Bronco mom to be free thanks to Obama order
DEMARYIUS THOMAS received some good news Monday and it had nothing to do with his contract stalemate with the Denver Broncos: his mother is getting out of prison early.
President Barack Obama cut the prison sentences of 46 non-violent drug offenders, and one of them was Katina Smith, who has been incarcerated in Georgia since 2000.
She and her mother, Minnie Pearl Thomas, were arrested on drug trafficking charges in 1999 when Thomas was 11 years old.
Smith was scheduled to be released in 2017. Now, she’ll be released on Nov. 10.
Smith had declined to testify against her mother in exchange for a reduced sentence. Her mother received a life sentence as a multiple offender.
After his mother and grandmother were jailed, Thomas went to live with an uncle and aunt. Also helping to raise him was their oldest daughter, Angela Spencer, now 37.
“We are very happy that she is going to be free. It’s time for her to be a part of Demaryius’ life,” Spencer said. “No matter how your situation goes in life, everybody needs their mother. It’s time for her to be out from behind bars and into his life.”
Denver’s star receiver and the Broncos have until Wednesday to work out a longterm contract or Thomas will play this season on a $12.8 million franchise tag.
Thomas skipped all of the Broncos’ offseason workouts to the chagrin of general manager John Elway, who said he wanted Thomas to work out with the team so he could adjust to new coach Gary Kubiak’s offense.
Quarterback Peyton Manning said last month that he wished Thomas had been in Denver for offseason workouts, too, but also wanted his top target to get what he deserves in a new contract.
EX-TEXAN STILL MISSING
Authorities are searching for a former Houston Texans receiver who fell out of a rented boat during a family outing at a Dallas-area lake.
The Collin County Sheriff’s Office says 37-year-old JaJuan Dawson wasn’t wearing a lifejacket Sunday night when he fell into Lavon Lake, near Wylie.
Sheriff’s Lt. Chris Havey says it’s unclear why Dawson fell overboard, but alcohol isn’t considered a factor. Havey says murky waters are hindering the search.
Dawson was a 6-foot-1, 197-pound receiver from Houston’s Bourgeois High School by way of Tulane who went on to a three-year NFL career. He spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons with Cleveland and 2002 with Houston. He had 52 catches for 664 yards and two touchdowns in his pro career.
JOHNNY FOOTBALL DAY
About 350 fans paid at least $125 each to meet former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel as he prepares for his second NFL season.
The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner appeared Sunday at Aggieland Outfitters in College Station.
The Eagle newspaper reported that Manziel hosted his first public autograph signing session since being drafted last year by Cleveland. The paper said Manziel’s licensing agent, Panini Authentic, oversaw the sold-out event that cost fans between $125 and $155 per ticket, depending on the size of the item being signed.
Manziel had a lengthy stay at an alcohol and drug treatment center this year after a rocky rookie season in Cleveland.