Pubdate: Fri, 16 Apr 1999
Source: Middletown Press (CT)
Copyright: 1999, Middletown Press
Contact:  http://www.ctcentral.com
Author: Sussanne Youmans, Associated Press Writer

EL-AMIN APOLOGIZES, GETS ONE DAY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE

STORRS -- A contrite and emotional Khalid El-Amin apologized Thursday to his
family, his teammates and the people of Connecticut and Minnesota for his
arrest on marijuana possession charges.

The University of Connecticut point guard, joined by coach Jim Calhoun at a
news conference in Gampel Pavilion, called the actions leading to his arrest
Tuesday evening "a gross error of judgment."

"I have earned the respect of this school ... and I just want a second
chance to prove myself," said El-Amin, glancing at notes scrawled on a blue
sheet of paper and taking long pauses to collect himself. "To all the people
who have supported me ... I am very sorry for this incident. It will never
happen again."

The 19-year-old Minneapolis native, a sophomore majoring in communications,
was stopped for a traffic violation in Hartford and a small amount of
marijuana was discovered during a pat-down search.

UConn scoring leader Richard Hamilton was in the car but was not charged.
El-Amin also publicly apologized to Hamilton on Thursday. 

"I want to apologize to my dear friend Richard Hamilton for putting him in
this situation," El-Amin said.

Hamilton and other teammates lined the walls of the conference room during
El-Amin's statement.

Calhoun has stood by El-Amin since the arrest and Thursday called him an
"asset to the university and the program."

Calhoun also ended any speculation that El-Amin would not participate in a
victory parade on Saturday.

"The parade is a great celebration of a wonderful basketball season ...
which Khalid has been an intricate part of," Calhoun said. "I would tie him
down to make sure he's on the float."

Calhoun said El-Amin would be disciplined next basketball season, but he
would not say what his player will face.

El-Amin would not say whether the incident would affect his decision to
return to UConn. Last week he announced he would not take part in the NBA
draft and would return for his junior year with the Huskies. But Thursday
El-Amin would not give a definite answer.

"Those questions will be answered at a later date," he said.

Calhoun said El-Amin was not backing off his previous decision, but had
other issues to resolve at this point.

El-Amin was arrested 15 days after leading the Huskies to their first
national championship, and a day after he was honored in his hometown of
Minneapolis.

The public apology came hours after El-Amin appeared in a Hartford courtroom
and entered a conditional plea on the misdemeanor marijuana charge. He drew
a sentence of one day of community service and a stern lecture from the
judge. He also was ordered to speak to school children on the evils of drug
use, an assignment he said he welcomes.

"I am a role model and I'll continue to be a role model. I just want to help
the youngsters understand to make the right decision," said El-Amin.

Judge Raymond Norko handed El-Amin a rebuke along with the sentence.

"The court is aware of who you are, where you are from and what you have
done," Norko said.

The judge, reminding El-Amin of his responsibility as a public figure,
referred to the player's jubilant claim after the Huskies upset Duke in the
NCAA championship game March 29: "We shocked the world!"

"The epilogue to that is: `I disappointed the world,'" Norko said.

El-Amin did not respond, except to politely reply, "Yes, Your Honor" to
questions from the judge.

The arrest may not have been a coincidence, The Hartford Courant reported
Thursday. The newspaper, citing police documents and sources it did not
identify, said an informant had tipped police about El-Amin's trip to an
area of Hartford known for drug activity. 

Detectives arrived at the parking lot before El-Amin and saw him making what
appeared to be a drug transaction, the newspaper said.

El-Amin was charged with possession of less than 4 ounces of marijuana, a
misdemeanor. His sentence is the typical punishment given to first-time
offenders. The charges will be dropped and his record wiped clean in 30 days
if he successfully completes his community service.

His unspecified community service is scheduled for April 21. The lectures to
middle schools are not yet scheduled.

A handful of UConn fans watched the proceedings, one bringing a basketball
he hoped to have autographed. El-Amin quietly passed autographs to two
courthouse workers sitting behind him before his lawyer instructed him not
to sign any more.

Calhoun said the incident does not tarnish the program's accomplishments
this year.

"I looked at the trophy and it looked exactly the same," he said. "I don't
know how this got involved with the basketball game. It's a quantum leap.

"Do I feel we didn't win the national championship because one kid made an
error in judgment? No," Calhoun said. "Has the last week not been as happy
as the previous two? Yes."

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