Saints DE Grant practices; to turn himself in
editor1 |May 22,2008
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NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- New Orleans Saints defensive end
Charles Grant practiced Wednesday and then headed to Georgia to
turn himself in to authorities on a charge of involuntary
manslaughter.
Grant was among seven men indicted on the involuntary
manslaughter charge stemming from an incident outside an Atlanta
nightclub, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
The 29-year-old Grant was stabbed in the neck at a nightclub in
Blakely, Georgia on February 3 during an altercation that took
the life of 23-year-old Korynda Reed.
"It's something that we take very seriously and certainly our
condolences go out to the family," Saints coach Sean Payton
said. "The most important thing is the justice system taking
its process, something that the league will handle and certainly
the state of Georgia will handle."
Payton said he expects Grant to return to New Orleans on Friday
and continue working out with the team.
"The bottom line is that they are very serious charges and we're
going to support him right now, do our best to help him, help
the league and helped the state of Georgia with their
investigation," Payton said. "I know Charles has been available
and made an effort to do everything just as they want.
Certainly that would be our advice to him and it becomes a
league and state matter right now. Obviously the seriousness of
it is the death of an individual."
Reed, a pregnant bystander, was killed by a stray bullet during
the melee. Grant was also charged with a misdemeanor for
fighting that night.
Grant's attorney Edward Tolley told the newspaper that the star
defensive end will plead not guilty when he turns himself in.
In February, the Times reported that the Earl County Sheriff's
office believed Grant was nothing more than a victim in the
fracas.
Grant is coming off a tough season in which he registered a
career-low 2 1/2 sacks and played most of the season with a torn
ligament in his left ankle.
A first-round pick in 2002, Grant signed a seven-year deal in
April that could be worth as much as $63 million. Grant has
recorded 354 tackles and 38 1/2 sacks with 15 forced fumbles in
94 games with New Orleans.
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