Dirty Bird Flies The Coup For Now

{HT/AP}

Former Atlanta Falcons running back Jamal Anderson has been released from jail following his arrest on drug charges.

Anderson is charged with felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor marijuana possession.
Fulton County Jail spokeswoman Tracy Flanagan says he was let out on $6,000 bond Sunday evening. Fulton County DA Paul Howard has made it clear that he intends on charging Anderson.

The 36-year-old played eight seasons for the Falcons before leaving with a knee injury in 2001. He worked as an NFL analyst for ESPN this past season.

Atlanta police say Anderson is accused of having powder cocaine and a marijuana cigarette in his possession at an Atlanta tavern. The Fulton County Superior Court clerk's office says charges have been dropped against 20-year-old Mark Daniel Hudson, who police say was with Anderson.

6PM UPDATE: Via the AJC- The four-letter issue a non-committal statement about Jam's future with the network...

Ahem... quote...

"He is not currently on our schedule to work. We will announce a decision closer to next season."

Translation: Those of us here at OSG HQ can pretty much guarantee you Hudson flipped and that ESPN will have nothing to do with Anderson in the near, or any kind of, future.

Mark Hudson Mug Shot

((HT: WSB-TV))

[ed.note- Does this guy have the look on his face that he thinks his life is now, officlally, over...?]

Hudson is the 20-year-old that was arrested with Jamal Anderson in connection with the incident at the Peachtree Tavern in Buckhead on Sunday.

A Really Dirty Bird

OSG sources have confirmed that former Atlanta Falcons runningback Jamal Anderson was arrested early Sunday morning, charged with felony possession, and booked into the Fulton County Jail for messing with Coh Caine, and her very good friend, Mary J. Juana... ((Mugshot, thanks AJC.com))

A customer walked into the restroom of the Peachtree Tavern in Buckhead about 3am, heard "snorting noises," and alerted an off-duty Atlanta PD officer who was working security. The officer walked into the restroom, opened a stall door, and saw Mr. Anderson and a 20-yr old male snorting lines of cocaine from the top of the Tavern's porcelain toilet. A cursory search revealed that Anderson also had a marijuana cigarette in his pocket. Atlanta's home to the "other" Coke, Jamal...come on...

According to officials, Anderson's first appearance in court is set for tomorrow (Monday) morning at 11am. He was also denied bond.

"We just learned of this situation, and it is not appropriate for us to comment until we have more information," said George McNeilly, senior director of communications at ESPN, in a statement.

Anderson had been working as an analyst for ESPN's First Take, but it is unknown if he will continue in that endeavor. He played eight seasons for the Falcons, before retiring in 2001 with serious knee issues.

2PM UPDATE: The 20-year-old male accompanying Anderson at the time of the arrest has been identified as Mark Hudson. OSG asked authorities why the 20-year-old had not been charged with underaged access to a bar. The matter may be addressed when the more pressing issue of the possession and attempted and alleged ingestion of the cocaine and possession of the marijuana are settled.

Anderson and Hudson are to remain in the Fulton County jail until he is seen in front of a judge at 11AM Monday morning for his arraignment.

Kathy Jeffcoats relays the following from ajc.com:

“The patron had heard what he thought was sniffing from inside the stall and told the off-duty officer,” Fulton County Police spokesman Otis Redmond said. “The officer went into the restroom, heard the same sniffing and peered over the stall door. He saw Jamal Anderson and Mark Hudson sniffing two lines of powdered cocaine off the back of the toilet.”

Police found a 1-inch square bag of cocaine and a marijuana cigarette inside Anderson’s pocket. The men were arrested without incident and booked into the Fulton County Jail for felony possession of cocaine, Redmond said. Anderson was also cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

The statements and details of the incident from Redmond were also made to OSG when asked about the situation Sunday morning.

7PM UPDATE: WSB-TV reporter and FOSG Tiffani Reynolds caught up with Anderson's former head coach Dan Reeves over the phone Sunday. While Reeves would not address the situation on camera, Reeves told Reynolds that he was "disappointed and shocked" about what happened on Sunday and would "offer any help he can" as the situation becomes more clear.

More when we know more...