Latest news with #HunterSr.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Time of India
'You're almost arguing for special treatment': Judge declines Travis Hunter Sr.'s request to reduce sentence despite son's NFL success
Travis Hunter (via Getty Images) Travis Hunter Sr., the father of Jacksonville Jaguars first-rounder Travis Hunter Jr., was denied a legal motion to lessen his criminal sentence in Florida, despite allegations that doing so would enable him to fund his son's growing National Football League (NFL) career. Palm Beach County Judge Howard Coates dismissed the motion, indicating it seemed to request 'special treatment' because the younger Hunter stands out in professional football. Judge holds NFL affiliation does not warrant leniency for Travis Hunter Sr. Travis Hunter gets a message from his dad 🩵 Palm Beach County's courtroom witnessed a high-profile hearing in court on Tuesday as Travis Hunter Sr. asked for a reduction in the community control supervision aspect of his sentence, following a 2023 arrest on drug and gun charges. His lawyer, Bradford Cohen, contended that Hunter Sr. now had stable housing and employment at his disposal by having his son, Travis Hunter Jr., who just signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars following a stellar college football career at Colorado, including a Heisman Trophy victory. But Judge Howard Coates questioned the motion. Even as he noted the younger Hunter's accomplishment, he doubted the justice of relaxing the terms of a sentence simply because a family member is famous. 'This is special treatment,' Coates said at the hearing, USA Today reported. Hunter Sr. was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years of probation, one year under community control supervision, which is a type of house arrest. He earlier pleaded guilty to possession of drugs and possession of a firearm illegally as a convicted felon, connected to a traffic stop in Lantana, Florida, where the police found a pistol, drugs, and a loaded magazine in his car. While Travis Hunter Jr.'s quick ascent—from Colorado Buffaloes star to No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick—has generated national interest, the judge was adamant that judicial decisions cannot be swayed. 'I hear these circumstances have changed, you know, my hat's off to his son,' Coates said. 'I don't know that changes the father's situation for me. In fact, it's given me some concern that you're almost arguing for special treatment. ' Cohen stood by his argument, pointing to shifts in Hunter Sr.'s living arrangements and access to employment. 'I'm not, judge, and I'll tell you why,' Cohen said. 'If someone was to win the lottery and someone was to get a new job, if someone was to move to a different neighborhood, all those situational changes aren't asking for favoritism whatsoever. What I'm saying is his situation has changed in that his son is able to employ him. His son is able to give him stable housing and a stable environment. Those things are not asking for special treatment, judge. Those are simply issues that arose that changed the situation of an individual.' In spite of the denial, the court did grant a temporary exception: an exception for Hunter Sr. to go to Tennessee for his son's wedding that was going to be held soon. He had already been given permission to travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin, for the 2025 NFL Draft at which Travis Hunter Jr. was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars following a trade with the Cleveland Browns. Also read: Travis Hunter's fall sends shock online but Dez Bryant breaks silence he court's decision highlights a clear demarcation line between personal achievement and judicial equity. As much as Travis Hunter Jr. is perhaps one of the brightest young stars of the NFL, Judge Howard Coates was adamant that his father's legal responsibilities should always remain in line with the law, irrespective of his son's growing popularity. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida Judge denies Travis Hunter Sr. "special treatment" request, allows son's wedding
A Florida judge has denied a motion by Travis Hunter Sr., father of NFL rookie and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter Jr., to ease restrictions on his community control supervision, according to a report by Yahoo Sports' Jason Owens. Hunter Sr's sentence stems from gun and drug possession charges. The judge ruled that the request appeared to seek 'special treatment' due to Hunter Jr.'s high-profile football career. Advertisement Through a plea agreement, Hunter Sr. received a sentence of 90 days in jail and three years of probation, with one year under community control supervision, which is essentially house arrest unless exceptions are granted by the court. His attorney, Bradford Cohen, argued that circumstances had changed, as Hunter Jr. could now employ his father and provide stable housing. Cohen tried to explain that this wasn't a plea for special treatment, but a legitimate reconsideration based on new personal and financial stability. However, Judge Howard Coates saw the situation differently. 'It's given me some concern that you're almost arguing for special treatment,' he told Cohen, rejecting the request. The Judge stated that the public might view granting any request as favoritism due to Hunter Jr.'s fame. 'Probably 99 percent of the public out there that doesn't have an athlete's son who's incredibly successful, might look at this and say, 'This sounds like special treatment for the athlete's father,'' he said. Advertisement Hunter Sr. was released from jail in December 2023 and missed his son's Heisman Trophy ceremony but was later granted permission to attend the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay. Related: Where Colorado Buffaloes QB room lands in ESPN's rankings The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Hunter Jr. with the No. 2 overall pick last month. He become the highest drafted cornerback and second-highest drafted wide receiver in NFL history. Related: Five-star recruit sends clear message to Deion Sanders after Colorado visit Despite denying the alteration of his sentence reduction, the judge did grant a travel exception for Hunter Sr. to attend his son's upcoming wedding in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Saturday
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Florida judge denies request by father of Jags' Travis Hunter
Hunter Sr., 39, is about halfway through the community control portion of his sentence stemming from gun and drug charges, according to his court filing. He received permission from the court to travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin, in April to attend the NFL draft with his son. "In this case, he's not only been successful in community control - he's completed everything that he had in community control," Hunter Sr.'s attorney, Bradford Cohen, told the judge. "And what's so important to me is that his situation has changed." "You say that, but what's going on with his son has not changed the landscape," Judge Howard Coates said in a public hearing in Palm Beach County that also was viewable online. In a separate ruling Tuesday, Judge Coates did grant permission for Hunter Sr. to travel to Tennessee this coming weekend to attend Hunter Jr.'s wedding there Saturday. Hunter Jr., the two-way star from Colorado, is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars after winning the Heisman Trophy in December. The judge just didn't want to modify Hunter Sr.'s sentence beyond these occasional special trips. Judge questions 'special treatment' The judge noted that Hunter Sr.'s sentence came from a plea deal last year that was agreed to by the state and Hunter Sr. It included 90 days in jail and three years of probation, including one year in community control supervision. Community control in Florida is defined as an intensive supervision program in which defendants are confined to their homes unless they are working or attending approved activities, according to the judge questioned why it should be changed simply because of his son's success. "I hear these circumstances have changed, you know, my hat's off to his son," the judge said. "I don't know that changes the father's situation for me. In fact, it's given me some concern that you're almost arguing for special treatment." "I'm not, judge, and I'll tell you why," Cohen said. "If someone was to win the lottery and someone was to get a new job, if someone was to move to a different neighborhood, all those situational changes aren't asking for favoritism whatsoever. What I'm saying is his situation has changed in that his son is able to employ him. His son is able to give him stable housing and a stable environment. Those things are not asking for special treatment, judge. Those are simply issues that arose that changed the situational of an individual." The judge didn't buy it. The state prosecutor also objected to the request while Hunter Sr. looked on in court. "That's not special treatment; I'm not looking at that," Cohen said. "So say you, but probably 99 percent of the public out there that doesn't have an athlete son who's incredibly successful, might look at this and say, 'This sounds like special treatment for the athlete's father,'" the judge replied. The Lil Wayne connections to this case Hunter Sr. is understandably trying to improve his situation through his son's connections and budding pro football career. He is represented by attorney Bradford Cohen, a former contestant on "The Apprentice" who helped secure a gun-charge pardon from President Donald Trump for rapper Lil Wayne in 2021. Lil Wayne is a friend of Hunter Jr. and Deion Sanders, Hunter Jr.'s coach at Colorado. Lil Wayne also attended Hunter Jr.'s Heisman Trophy ceremony in December when Hunter Jr. talked about his dad not being there, telling his father he loved him and that "I did it for you, man." In another connection, Hunter Jr.'s agent is Adie Van Gontard, who co-founded with Lil Wayne the sports agency that enlists Hunter Jr. as a client. What happened with Travis Hunter Sr.? It stems from an incident in Lantana, Florida, in November 2023, when Hunter Sr. was pulled over by police after the officer said he didn't have "any lights for the tag" on his car, according to the police report. Police identified him as a habitual traffic offender with no driver's license and subjected him to a search that allegedly found drugs and a backpack with a pistol and loaded magazine, according to court records. Cohen said there were "issues" with the underlying case against Hunter Sr., implying the plea deal he agreed to was made by prosecutors to move the case along. Hunter Sr., a former high school sports star in Palm Beach County, ended up being charged with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon after a prior conviction in 2018 for "sale or possession of heroin with intent to sell." Hunter Sr. reached a plea deal last year to plead guilty to drug possession and the gun charge, leading to a sentence of 90 days in jail. He got released on Dec. 5, just nine days before the Heisman ceremony in New York. He also was sentenced to three years of probation, including one year of community control supervision, which was the subject of the hearing Tuesday. Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Judge denies request by Travis Hunter's dad to lighten criminal sentence to help son with football career: 'Sounds like special treatment'
A Florida judge has denied a request by Travis Hunter's father to lighten the community control supervision portion of a criminal sentence for gun and drug possession charges while declaring that it appeared that he was seeking "special treatment" because his son is a football star. Travis Hunter Sr. is the father of the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie. Per a police report cited by USA Today, Hunter Sr., 39, was pulled over for not having "any lights for the tag" on his car in Lantana, Florida, in November 2023. Police say they found drugs, a pistol and a loaded magazine upon searching Hunter Sr.'s car, per USA Today. Per the report, police say that they engaged in the search after identifying Hunter Sr. as a habitual traffic offender who was driving without a license. Hunter Sr. pleaded guilty to drug possession and a gun charge after being charged with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He was previously convicted in 2018 for sale or possession of heroin with intent to sell, per USA Today. Hunter Sr. was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years of probation, including one year in community control supervision via a plea deal. He's currently serving the community control supervision portion of his sentence in Florida, which confines him to his home unless he's working or attending an activity approved by the state. Hunter Jr. is a two-way football star who won the Heisman Trophy at Colorado last season and is now a member of the the Jaguars, who selected him with the No. 2 pick in April's NFL Draft. Hunter Sr.'s lawyer, Bradford Cohen, argued before Judge Howard Coates in a Palm Beach County Court on Tuesday that Hunter Sr.'s circumstances had changed in that his son is able to employ him. Cohen requested a less restrictive sentence for Hunter Sr. so that he could 'assist his son with furthering his very promising career with the National Football League." Per USA Today, Coates responded to Cohen that it appeared he was seeking special treatment for his client because of his son's status. 'I hear these circumstances have changed, you know, my hat's off to his son,' Coates said. 'I don't know that changes the father's situation for me. In fact, it's given me some concern that you're almost arguing for special treatment.' Cohen declared that he was not seeking special treatment. 'I'm not, judge, and I'll tell you why,' Cohen said. 'If someone was to win the lottery and someone was to get a new job, if someone was to move to a different neighborhood, all those situational changes aren't asking for favoritism whatsoever. "What I'm saying is his situation has changed in that his son is able to employ him. His son is able to give him stable housing and a stable environment. Those things are not asking for special treatment, judge. Those are simply issues that arose that changed the situation of an individual.' Coates denied the request while continuing to declare that Cohen was arguing for special treatment. 'So say you, but probably 99 percent of the public out there that doesn't have an athlete son who's incredibly successful, might look at this and say, 'This sounds like special treatment for the athlete's father,'" Coates said. Hunter Sr. was released from the jail portion of his sentence on Dec. 5, nine days before Hunter Jr. was named the Heisman Trophy winner at a ceremony in New York. Hunter Sr. was not permitted to attend the ceremony while serving the beginning of his community control supervision sentence. A court did permit Hunter Sr. to attend the NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where the Jaguars traded up with the Cleveland Browns to select Hunter Jr. with the No. 2 pick. On Tuesday, Coates granted Hunter Sr. permission to travel to Tennessee to attend Hunter Jr.'s wedding on Saturday.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Judge denies request by Travis Hunter's dad to lighten criminal sentence to help son with football career: 'Sounds like special treatment'
A Florida judge has denied a request by Travis Hunter's father to lighten the community control supervision portion of a criminal sentence for gun and drug possession charges while declaring that it appeared that he was seeking "special treatment" because his son is a football star. Travis Hunter Sr. is the father of the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie. Per a police report cited by USA Today, Hunter Sr., 39, was pulled over for not having "any lights for the tag" on his car in Lantana, Florida in November 2023. Police say they found drugs, a pistol and a loaded magazine upon searching Hunter Sr.'s car, per USA Today. Per the report, police say that they engaged in the search after identifying Hunter Sr. as a habitual traffic offender who was driving without a license. Hunter Sr. pleaded guilty to drug possession and a drug charge after being charged with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He was previously convicted in 2018 for sale or possession of heroin with intent to sell, per USA Today. Hunter Sr. was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years of probation, including one year in community control supervision via a plea deal. He's currently serving the community control supervision portion of his sentence in Florida, which confines him to his home unless he's working or attending an activity approved by the state. Hunter Jr. is a two-way football star who won the Heisman Trophy at Colorado last season and is now a member of the the Jaguars, who selected him with the No. 2 pick in April's NFL Draft. Hunter Sr.'s lawyer, Bradford Cohen argued before Judge Howard Coates in a Palm Beach County Court on Tuesday that Hunter Sr.'s circumstances had changed in that his son was able to employ him. Cohen requested a less restrictive sentence for Hunter Sr. so that he could 'assist his son with furthering his very promising career with the National Football League." Per USA Today, Coates responded to Cohen that it appeared that he was seeking special treatment for his client because of his son's status. 'I hear these circumstances have changed, you know, my hat's off to his son,' Coates said. 'I don't know that changes the father's situation for me. In fact, it's given me some concern that you're almost arguing for special treatment.' Cohen declared that he was not seeking special treatment. 'I'm not, judge, and I'll tell you why,' Cohen said. 'If someone was to win the lottery and someone was to get a new job, if someone was to move to a different neighborhood, all those situational changes aren't asking for favoritism whatsoever. "What I'm saying is his situation has changed in that his son is able to employ him. His son is able to give him stable housing and a stable environment. Those things are not asking for special treatment, judge. Those are simply issues that arose that changed the situational of an individual.' Coates denied the request while continuing to declare that Cohen was arguing for special treatment. 'So say you, but probably 99 percent of the public out there that doesn't have an athlete son who's incredibly successful, might look at this and say, 'This sounds like special treatment for the athlete's father,'" Coates said. Hunter Sr. was released from the jail portion of his sentence on Dec. 5, nine days before Hunter Jr. was named the Heisman Trophy winner at a ceremony in New York. Hunter Sr. was not permitted to attend the ceremony while serving the beginning of his community control supervision sentence. A court did permit Hunter Sr. to attend the NFL Draft in Green Bay Wisconsin, where the Jaguars traded up with the Cleveland Browns to select Hunter Jr. with the No. 2 pick. On Tuesday, Coates granted Hunter Sr. permission to travel to Tennessee to attend Hunter Jr.'s wedding on Saturday.
