Michael Phelps investigated for drugs
By Alexandra Heilbron on February 4, 2009 | 21 Comments
Michael Phelps made headlines when a photo of him smoking marijuana using a bong was published, but now it appears he may be in legal hot water. The 23-year-old Olympic swimming champ apologized for the photo, but a South Carolina sheriff says that Phelps may face charges. “If someone breaks the law in Richland County, we have an obligation as law enforcement to investigate and to bring charges,” Sheriff Leon Lott Jr. said in a statement to People.com. “The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is making an effort to determine if Mr. Phelps broke the law,” continued Lott. “If he did, he will be charged in the same manner as anyone else. The Sheriff has a responsibility to be fair, to enforce the law and to not turn a blind eye because someone is a celebrity.” Phelps, who won eight gold medals at the Beijing Games, verified the authenticity of the picture published in News of the World in a statement to Entertainment Tonight.
Like I said before, there is no law against being stupid. In other words, he should have denied the photo!
I somewhat disagree.
I agree that he shouldn’t be forgotten by the law for being a “celebrity” but at least he had the courage to do what’s right and to apologize, something many people wouldn’t be willing to do.
Even if he was just doing it for his coach, parents or sponsors or whoever, I still give him kudos for going through with the apology.
I think it was very responsible of him to own up to the picture. But I don’t understand how someone can be charged for something if they were not directly caught doing it.
He did a srtupid thing that will cost him money. He said he was sorry so why go after him unless yo want tom make a name for yourself. There are child molesters out there and going after them should be priority.
I do agree with you Casey…TOTALLY! The reason why I gave my opinion as above is because I am an ‘honest’ person and it is the honest people who get sh!t on everytime!! So, if he were to deny the photo, then the onus would be on them to prove otherwise and with todays technologies and ‘celebrity’ look-a-likes I think I would have to tell them “good luck with that!”
Only in America It’s just a little bud for crying out loud,puff it or pass it.
If he did pot for pleasure, I’m sure he did steroids for business.
Adam I agree with you. The authority don’t have actual proof. Please move on with other news about celebrities.
The one drug that’s never killed anyone..meanwhile, booze and cigarettes continue to kill thousands upon thousands.
It’s weed not heroin and he isn’t diddling little boys so who CARES!!!
And just for this article i’m going to smoke a bong before class.
ps. I’m a straight A student and smoke before class everyday.
Adam your joking right? You don’t understand how he could be charged if he wasn’t caught in the act?
There’s evidence that he broke the law. If theres a picture of me killing a woman, but I wasn’t caught in the act, I shouldn’t be charged? Same thing. For a less extreme example, if theres a picture of me driving while drinking a beer I shouldn’t be charged unless the police pulled me over at the time?
It truely is as simple as do the crime, do the time.
Now do you understand?
Actually, when people die of smoking related diseases, it could be from cigarettes or mj. There’s no way to tell, but the carcinogens are just as lethal.
Thats the problem, yuck. It shouldn’t be a crime in the first place. I don’t want to get into a political debate, but the government is overstepping their bounds and sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong.
FAKE weed is a plant so it rely a herb not drug
He has a responsiblity to be a role model for the swimmers who will follow him, the young kids that idolize him and for the country that backed him and supported him throughout his hard-earned career. He let everyone down. It’s tough being in the public eye but if you are, you have a responsiblity to be of good character. What you do says more about who you are than what you say. He also deserves to be convicted of the crime that he comitted like every citizen. Protect the laws, not the culprits.
He doesn’t have a responsibility to anyone but himself. This is a waste of taxpayers dollars, and the time of law enforcement agencies. If you believe in the criminalization of cannabis, you must theoretically believe in the criminalization of tobacco and alcohol too.
Protect the rights, not the ignorance.
Sure, David, we’ll leave all you “ignorants” alone now.
the only time you come “..on” here is to fire off lame one liners attempting to insult people.
do you ever have anything of value to add to the discussions? surprise us…
sure, you are ignorant too!
wow…huge surprise