BURLINGTON, Ky. (AP) -Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph pleaded not guilty Monday to possession of marijuana. Joseph was scheduled for another hearing on Feb. 22 in Boone County District Court. The first-round draft pick made his first court appearance since his arrest Jan. 22 on the misdemeanor charge. He was the ninth Bengals player arrested in a nine-month span. Joseph was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped in northern Kentucky for erratic driving. A sheriff's deputy detected an odor of marijuana, and Joseph told him that he had a bag of marijuana in his Super Bowl backpack, according to the police report. He was arrested after the marijuana was found in the backpack, according to the report. His arrest came two weeks after Bengals coach Marvin Lewis announced he would crack down on players' misbehavior. Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. |
