Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson pleaded not guilty Monday to resisting arrest and other charges connected to an incident in mid-July, defense attorney of record Scott Rosenblum confirmed, and appears headed to court to answer for the stunning high-speed cop chase.
A pre-trial hearing has been set for Oct. 5 — the day after Richardson finished serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy for testing positive for marijuana use.
He faces a misdemeanor charge with a penalty of up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Richardson was not at the arraignment at the St. Charles County Circuit Court in St. Louis, represented by attorney Matthew D. Fry.
The 24-year-old Richardson was arrested July 14 after resisting arrest during a high-speed, late-night road race. He has been accused of driving up to 143 mph as he attempted to elude police. He had a 12-year-old child in the car with him at the time.
After police stopped Richardson, they found a loaded handgun under the floor mat on the driver’s side, and noted a “very strong odor of burned marijuana.”
Richardson owned the gun legally and prosecutors said there wasn’t enough evidence to charge Richardson with drug possession (no marijuana was found in the vehicle) or child endangerment.
The league has yet to announce any further discipline for this latest incident.