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Fooch's Update: Cam Inman is tweeting from the courtroom. He is reporting Aldon Smith has plead no contest to the guns/DUI charges
#49ers Aldon Smith pleads no contest to gun/DUI charges.
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) May 21, 2014
Fooch's Update #2
Aldon Smith says "Yes your honor" about 15 times in response to questions about waiving rights to hearing on no contest pleas
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) May 21, 2014
Fooch's Update #3
#49ers Aldon Smith pleads "no contest" to 3 felony weapons charges, 1 misdemeanor DUI. Admits BAC was 0.15 or more
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) May 21, 2014
Fooch's Update #4
Aldon Smith sentencing set for July 25, about time #49ers training camp starts
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) May 21, 2014
Tracey Kaplan is reporting San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith has reached a plea deal on his DUI/weapons charges. She said details would be forthcoming, and I'll update this post as we hear more details. She tweeted that a source indicated Smith was at the court filling out plea paperwork, and he will enter a guilty or no contest plea within the hour.
Smith was facing three felony weapons possession charges connected to the house party a couple summers ago, and one DUI charge from last September. A potential plea deal is what we've felt would happen all along. As socalisteph discussed last fall, the gun charges always felt a bit dubious in nature. The charges likely helped provide some leverage in getting a plea figured out.
Once we figure out what kind of legal punishment Smith faces, the next step will be what the league does. The NFL has said they would wait until the case was wrapped up, and a plea deal will close the door on the case. Roger Goodell has acknowledged that Aldon Smith's stay in rehab would be a factor in considering any league punishment, but he could still face some punishment. The LAX thing is turning out to be a bit of a non-story to some degree, but that does not mean the NFL won't factor it in to what they do. My guess is he faces a 2-4 game suspension, but it's difficult to figure out for certain.