Pittsburgh Steelers receiver and Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes was arraigned this week on a misdemeanor marijuana charge he picked up after a traffic stop in October.
Holmes’ attorney indicated that he planned to challenge the constitutionality of the stop, but did not elaborate. He said that he would be filing a suppression motion. If a judge finds the traffic stop was illegal or unconstitutional, then any evidence seized as a result would be suppressed and unavailable to the prosecution for trial. No drugs in evidence would equal no prosecutable drug charges.
Pittsburgh police said they found three marijuana-filled cigars in Holmes’ car when he was pulled over. Holmes was stopped because his car was similar to one they were looking for in a drug sting. The police report indicated that Holmes was cooperative and alerted officers to the drugs.
The marijuana charge is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine. No trial date has been set on the recent charge, but a pretrial conference was scheduled for May 22 in Allegheny County Court.
