Miami police question NFL star in murder probe

[clevfan]

Fri, Feb. 02, 2007


MURDER INVESTIGATION
Miami police question NFL star in murder probe

Miami native Chad Johnson, a superstar wide receiver for the Bengals, has been questioned in the murder investigation of a Brownsville man.

BY DAVID OVALLE
dovalle@MiamiHerald.com

Miami homicide detectives this week interviewed Cincinnati Bengals star receiver Chad Johnson as part of an investigation into the shooting death of a 27-year-old man in Brownsville, police confirmed Thursday.

Because of the ongoing probe, police declined to discuss what Johnson spoke about or what his connection to the investigation may be.

Detectives are investigating the murder of Curtis Tavares Dopson, shot to death Jan. 26 near the doorway of his duplex, 4522 NW 13th Ave.

Johnson, a Miami native who graduated from Miami Beach High and played college football at Oregon State, has been a visible part of the pre-Super Bowl festivities. On Thursday evening, Johnson judged an end zone dance competition on South Beach.

An entourage hustled him away from fans wanting autographs. He would not speak to a reporter who asked him about Dopson. One entourage member waggled his finger: ``Don't do that.''

Johnson spoke with detectives Monday night at Miami police headquarters, without an attorney.

''In any investigation of this magnitude, you have to talk to everybody, no matter how seemingly insignificant they may or may not be,'' said Miami Detective Delrish Moss, a spokesman.

How Johnson's name surfaces in the investigation was unclear Thursday. However, Dopson was acquainted with Johnson, the slain man's family said.

''[Johnson] knew him from around the neighborhood,'' said his mother, Sylvia Dopson.

A father of four, Dopson had moved into the duplex about four months earlier.

Dopson was a graduate of Jackson High School who worked various construction jobs.

TWICE CONVICTED

Dopson had two felony convictions in 2005, for selling cocaine and marijuana, state records show. In 2001, he received an adjudication withheld -- meaning a conviction doesn't show in his record -- for carrying a concealed weapon.

Dopson died a half a block from Allapattah Middle School. On Thursday, the front of the duplex had become a memorial adorned with stuffed animals and candles, the walls scrawled with messages.

WELL-LIKED

''Everybody liked him. Nobody had a bad thing to say about him,'' his mother said.

The investigation adds another twist for the Cincinnati Bengals, a franchise that has had nine players arrested on various charges during the past 13 months.

Known for his energetic end zone celebration dances, the 6-foot-1, 192-pound Johnson is one the league's top receivers.

In 2006, Johnson earned his fourth straight berth in the Pro Bowl. The Bengals finished the season 8-8 and out of the playoffs.

[jag]

the bengals just cannot catch a PR break...

[ramonscottsports.com]

Can I get a puff of smoke with that?