South Carolina doctor James Shortt, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally prescribe steroids and human growth hormone to members of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, has been sentenced to a year and a day in jail. In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped 42 other related charges against Shortt, charges for which the maximum penalties were five years in jail and a $250,000 fine.
This appears to be the end of a story that has been brewing since late last winter and on through last summer when Dr. Shortt appeared on Bob Costas’ HBO show, and I’ve been covering this story from the beginning.
Since by definition a conspiracy is “an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime or accomplish a legal purpose through illegal action” why aren’t any of the Carolina Panthers who were involved in this conspiracy being sent to the hoosegow along with Dr. Shortt?
There are tape-recorded conversations between Dr. Shortt and several Carolina Panthers in which the doctor tells the players how they can beat league-conducted drug tests. How is it that the players alleged to be involved with Dr. Shortt – Todd Sauerbrun, Jeff Mitchell, Todd Steussie, Kevin Donnally, and Wesley Walls – are not being penalized for their role in this conspiracy?
And if these guys aren’t the players who were involved with Dr. Shortt, who are the guys? Why aren’t there any players going to jail for their part in this “conspiracy?”
Can one person be involved in a conspiracy to provide something for someone else, but there not be any “someone elses" involved?
Does anyone think that it’s just a coincidence that Sauerbrun got busted for violating the league’s ban on ephedra and as a result is suspended for the first month of this season?
Unless players get punished for their role in this “conspiracy” the public should have little faith in the NFL’s ability and willingness to make sure that all their players are abiding by the rules. If Dr. Shortt is the only person to get punished as a result of this incident, the NFL cannot be believed when they say that they are trying to run a clean league.
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
"a conspiracy is “an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime or accomplish a legal purpose through illegal action”
I guess we should be demanding those two Panthers cheerleaders be tried for conspiracy, right?
2 - sal m
a) the panther cheerleaders did face justice as they were made to feel the wrath of the penal code.
b) they were very cute.
3 - Matt Chaney
The NFL slides by once again on the problem of muscle doping, in time-honored fashion; decades of so-called "isolated" cases will continue. And football as a whole, prep, collegiate and pro, will continue nurturing gargantuan physiques, en masse and dangerously. Fine commentary, Sal. Stay on it; young footballers everywhere need your voice here.
4 - sal m
matt:
well said...
and for as much of a boob as selig can be, at least he jumped on the grimsley situation and suspended the guy.
we have heard ZERO from the NFL on this story.
5 - Hairynipples
Outgoing commish won't touch it. Waiting for the "new" guy or Hillary Clinton (maybe a new guy soon?) to weigh in. Paul T. can't get out quick enough - did anyone check his office? Under the desk?
Do need more cheerleader activity.