EX-NFL STAR IS FOUND GUILTY OF DRUG CHARGES

A jury Wednesday convicted former Washington Redskins football star Dexter
Manley , a longtime drug addict, of possession of crack cocaine. He is to
be sentenced April 5 by state District Judge Elsa Alcala and could get
probation to two years in a state jail and a $10,000 fine.

Alcala granted a defense request that Manley , 44, a defensive end on two
Super Bowl champion teams, remain free on bond.

Manley , 44, was arrested Jan. 10, 2001, when Houston narcotics officers
were serving a warrant for someone else at the Infinity Hotel in the 3700
block of Old Spanish Trail. The officers said Manley tried to swallow a
small amount of cocaine and dropped a crack pipe during the bust.

Defense lawyer Jonathan Munier said outside the courtroom that Manley , who
grew up in Houston and played football for Oklahoma State, has battled
addiction for years.

In November 1996, he was paroled from a Texas prison after serving 15
months of a four-year sentence on two drug convictions.

Munier said the cocaine recovered from Manley 's mouth was obtained
improperly by officer Scott Siewert's pressing on Manley 's body near his neck.

"I'm not into choking people up against the wall," Munier told the jury.
"That's the real problem I have with this, and you should, too."

However, prosecutor John Jordan said, "The police were executing a valid
search warrant. Mr. Manley happened to be in the hallway of this motel
known for narcotics use."

When police saw Manley drop the crack pipe and chew rapidly, they had
reason to suspect he had cocaine, too, Jordan said.

"If you let him chew and swallow it, he gets away with disposing of
evidence," Jordan said. "The officer should be commended. How many people
would be willing to stick their hand into someone's mouth to retrieve
evidence?"

Jordan also argued that Manley had asked Siewert to give him a break.
Siewert testified that Manley had told him he was going to be inducted into
the Redskins Hall of Fame the following month.

"Someone innocent doesn't say that," Jordan told the jury. "Someone
innocent doesn't need a break."

Outside the courtroom, Manley said he was inducted into the Redskins Ring
of Fame in September 2000, four months before his arrest.