*Thomas Passmann Enters Not Guilty Plea - Printable Version +- [DEV] ISFL Forums (http://dev.sim-football.com/forums) +-- Forum: Community (http://dev.sim-football.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=5) +--- Forum: Media (http://dev.sim-football.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=37) +---- Forum: Graded Articles (http://dev.sim-football.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=38) +---- Thread: *Thomas Passmann Enters Not Guilty Plea (/showthread.php?tid=20964)

*Thomas Passmann Enters Not Guilty Plea - StamkosFan - 04-09-2020 Thomas Passmann pled not guilty today to the charges of first-degree murder that have been filed against him. Due to the pandemic sweeping the globe, the proceedings occurred online rather than in person. There is talk of the trial occurring online, by a video conferencing system such as Skype. With Passmann still free and able to commit harm, investigators feel the need to put him behind bars as fast as possible and in whatever way they can. Due to the high profile nature of this case, there is the added pressure from the public to get this menace off the streets. Sources close to Passmann tell us that the Tijuana wide receiver had "extreme difficulties" procuring legal counsel, as many attorneys were not willing to represent him, fearing for their own safety if they had to meet with him privately. Passmann did eventually obtain an attorney after throwing up enough cash to make a lawyer willing to take the risk. Passmann is not speaking to the media and has even remained silent on Twitter, which is on the advice of his legal counsel. His attorney did make a statement, however, largely blaming the media for "spreading rumors" and "stirring up civil unrest." "Mr. Passmann is an innocent man, who has been unfairly tried and convicted by the media in the court of public opinion. You call yourself reporters, but you have no proof of the slanderous accusations you keep putting up against my client. We are going to win this case, the state has no basis for their claims. And after we win, we intend to file a civil suit against the media institutions that have defamed this brave athlete. We deserve reparations for the damage that has been done to Mr. Passmann's good name and reputation," said his attorney. Prosecutors say that a plea deal is not off the table, but that so far, Passmann and his attorney are unwilling to bargain. The lead investigator says that Passmann's arguments are ridiculous, and that the case is airtight. "The facts don't lie. I am 100% certain we have the right guy, and that we can prove it in court," said the lead investigator. A court date has yet to be set, and Passmann, out on bail, is still taking the field for the Tijuana Luchadores. He is still eligible for the draft, and league management has done nothing to bar him from entry to the NSFL despite being a charged criminal. They did not respond to our repeated request for comment. If convicted, Passmann could face a prison sentence up to life in prison without the chance of parole. Prosecutors are reportedly weighing whether to ask for the death penalty though, but they would need to charge him with something in another state to be able to obtain that sentence. After all, the death penalty is illegal in California. The California police officers are reportedly working with police stations in Florida to find evidence of crimes Passmann committed there while he briefly lived in Miami. For now, the charges in California are the only one. Passmann's attorney claims that they have cooperated with the investigate, and he expects the case to be dropped on the grounds of a lack of evidence. Again, the state has refuted these claims and said that it has a "mountain of evidence incriminating Thomas Passmann." Passmann's dark and mysterious actions do not lend credibility to his declaration of innocence, but all Americans are entitled to stand trial before a journey of their peers if accused of a crime, even vampires. These are the latest developments in the case. We will continue to follow the situation and inform the public of any new breaks in the proceedings.