Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley has an arraignment scheduled for Thursday morning in Mobile, Alabama. On Wednesday, Fairley's lawyer, Sid Harrell, filed an appearance on Fairley's behalf, according to the Detroit Free Press. Harrell told the Free Press that Fairley is planning to plead not guilty to a charge of driving under the influence, as well as a charge of attempting to elude police. The two charges stem from Fairley's Memorial Day weekend arrest.
My first thought was that by pleading not guilty, Fairley will have a better chance of later getting a plea deal and ending up with lesser charges. However, Fairley's lawyer says he isn't sure right now if a plea deal will be on the table.
"I’ve not seen everything," Harrell said. "I still haven’t talked to the troopers. I don’t know every fact. It’s still in an investigative stage."
If Fairley wants to avoid a suspension from the NFL, he is probably going to have to be cleared of these charges. It's still possible he could be suspended anyway, but considering he is also dealing with a marijuana possession charge, his chances of not being suspended aren't looking good.
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