PEOPLES FACES DRUG CHARGE

REGINA (CP) - Defensive end Shont'e Peoples is scheduled to appear in a
Saskatoon court Tuesday on marijuana possession charges.

Peoples, 31, was charged following an incident July 26 in downtown Saskatoon,
according to Insp. Lorne Constantinoff of the Saskatoon Police Service. The
Roughriders player was released after being charged with possession of less
than 30 grams of marijuana.

This will be Peoples' second appearance in provincial court after requesting an
adjournment Aug. 12.

Exact details of the incident were not available. But it happened the day
following a Roughriders home game.

''The way the police department is looking at it: We realize he's a sports
celebrity,'' Constantinoff told the Regina Leader-Post. ''We want to make sure
he can have a fair trial, so we're being very guarded.''

Peoples would not discuss his situation after returning here Monday, a day
after the Roughriders lost a 28-23 road decision to the Montreal Alouettes.

''That's something right now that I'm not even going to comment about,''
Peoples told reporters.

He referred further inquiries to his lawyer, Jonathan Troyer. But Troyer would
not discuss the matter because he has ''been instructed to not make any
comments about the situation.''

A not guilty plea results in a trial. Although the federal government plans to
decriminalize marijuana possession, anyone convicted of the offence usually
receives a fine under $2,000.

Roughriders head coach Danny Barrett and general manager Roy Shivers both
claimed they knew nothing about Peoples' situation before Monday.

''I'm being bombarded with something that I don't know anything about,''
Barrett said. ''So in fairness to myself and to the organization, until I find
out further knowledge I can't make any more comments.''

Barrett would not say what actions might be taken against Peoples.

The CFL doesn't have a drug policy but players can be disciplined for their
public actions. Peoples could also miss games if the case goes to trial.

Barrett said he will ''see what happens after that.''

Peoples, a nine-year CFL veteran, reportedly faces extra disciplinary action
for missing a team-imposed curfew the night preceding Sunday's game in
Montreal.

The loss was the Roughriders' fifth in seven games and dropped their record to
7-7. Peoples left the game late in the fourth quarter with a recurring elbow
injury.

Peoples joined the Roughriders in 2001 as a free agent. He struggled through an
injury-plagued 2002 campaign and requested a trade in the off-season.

When no trade was arranged he vowed to become a team leader and insisted he was
now a 'non-practising'' Jehovah's Witness.