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Former Pro Bowl receiver Andre Rison was given the option of paying $10,000 to get out of jail after spending almost a month locked up for failing to pay child support for more than two years.
Rison requested his release Monday, saying he had an opportunity to play for an Arena Football League team. The Grand Rapids Rampage said Rison was invited to try out.
The 37-year-old player was sentenced to jail on Dec. 8 until he pays $127,000 to a woman with whom he has two sons. Raycoa Handley contended he hadn't paid his $3,500-a-month child support since August 2002.
Judge Cynthia Becker said Rison could leave jail if he made a $10,000 payment. The judge also stipulated that if Rison received a signing bonus from his new team, half would go to Handley, the mother of his 18-year-old and 16-year-old sons, said Randall Kessler, Handley's attorney.
Kessler said attorneys were working on reducing the monthly obligation to $1,000, but added that Rison had made no effort to make payments.
Rison's attorney, Max Richardson Jr., could not immediately be reached for comment.
Rison, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, spent 12 seasons in the NFL with Indianapolis, Atlanta, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Green Bay, Kansas City and Oakland.
He last played in the NFL in 2000 with Oakland. He was suspended for four games in 2001 for a repeat violation of the league's substance abuse policy and was out of football until August, when he joined the Toronto Argonauts and played five games with the CFL team.
Source: AP
Rison requested his release Monday, saying he had an opportunity to play for an Arena Football League team. The Grand Rapids Rampage said Rison was invited to try out.
The 37-year-old player was sentenced to jail on Dec. 8 until he pays $127,000 to a woman with whom he has two sons. Raycoa Handley contended he hadn't paid his $3,500-a-month child support since August 2002.
Judge Cynthia Becker said Rison could leave jail if he made a $10,000 payment. The judge also stipulated that if Rison received a signing bonus from his new team, half would go to Handley, the mother of his 18-year-old and 16-year-old sons, said Randall Kessler, Handley's attorney.
Kessler said attorneys were working on reducing the monthly obligation to $1,000, but added that Rison had made no effort to make payments.
Rison's attorney, Max Richardson Jr., could not immediately be reached for comment.
Rison, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, spent 12 seasons in the NFL with Indianapolis, Atlanta, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Green Bay, Kansas City and Oakland.
He last played in the NFL in 2000 with Oakland. He was suspended for four games in 2001 for a repeat violation of the league's substance abuse policy and was out of football until August, when he joined the Toronto Argonauts and played five games with the CFL team.
Source: AP