Court Upholds Rider's Marijuana Conviction

Salem, OR -- An Oregon appeals court upheld Portland Trail Blazers guard Isaiah Rider's 1997 marijuana conviction Wednesday, saying there was clear evidence the player was in possession of the drug.

The three-judge panel unanimously said the evidence showed Rider possessed less than an ounce of marijuana, a non-criminal violation in Oregon carrying a minimum fine of $500.

The troubled Blazers star was cited in October 1996 after a sheriff's deputy saw him in the back seat of a car in the suburb of Lake Oswego, allegedly preparing to smoke marijuana from a crude pipe made from a soda can.

Rider denied the marijuana was his and appealed his Clackamas County District Court conviction.

Rider's lawyer, Robert Weaver, said the conviction and $500 fine should be overturned because the deputy who testified against Rider was ``confused'' and not credible.

The Oregon Appeals Court said it found that Rider was guilty without considering the deputy's testimony and that there was ``persuasive circumstantial evidence'' that he possessed the drug.

The court noted Rider was in a car from which marijuana, a smoking device and a lighter were recovered and that testimony put the light and smoking device close to him.

Douglas Zier, an assistant attorney general, argued there was no doubt marijuana was found in the car. And he said the deputy ``saw the defendant holding the Coke can about two inches from his mouth'' as he was preparing to light it.

Rider's marijuana possession citation came after two Clackamas County sheriff's deputies saw two cars stop in a dark spot and turn off their lights in Lake Oswego.

The deputies, who were walking back to their cars after checking out another call, approached the two cars, expecting to find young people drinking or using drugs.

The NBA suspended Rider last season for five games - two following his marijuana conviction and for possessing unregistered cellular phones in California, and three for spitting at a fan in Detroit.

During his two seasons with the Blazers, Rider also has been repeatedly benched for missing team meetings, shootarounds and flights.

The Blazers had no comment on Wednesday's court decision, citing league rules that prohibit teams from discussing player matters during the NBA lockout.

Copyright 1998 The Register-Guard

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