Gilbert Arenas Gun Case: Wizards' Coach Flip Saunders Meets with Federal Grand Jury
The Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas remains under investigation after allegedly bringing firearms to the team's locker room at the Verizon Center.
Now, Wizards coach Flip Saunders says he met with a federal grand jury regarding the Gilbert Arenas gun investigation and indicated that players on his team have also met with authorities, the Associated Press reports.
In addition, three members of the Washington Wizards have met with authorities concerning the Gilbert Arenas gun investigation. According to the AP, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson had to miss practice to answer questions.
As previously reported, Arenas along with his Washington Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton are accused of weapons violations in the team's locker room during a reported dispute over a poker debt.
Since then, Arenas was banned indefinitely by the NBA and is under federal investigation.
The Metropolitan Police Department, federal prosecutors and a grand jury are all weighing possible action against Arenas because he took four handguns from his home in Virginia to the Wizards' locker room, stored them there, then deployed them in an ill-advised confrontation with a teammate that Arenas has now described as a ''misguided effort to play a joke.''
TMZ also reports, three Washington Wizards players -- including captain Antawn Jamison -- were to testify before a grand jury in the Gilbert Arenas/Javaris Crittenton gun case. According to the site, Arenas has already been called in by the U.S. Attorney but he made it clear he would not testify on grounds of self-incrimination. According to TMZ, Crittenton has lawyered up and took the same position as Arenas.
The NBA rules forbid players from bringing guns to league facilities or when travelling on league business.
Four other Wizards players have been fined for making light of the situation prior to a game last week. According to the Associated Press, the players were fined $10,000 apiece for participating in a pregame skit that mocked Arenas' gunplay.
According to District of Columbia's attorney general's office, felony charges would be applicable, if Arenas were determined to have used a gun in a threatening manner.
- Washington's Gun Past Affects Arenas's Future (New York Times)
- Wizards' Arenas suspended indefinitely as new details emerge in gun incident (Washington Post)
- The Gilbert Arenas purge continues (DC Sports Blog)
- Crittenton may face grand jury this week, source says (Washington Examiner)