Teal Deals for Less Prison Time

A one-time professional basketball prospect apologized for blowing a series of second chances Tuesday and struck a plea deal to limit his potential prison term to 30 years for drug crimes.

Bill Teal, 24, lost a chance to play for the powerhouse University of Arkansas Razorbacks when he was convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman at gunpoint in 1991. When he was released early from a six-year prison term, a basketball scholarship was waiting for him at St. Petersburg Junior College.

But Teal went on to test positive for marijuana on a random drug test. A judge and the school gave him another second chance when defense lawyer Bjorn Brunvand convinced them the pot was smoked while Teal was still in prison. Teal’s last chance for a college education was finally lost last summer when he was caught selling crack cocaine.

Tampa Tribune – Tampa, Fla.
Author: David Sommer