Raheem Brock Pays the Price for Not Paying His Bill

After last night’s decisive Seattle victory, current Seahawk and Philadelphia native Raheem Brock is probably just as glad to be out of the City of Brotherly Love. Unfortunately for Brock, Philadelphia isn’t done with him just yet.

As reported by The Philly Post, the defensive end was convicted yesterday in Philadelphia Municipal Court on one count of theft. He and a friend were both sentenced to six months probation for walking out of a Philadelphia restaurant this summer without paying their $27 check.

Yes, you read that correctly. Raheem Brock, who made (on average) $4.7 million per season under his last reported contract, went to court—and lost—because he wouldn’t pay a restaurant $27.

Even if, as Brock says, he felt the restaurant was in the wrong for not explaining its “policy about paying for food that hasn’t come out,” there was no way he could have come out of this case without looking foolish. The fact that his argument was flimsy enough that he was convicted on a criminal charge only makes the situation that much dumber.

There is no earthly reason that Brock should have wasted the time of the Philadelphia court system by forcing this case to trial. Considering that he only received a few months probation, it’s hard to believe that he couldn’t have pled down (or even gotten the charges dropped altogether) by agreeing to pay the restaurant its money.

Compounding the idiocy of the whole situation, Brock and his friend have asked for a new trial in Common Pleas Court (which, in Philadelphia, is automatically granted to anyone who requests it). Why they think they’ll win this time around is anybody’s guess, but why they’re still bothering to fight this battle is an even bigger mystery.

It’s a shame Brock can’t be charged with “contempt of the justice system,” because that’s what he’s showing by dragging out this farce.