Johnson says he's innocent

[Gunzlingr]

Contending he's his harshest critic when it comes to playing football, Joe Johnson took it upon himself Monday to accept some blame for a recent off-field incident.

The Green Bay Packers starting defensive end, however, drew the line when it came time to enter a plea. Johnson reiterated more than once that, if anything, he's only guilty by association with the misdemeanor charge of drug possession pending against him in Georgia.

"I feel it's wrong; I feel I was done a disservice in the whole matter, just by being the owner of the vehicle," said Johnson, characterizing his initial reaction as "embarrassed and disappointed."

The 10-year NFL veteran, who is sidelined during the Packers minicamp that began Monday because of a triceps injury sustained last season, was arrested in the early morning May 22 in Tifton, Ga.

The Tift County Sheriff's Office, which made the arrest, said in its case report that the offender, listed as Johnson, smelled of burnt marijuana and had marijuana in his vehicle. Johnson later was charged with the one misdemeanor count of possessing marijuana.

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[Gunzlingr]

Johnson denies marijuana was his

Green Bay - On the first day of the Green Bay Packers' final minicamp of the year Monday, defensive end Joe Johnson gave his version of the events that led to his recent arrest on a marijuana charge.

He talked with reporters about the incident after practice for the first time since the May 22 incident. Johnson did so with a member of the team's public relations staff standing by and attempting, at one point, to steer the questions to another subject. Johnson declined one-on-one interviews.

Johnson was arrested early that morning outside Tifton, Ga., and charged with possession of marijuana. David Hardy, a Tift County sheriff's officer, arrested Johnson shortly before 4 a.m. on U.S. Highway 319, according to the police report.

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