(WXYZ) — Michigan senior defensive lineman Mazi Smith pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge Thursday after entering into a plea deal.
Smith, 21, was originally charged with carrying a concealed weapon. Smith was offered a plea deal to a lesser charge: attempted possession of a loaded firearm in or upon a motor vehicle, which is a misdemeanor count punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and one year in jail. Smith could also be forced to forfeit the weapon.
In the plea deal, the felony count is dismissed.
Smith's sentencing is set for December 29 at 1:30 p.m. in 15th District Court.
Smith was carrying a Glock 19 firearm and multiple rounds of ammunition when he was pulled over by Ann Arbor police on October 7, according to court records.
He was estimated to be driving more than twice the speed limit.
The new details were sworn to in court by Ann Arbor Police Detective Jonathan McDonagh, detailed in a court transcript from a November 30 hearing.
According to McDonagh’s testimony, Smith was in the area of King George and Lockridge Drive in Ann Arbor, where the speed limit is 25 miles per hour.
The officers who pulled him over estimated Smith was going as fast as 40 mph, but after reviewing video, later estimated his speed was north of 50.
When the officer stopped the vehicle, she asked if Smith had a gun. He said that he did.
From there, Smith was secured in handcuffs and officers found two magazines in his pocket.
According to testimony, Smith said he was putting the gun behind the seat. The officer claims Smith said he “wanted to get it off his person.”
Smith’s attorney, John Shea, denies that.
In all, officers recovered Smith’s Glock 19 firearm, a 30-round magazine, a 24-round magazine and a 15-round magazine.
It is not clear if Smith’s gun itself was loaded; his attorney says it was not.
The firearm was legally registered to Smith, but he did not have the concealed pistol license, or CPL, necessary to have the gun in his vehicle.
His attorney says Smith was in the process of obtaining his CPL when he was pulled over, but did not secure it yet. He since has.
Smith was never suspended by Coach Jim Harbaugh, and played the next day against Indiana in Bloomington. He has played in every Michigan game since, including last Saturday’s Big Ten Championship game.
“Mazi was completely honest, upfront, cooperative,” said Coach Jim Harbaugh on Sunday, answering questions for the first time about Smith's arrest. “Felt like he gave us the exact circumstances.”
Even though officers say Smith was driving at more than twice the speed limit, he was not ultimately cited for speeding.
"We’ve done really well at football and we also have this integrity to our school and so a football player that we know and love and is really good. It was surprising," Said U-M sophomore Kush Nautiyal of the news.
Thursday after hearing the news that Smith pleaded guilty to the related gun charges, students said at the University expressed their ongoing support for the player.
"When it came out originally, the media took off with it like crazy and I thought the optics looked really bad but the more things came out, the more I realized it’s not really that big of a deal. It was a paperwork issue," said sophomore Nolan Kosnic.
Students say they were glad to see Smith taking responsibility for the incident.
" It’s an unfortunate situation that the technicalities with paperwork and that kind of stuff is the reason why we’re here but at the end of the day if he’s stepped up and he’s taken responsibility for it and he’s going to deal with the consequences it’s all you can really ask for," said senior Tim DeGrand.
Students says they're hopeful the charge will not impact Smith later in his career.
" I don’t think we should have the right to judge that," said sophomore Mehul Sreenivas. "It’s more just like coaches in the NFL what they think about his character. I think he’s a great guy, the leader of our team and he should really take off with what he has."
