(You should see the other guy.)
Although I thought George’s critique of Jeremy Stephens was a bit harsh, I must admit that I was similarly both impressed and a little put off by Dana White’s insistence that Stephens was not only a pawn in a vast Iowa-based conspiracy, but would in fact be fighting last Friday despite what us dumbass media types were saying [Ed note: Ironically, I took DW at his word and ended up looking like a dumbass]. Dana White’s loyalty to his fighters is admirable, but when you sweep a felony assault charge under the rug like it’s a parking ticket, you might just be sticking your neck out a little far is all I’m saying.
In either case, “Lil’ Heathen” is still stuck behind bars with bail set at a staggering $100,000. Now, I’m not a lawyer and I don’t play one on TV, but that kind of figure should be a good indication as to how serious this assault charge is. That is Law & Order triple homicide bail right there, people. Stephens will be extradited to Iowa on Tuesday to appear in court at approximately 1:30 p.m.
Stephens’ management, Evolution Agents, recently released the following statement regarding Jeremy’s side of the story. And although it’s still way too early (for me, at least) to choose sides, if the events transpired as this release claims they did, then Stephens’ is truly on the wrong end of some bullshit.
In response to the recent arrest and allegations regarding Jeremy Stephens we would like to take this opportunity to reach out to his supporters and clarify some of the information that has been circulating in the media.
In 2011, Jeremy was attending a homecoming party in Des Moines, Iowa. A person in attendance became intoxicated and disorderly, and was asked to leave by the owner of the establishment. The intoxicated individual subsequently became involved in a physical altercation with another person at the event. We have learned that, as the featured guest at the party, Jeremy’s name came up during the police investigation of the assault.
Prior to being detained the morning of October 5, 2012, in Minneapolis, Jeremy had never been arrested in connection with the assault, contacted about any possible charge and or notified about any outstanding warrant by mail or any other means. Jeremy has lived at the same residence in San Diego and has maintained the same phone number for the past year or more. Jeremy also uses social media to provide updates on his training, and to thank fans, supporters, sponsors, and the UFC. In short, Jeremy is not a hard guy to find, which can be seen at www.LilHeathenMMA.com.
At this time, we do not know why Polk County (Iowa) authorities waited to have a warrant served on Jeremy until the morning of his fight. He arrived in Minnesota four days earlier, stayed at the hotel with other fighters for the event, and attended the public weigh-in on Thursday afternoon. Because he was arrested so close to the time of the fight, arrangements for his release could not be made in time for him to compete despite the diligent efforts of the UFC. Minnesota state officials were great to deal with, but Polk County kept changing the deal making it impossible to get Jeremy released.
It will take some time for this unfortunate situation to be resolved. We ask that everyone be patient and wait for the truth to come out. We also would like to thank Jeremy’s fans who are standing by him during this tough time and especially Dana White and the staff at UFC for their incredible display of support for Jeremy throughout the ordeal.
There is nothing to hide, so we will keep everyone updated as things progress.
So what do you think, Potato Nation? Does the state of Iowa have a price on Stephens’ head, or is it simply too early to tell?