STOUDAMIRE FACES ANOTHER MARIJUANA CHARGE

PHOENIX - Damon Stoudamire (news) was arrested on marijuana charges after
allegedly trying to pass through an airport metal detector with almost 1
1/2 ounces of the drug wrapped in aluminum foil.

The Portland Trail Blazers (news) guard was stopped at the Tucson airport
Thursday as he prepared to board a flight to New Orleans, police said Monday.

He was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and possession of
drug paraphernalia. Police said he was carrying almost 40 grams of marijuana.

After Stoudamire set off the metal detector, he placed the drug and rolling
papers into a plastic security bin, police said. Security officials then
summoned police.

Stoudamire was released on his own recognizance and is to appear in court
July 25.

Calls to Stoudamire's attorney, Steve Houze, were not returned. Mike
Hanson, Blazers spokesman, declined comment.

Stoudamire has been arrested twice before on drug charges.

In November, Stoudamire and teammate Rasheed Wallace (news) were passengers
in a vehicle that was stopped for speeding on a highway outside Chehalis,
Wash., after a game with Seattle. A search of the vehicle turned up a small
amount of marijuana, police said.

Stoudamire agreed to attend drug and alcohol counseling and stay out of
legal trouble for the next year to have misdemeanor charges against him
dropped.

If convicted of the latest charges, Stoudamire would face a mandatory
sentence of one day in jail. Andrew Toynbee, chief criminal deputy with the
Lewis County, Wash., district attorney's office, said prosecutors might
seek a longer sentence.

Earlier in 2002, Stoudamire was charged with a felony after police found a
large bag of marijuana in his home while responding to a burglar alarm. A
judge declared the search illegal.

Stoudamire was drafted from Arizona in 1995 by the Toronto Raptors (news),
where he was Rookie of the Year in 1996. He was traded to the Trail Blazers
in 1998.

Stoudamire is attending summer school at the University of Arizona and
working toward a degree in media arts, with a minor in sports broadcasting.