$1 Million Tabbed For Veterans

Absences, Baggy Pants Draw District's Attention

Thursday, August 08, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1B 





Hobson finds fame has price &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Had his name been another besides Butch Hobson, if he were not a former
major league player and manager, the drug case he's going through probably
would have already been overAs it stands, though, Clell Laverne "Butch" Hobson
is headed to court. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Despite the best efforts of his attorney, Steve Famiglietti, to prevent
that, Hobson will have to walk into Providence County Superior Court at 9:30
a.m. Friday. Famiglietti said he had no last-minute bargaining sessions
scheduled with Rhode Island prosecutors for Wednesday or today. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So the man who managed the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons for barely a
month will show up in Rhode Island on Friday, listen to the charge of one
count of cocaine possession be marked on his record, and, most likely, Butch
Hobson will post bail and head back to Alabama. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is going to be very uneventful, very quick," Famiglietti said. "I, in
his behalf, will plead not guilty." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But it is time both Hobson and his attorney had hoped to spend elsewhere. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Back when Hobson was first arrested, Famiglietti spoke of a quick
resolution to the case. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hobson was talking about a quick return to his job as manager of the Red
Barons just days after he was picked up in Pawtucket for cocaine possession
May 4. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It is now Aug. 8, just 35 games remain in the International League season,
and Hobson's arraignment will finally be held. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And Hobson is still maintaining innocence. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I'm disappointed we were not able to resolve this prior to a court date,"
Famiglietti said. "We had an agreement this would be resolved before the
arraignment." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But prosecutors, Famiglietti said, went back on their word. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The reason, I believe, is Butch is a public figure," Famiglietti said.
"They didn't want to give the impression they're treating him any differently
than anyone else." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hobson's arraignment was originally scheduled for July 10, but was delayed
three times while Famiglietti tried to work a deal with prosecutors. But his
attempts fell through, frustrating the respected Providence-area attorney. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "In this particular case, it's been difficult," Famiglietti said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The confession Hobson signed moments after his early May arrest, which was
entered as evidence when the case was introduced into Superior Court this past
Friday, won't complicate matters, Famiglietti said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The document in which Hobson confesses to past drug transactions with old
Alabama friend Jerry Poe was hand-written by Pawtucket police based on what
Hobson was telling authorities, then signed by Hobson himself. Famiglietti
said the statement is also inaccurate. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Butch signed it without reading it," Famiglietti said. "The statement is
incomplete and not in context. The attorney general knows that, too." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 First, Famiglietti said, Hobson sent Poe $300, not the $200 as reads in the
statement. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It makes it sound like he (Hobson) was sending the money for the purpose
of cocaine," Famiglietti said. "That's not the case at all. He (Hobson) lent
him the money." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When Hobson asked for repayment, Famiglietti insisted, Poe sent the cocaine
by mail to Pawtucket. After accepting the package, Hobson was arrested in his
Comfort Inn Hotel room. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Famiglietti still thinks he has a strong case for Hobson. Rhode Island
Attorney General Jeff Pine must feel good about the prosecution's chances,
too, or otherwise a deal would have been cut by now. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Either way, it'll be decided in court. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Which is exactly where Butch Hobson did not want to be this week. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Paul Sokoloski is a Times Leader sports writer. His column appears on
Thursday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hobson Finds Fame Has Price 
Had His Name Been Another Besides Butch Hobson, If He Were Not A Former Major 
League Player And Manager, The Drug Case He's Going Through Probably Would 
Have Already Been Over.

Hobson Finds Fame Has Price Had His Name Been Another Besides Butch Hobson, If He Were Not A Former Major League Player And Manager, The Drug Case He's Going Through Probably Would Have Already Been Over.