Jason Kidd Pleads Guilty To 2012 Charge Of Driving While Intoxicated

On Tuesday, July 17 2013, former NBA star and current head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, Jason Kidd, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drunk driving charge. The charge stemmed from an incident that had occurred during the summer of 2012 when Kidd struck a telephone pole in the Hamptons community of Water Mill, NY.

As part of the plea agreement, Kidd will fulfill a community service obligation by speaking to Long Island high school students about the dangers of driving while under the influence.

Once he completes his community service requirements, Kidd will be given the opportunity to return to court on September 30 and exchange his guilty plea from driving while intoxicated to the lesser charge of driving while impaired. His license will also be suspended for 90 days.

While some, like representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, do not believe the punishment was severe enough; Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota spoke out in favor of the ruling. “He’s a role model to kids and other people. And he’s going to have the opportunity to talk to them about the foolish mistake that he made and the fact that he took responsibility for his actions,” Spota said outside court. “That is for me more important than three years’ probation.”

As for whether or not this transgression will influence Kidd’s standing with the Brooklyn Nets organization, it seems unlikely that it will have any affect. While Kidd has remained silent throughout the ordeal, the Nets General Manager, Billy King, released the following statement: “Jason has taken responsibility for his actions, and fully realizes that he needs to grow from this experience. We are confident he will make these strides on a personal level, and have a positive effect on others as well.”