffing a restaurant can escalate iand get out of control in the Florida justice system.  Hopefully the USF BB pair arrested for the Village Inn charges get their deal resolved in fairer manner than Adam Bollenback's case.

http://www.sptimes.com/2002/09/22/Citrus/Attorney_tells_only_o.shtml

Bollenback committed a felony and had a lengthy record. The 2 Bulls have been charged with a 2nd degree misdemeanor which carries a maximum sentence of 180 days in jail. And they wont get anywhere near that.

[Oldsmobull]

Hope the two don't get more than a scolding and wrist slap, but you never know what can happen in court.  Hopefully the two don't have juvenile baggage hanging in background to compound things; mix in a hard nosed judge and prosecutor with some legal fiction and anything can happen.

[usfbullcpa]

The best punishment for these guys would be for Heath to make them stay behind as the team heads to Brazil.

I wouldn't go that far, but if I were Coach Heath, I would call the manager of the Village Inn and have both Fitzpatrick and Burwell work two or three nights in the dish pit.  Pays off their meal, punishes them for their actions, and teaches them what they could be doing the rest of their life if they throw it away by doing something stupid.

how about heath pays and these guys dont get punished anymore

they have been punished enough

Sorry Smazza, but they have not.  As a business owner who is trying to keep the lights on during these tough times, I cannot disagree more with you.  What they did was steal.  It was only $29 you feel, but that $29 was to pay for the food, the prep, the waitress, the lights, mortgage, and maintenance.  These two should lose their free ride, which to me now is another theft, since they do not appreciate my hard earned money that is supporting their asses for 4+ years. 

The fact is they were unlucky in their eyes that two cops were sitting there and witnessed it.  My thoughts further on this is they probably gave the cops some lip when they were stopped and that is why they got the free ride and souvenir pictures.  They get meals paid by us on campus, if they do not have $30 in their pocket go eat at the commissary.

[Guest Sunburned]

The lack of funds suggests why I've seen both of them at every baseball game we've attended.  They get into those for free.

Hummmm! If they lacked the funds,  that could be taken to mean they went to VI with the intent to not pay for their food.

[The Sheriff]

It won't be the first time or last time someone dines and ditches... The only difference is the guys are USF athletes.

[Guest Sunburned]

^^Despite what the state attorney said in her 2002 letter to the editor about Judge Ric Howard's sentencing of Adam Bollenback---I don't think the judge balanced punishment with compassion.  Bollenback was royally screwed getting the 10 years.  Judge Howard shouldn't be allowed to be a judge.

The clemency board seems to have agreed with the judge.

[Oldsmobull]

Jeb Bush appointed Howard to the circuit judgeship.  Jeb Bush's clemency board denied clemency to Bollenback.  Bush was simply backing up his appointee, Judge Howard.  Bush was hardly going to grant clemency to Bollenback and confirm that he had made a bad appointment with Howard.  Bollenback was steamrolled by the system.

[smazza]

The best punishment for these guys would be for Heath to make them stay behind as the team heads to Brazil.

I wouldn't go that far, but if I were Coach Heath, I would call the manager of the Village Inn and have both Fitzpatrick and Burwell work two or three nights in the dish pit.  Pays off their meal, punishes them for their actions, and teaches them what they could be doing the rest of their life if they throw it away by doing something stupid.

how about heath pays and these guys dont get punished anymore

they have been punished enough

Sorry Smazza, but they have not.  As a business owner who is trying to keep the lights on during these tough times, I cannot disagree more with you.  What they did was steal.  It was only $29 you feel, but that $29 was to pay for the food, the prep, the waitress, the lights, mortgage, and maintenance.  These two should lose their free ride, which to me now is another theft, since they do not appreciate my hard earned money that is supporting their asses for 4+ years. 

The fact is they were unlucky in their eyes that two cops were sitting there and witnessed it.  My thoughts further on this is they probably gave the cops some lip when they were stopped and that is why they got the free ride and souvenir pictures.  They get meals paid by us on campus, if they do not have $30 in their pocket go eat at the commissary.

sure they should lose scholarship worth over 70k for a 29 dollar tab

hahahahahaha

you sir have no sense of fairness

[beastiebull]

$29 at the village inn? What where they eating? Those are some expensive pancakes.

Apparently you guys aren't 6'10 260 lb 20 year olds who woork out every day. 

[Guest Sunburned]

Jeb Bush appointed Howard to the circuit judgeship.  Jeb Bush's clemency board denied clemency to Bollenback.  Bush was simply backing up his appointee, Judge Howard.  Bush was hardly going to grant clemency to Bollenback and confirm that he had made a bad appointment with Howard.  Bollenback was steamrolled by the system.

He was denied clemency in February  2010, more than 3 years after Jeb Bush's term as Florida's Governor ended.