Vernon Paris Jailed for Assault
Posted: October 10, 2008
by Kevin Walters

Former Detroiter Vernon “Iceman” Paris who has had his share and a dozen other persons’ share of troubles that includes two attempts on his life and a lengthy suspension from his chosen profession has new troubles. An arrest.

Vernon Paris was booked into the Leon County Jail in Tallahassee on Thursday, September 27 at 8:00 pm for domestic battery after an alleged altercation with his girlfriend, who gave birth to his daughter a month before.

Vernon Paris' mug photo, courtesy of the Leon County Sheriff Dept., Florida.

According to his uncle, and recent manager, Charles Gatlin, the 20-year old Paris was arrested by the Tallahassee police after he punched his girlfriend during a domestic dispute. The punch reportedly caused swelling under the woman’s eye (her identity has not been disclosed) but did not require hospitalization. She reportedly has since returned to Michigan with the couple’s child. The couple originally fled from Detroit to north Florida after Paris was the victim of a knife attack in May.

No other details of the arrest are readily available.

Gatlin, a former Tallahassee police officer, who just three months ago was defending Paris, has had a change of heart telling Sportssummary that he and Florida businessman Jean-Christophe Courreges have severed managerial ties with the boxer. Gatlin, in fact, wants nothing to do with his nephew.

Explaining that, in addition to managing the fighter’s career, he and Courreges put Paris and his then-pregnant girlfriend up in a Tallahassee apartment, paying all expenses, and arranged a job for him, Gatlin said the arrangement came with the caveat that Paris not get into any trouble. His arrest on felony assault charges was the final straw for his new managers. Asked about the validity of the charges, Gatlin said “It’s a legitimate arrest.”
Paris is currently in jail on a $2,500 bond that Gatlin insists would be no trouble for him to post for his nephew, but it’s something he refuses to do. Why? “Because you can’t trust him not to jump bail,” he said.

Even before that Saturday arrest, Gatlin was becoming fed up with his young charge, saying that he had “several counseling sessions” with the young man who is still three months shy of legal drinking age.

“He thinks the world is his,” Gatlin said on Thursday. “He wants a handout. (He) doesn’t want to work.” By work, Gatlin was referring to a job working at the gym where Paris trained and also his training to return to the ring.

Paris, who remained undefeated after 19 fights in just two years, has had three of those wins changed to no-contests because of positive post-fight drug tests. Those troubles have also kept the fighter out of the ring since February and, with the results of a stipulated agreement last month with Michigan boxing officials, will prevent him from boxing for at least another year.

Gatlin says he has an apology for Paris' former manager "Bing" Shumate, who reportedly warned him about Paris' various difficulties. If someone else wants to manage Paris and asks his advice, Gatlin knows what his response will be. “I would recommend they not touch him.”

(c) 2008, Sportssummary.com