Innocent until proven guilty is one of the bedrocks of the justice system in any proper representative government and that presumption of innocence apparently is set to benefit one Karmichael Hunt.
His lawyer says that the police will not press charges of cocaine possession against the Queensland Reds and Wallabies star, citing a lack of evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.
Hunt was in the Brisbane Magistrates Court recently to face two count of drug possession and arguing with the officers who apprehended him in a light night arrest in a car park.
Back at the end of December, Hunt was charged with being in possession of cocaine and the prescription drug Xanax, a sedative used to treat anxiety and panic.
We all know the pitfalls of cocaine, or should, but a look at Xanax reveals a substance that might be every bit, perhaps more, dangerous, as it can actually make anxiety and panic worse in some instances.
A case of the cure being worse than the disease.
The police will drop the cocaine possession charge at Hunt’s next court appearance, but will still have to deal with the Xanax charge.
Hunt was stood down when the original charges were filed. It is not yet clear whether or not Hunt can resume rugby activities, but according to his lawyer, Adam Magill, “(Hunt) is over the moon, he can focus on his training,” while at the same time, saying, “It’s still too early to say, that’s up to his manager to figure out.”
Now, there is a case of lawyer-ese double speak if we have ever heard of one.
Hunt pled guilty to four counts of cocaine possession in early 2015 as one of several professional footballers enmeshed in a trafficking ring operating in the southeast region of Queensland, so he could potentially have been facing a permanent ban if again convicted.
