It's been a story that's baffled me a bit this season. Back in September, Ohio State backup quarterback Antonio Henton was arrested for soliciting a prostitute and was suspended indefinitely by the team. Later, Henton plead guilty to the charges, paid his fine, and was allowed back onto the Buckeyes roster.Of course, what baffled me is why a Buckeyes quarterback would ever have to pay for sex in Columbus. I didn't understand it then, and I don't understand it now. Well, now Antonio has gone and blown my mind again because even though he's pled guilty to the charges, this week he's maintaining his innocence in the matter.
"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Henton said during the Buckeyes' bowl media day at the Louisiana Superdome before Monday night's title game against LSU. "The police officers pulled me over to the corner. Like anybody else I stopped, and she was harassing me. Then it got flipped around, the story got flipped around. So of course they're going to take the officer's side of the story."
Henton said when the female officer beckoned to him, she asked him what he wanted to do and he asked, "What do you mean?"
"I guess because of me saying 'For what?' she took it as a price, that she was throwing a price out at me," he said. "It really wasn't nothing like I was looking for sex or whatever."
Henton's reasoning for pleading guilty to the charges was that he just wanted to "just to get it over with" and that he was afraid he'd miss out on the whole season if he kept fighting the charges.
All of which is entirely believable, in fact, more believable than Henton needing to pay for sex. Still, I've no idea who to believe in this case. On one hand I don't get why a Buckeye quarterback would pay for sex, but on the other hand, why would police in Columbus set up a Buckeyes football player? I mean, maybe a Blue Jacket, but a Buckeye?
It just doesn't make any sense to me.
Either way, I hope Antonio's been staying in his hotel room this week while he's in New Orleans.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-06-2008 @ 8:39PM
dan k said...
Even if he is guilty, giva a n***a a chance, he didn't hurt anyone, just wanted to buy what a woman wanted to sell.
But, I am not sure this is not a misunderstanding like he says, with cops eager to bring down a black guy
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1-07-2008 @ 5:23PM
Dublinsaab said...
I tend to believe Henton on this one.
Back in the summer of 03 I was coming down Cleveland Ave when I got a cell phone call I had to answer. I also had to pull over to take the call (not because I’m a safe driver but because I had a stick shift and I’ve have needed a 3rd arm to steer, shift and talk). So I sit there on the phone for a few minutes. After I get off the call I see this girl standing at the near corner. She is giving me direct eye contact so I just politely nod to her. She immediately walks over to my car and starts talking, which was easy as I had the top down. She started saying really odd things but when she asked if I liked to party the bells went off. I told her, “no thanks” and drove off.
A few blocks later I get pulled over. It was an undercover vice sting. The cops start asking questions and when I tell them the truth they reply by telling me that’s a weak BS story and I’m lucky they aren’t arresting me. They wrote down my name and plates and warned me that next time I wouldn’t be so lucky.
Now I was 33 at the time, a little more worldly that Henton and if I almost got nailed for doing nothing I can see him unknowingly saying the wrong things.
And also while I have seen the police claim it was a “good arrest” I haven’t seen them actually deny Henton’s version of events.
Between my person experience and the simple logic of why in the world a Buckeye QB would need to pay for sex in Columbus I am going to give him the full benefit of the doubt.
As long as he doesn’t get busted for it a second time.
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