JaMarcus Russell case sent to grand jury

A judge in Mobile, Ala., sent the drug possession case against former Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell to a grand jury Wednesday despite testimony that the codeine drink found at Russell’s home belonged to a longtime friend.

District Judge Charles McKnight questioned the credibility of the testimony given by Marcus Stevenson, who said he made the codeine-laced drink found in a July 5 raid at Russell’s home.

Mobile County Sheriff’s Deputy Johnny Thornton testified that the orange-colored drink in Russell’s bedroom appeared freshly poured. Investigators said Russell, who was in the bedroom, told them it was his Kool-Aid. Thornton said it later tested positive for codeine.

Thornton also said there were nine people in the house and a codeine bottle without a prescription was found in a cabinet.

Russell’s attorney, Donald Briskman, said in an interview with the Associated Press after the hearing that the codeine bottle was in a cabinet at a distance from Russell’s bedroom. He said Stevenson told an officer at the home that it belonged to him, not Russell, but they took no action against Stevenson.

“They didn’t arrest him at the scene. They targeted JaMarcus. … He should have been discharged today,” Briskman said.

Stevenson testified at the hearing that he mixed the drink and didn’t make it for Russell. After the hearing, Stevenson was handcuffed and charged with possession of a controlled substance. He was released on bond.

Stevenson’s attorney, Greg Evans, raised objections to the questioning of his client, citing his rights against self-incrimination. He later said Stevenson “was sworn to tell the truth and that is what he did.”

Russell was a Mobile prep star and at LSU and became the No. 1 draft choice in 2007 but was released by Oakland this year after three disappointing seasons.

It could be months before the grand jury decides if the evidence warrants an indictment or not.

Nesbit sues league over supplement

An NFL lineman who lost his starting job while serving a doping suspension filed a lawsuit against the league in federal court Wednesday, claiming it knew the weight-loss supplement StarCaps contained a banned substance but didn’t tell players.

Jamar Nesbit is an 11-year veteran who lost his starting job with the New Orleans Saints in 2008 when he chose to serve a four-game suspension after testing positive for bumetanide.

Nesbit says he took StarCaps, which didn’t list bumetanide as an ingredient.

Leonard injury

The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t sure how much time running back Brian Leonard will miss because of an injured left foot. Leonard hurt the foot during a 16-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the Hall of Fame game on Saturday. Leonard, the Bengals’ top pass-catching threat out of the backfield, initially feared that he had torn ligaments and might have to miss the season.

Coach Marvin Lewis said Wednesday that he is optimistic that Leonard will be able to play at some point during the season. He said it will be a couple more weeks before the team has a better idea how long it will take to heal.

“There’s nothing that says he would be out for the year or on [injured reserve], so we’ll go from there,” Lewis said.

Leonard led the Bengals’ running backs with 30 catches last season, 19 of them on third down.

Bush back

Reggie Bush returned to practice after missing one session with cramps, and he might have become even more important for the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints on Wednesday. No. 3 running back Lynell Hamilton had to be helped off the field after tearing his a ligament in his right knee during a joint practice against the New England Patriots, whom the Saints will play in their exhibition opener Thursday night.

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said Hamilton, who had been effective on special teams and in short-yardage situations, has a torn anterior cruciate ligament, an injury that usually requires a year to recover from.

Etc.

The Cleveland Browns are awaiting results of further tests on starting inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who suffered his second chest muscle injury in 10 months. Jackson was in the midst of a comeback after missing Cleveland’s final 10 games last season with a torn pectoral muscle. He injured his other chest muscle during practice Tuesday, team spokesman Neal Gulkis said. …

The latest player to pass through the Denver Broncos’ turnstile of tailbacks is longtime Oakland Raiders bruiser Justin Fargas. With their top three running backs sidelined, the Broncos brought in the versatile 30-year-old veteran, a former USC standout, to bolster their banged-up backfield. The Broncos are missing Knowshon Moreno (hamstring), Correll Buckhalter (back) and LenDale White (leg). …

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks is retiring. The 11-time Pro Bowl selection hasn’t played in the NFL since he was released by the Buccaneers after the 2008 season. Brooks played 14 seasons, helping transform Tampa Bay from a franchise that had been the laughingstock of the NFL into a Super Bowl champion.