FanHouse Matthias Askew

Let me start by saying this: we always talk down about athletes who run afoul of the law ... especially here in Cincinnati. It is a running joke in this town and, for the most part, it is deserved.

However, it is with great pleasure that I post about former Bengal Matthias Askew winning $500,000 from the City of Cincinnati for wrongful arrest and excessive force.

If you remember, police approached Askew because his car was parked illegally. He co-operated with police ... who then hit him with a stun gun after they believed he was trying to flee the scene. The Bengals cut Askew three weeks later.

Askew was aquitted of the charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. He then sued to city for $50 million, claiming wrongful arrest and use of excessive force ... and the fact that the arrest led to him losing his NFL job and contract extension.

Here is the city's take on this:

"Although the law department was prepared to aggressively defend the city against Mr. Askew's allegations, it was anticipated that the civil suit would have been tried to a jury," interim City Solicitor Patricia King wrote in a Wednesday memo to city officials. "...A jury finding in favor of Mr. Askew could have resulted in damages against the city of several million dollars."

Askew is now on the Washington Redskins training camp roster.

Current Bengals Who Have Been in Trouble at Some Point

• Ahmad Brooks: Accused of punching a woman in the face
• Chad Johnson: Sued for his part of an alleged "bogus raffle"
• Dhani Jones: Arrested for "failure to obey a lawful command". He refused police orders to stop dancing in the street outside a South Beach nightclub.
• Jonathan Joseph: Marijuana possession
• Deltha O'Neal: DUI
• Frostee Rucker: Vandalism and spousal battery while in college
• Jason Shirley: Drove drunk and crashed his car into an apartment building while in college

Former Bengals Who Got In Trouble While With the Team

• Chris Henry: Speeding, marijuana possession, driving without a license, waving a gun at people, providing alcohol to minors, misdemeanor assault and property damage. He once was suspended for eight games for violating the NFL's conduct policy.
• Matthias Askew: Arrested (and acquitted) for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, failure to comply with a police officer's order, obstructing justice
• Reggie McNeal: Drug possession, resisting arrest
• AJ Nicholson: Burglary, grand theft, vandalism, domestic assault
• Eric Steinbach: Boating under the influence of alcohol
• Quincy Wilson: Arrested at a wedding for disorderly conduct
• Odell Thurman: Is coming off a two-year suspension for violating the NFL's conduct policy. He was picked up for a DUI in Ohio. He was also accused of assault in Georgia but the complaint was dropped.

This isn't a post as much as it is a running page to document some of the difficulties this Bengals organization has had.

Defensive tackle Matthias Askew, you might remember, was arrested back in July for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and two parking violations. Cincinnati police used a stun gun during that arrest to subdue Askew (who weighs 305 pounds and stands 6'2).

Matthias was the Bengals fourth round draft pick in 2004, but never really meshed with the Bengals system, seeing limited playing time the last couple years and suffering from multiple injuries. He was waived in August, leading me to believe that the Bengals became fed up with the injuries and with the legal trouble Askew had encountered.

It's worth noting that Askew was acquitted last week of all charges stemming from that July arrest, and that Cincinnati police have a long history of doing stupid things. But regardless of the outcome of his lawsuit, it's sad to see Askew's NFL career end with all of this mess.

More: Bengals waive Askew, one of five arrested players - AP
Former Bengal sues Cincinnati for $50 million - AP