Jalen Rose has some powerful friends -- including the Mayor of Detroit -- who wrote up a very personal letter to the judge in Jalen's DUI case to show the NBA star is remorseful and deserves mercy.
TMZ has obtained a copy of the letter written by Mayor Dave Bing -- a former Detroit Pistons star who is considered one of the greatest 50 NBA players of all time.
In the document, sent to the court before Jalen's sentence was handed out, Bing says, "I have known Jalen since the day he was born."
He adds, "I can assure you that Jalen fully comprehends the danger he posed on March 11. Jalen has assured me, but more importantly, he has assured himself, that this will never happen again."
Bing concludes, "I fully believe Jalen was truthful to me when he stated: 'I will never drink and drive again or ever be in any other court for any violation of the law."
Unfortunately for Jalen, Bing's letter -- and other letters written to the judge from friends of Rose -- weren't effective enough ... and the judge ordered him to serve 20 days in jail.
Rose's lawyer has called the sentence "Outrageous."
Jalen Rose just can't seem to get a break -- the former NBA star was slapped with a speeding ticket in Michigan last night ... the same day he was sentenced to 20 days in jail for his March drunk driving crash.
Rose was popped shortly before 9pm in the Detroit suburb of Clawson -- for going 46 mph in a 25 mph zone.
The 38-year-old pled guilty to the drunk driving incident back in May -- and issued an apology statement for his behavior.
Zac Efron was drinking with good friend Ryan Rottman literally minutes before Rottman was arrested for DUI. The question, should Zac have said anything to his pal to prevent him from taking the wheel?
Sources inside the Dillon's Irish Pub in Hollywood tell TMZ ... Zac, Ryan, Rumer Willis and a few other friends ordered a total of 7 Kamikaze shots, 8 or 9 mixed drinks and 3 - 4 beers.
Zac and Rottman both left the bar at around 9:30 and went their separate ways. We shot video of Zac running from the bar to his car, though it appears Rumer drove him away. By 9:45, Rottman was in police custody.
Rottman apparently was hammered. Cops spotted him after he drove up a curb near Dillion's. He blew a .19, more than twice the legal limit.
We asked Zac's rep if the actor urged his friend to take a taxi or find some other way home that would not have put him behind the wheel. We did not get a response.
So we ask ...
Nickelodeon actor Ryan Rottman proved last night ... he's a big enough star to get arrested in Hollywood ... for DUI.
Rottman, who starred in "Gigantic" but may be even more famous for dating Victoria Justice, jumped the curb as he was driving in Hollywood. His bad luck ... cops saw it all, pulled him over and then
smelled a strong odor of alcohol ... so say our law enforcement sources.
After giving Rottman a field sobriety test, they arrested him on suspicion of DUI.
We're told Rottman blew a .19 ... well over twice the legal limit.
He was taken to jail, booked and released a few hours later without having to post bail.
Snooki want smush smush ... with a potted freakin' plant.
The reigning queen of drunken "Jersey Shore" antics seriously upped her game at a bar in Seaside Heights on Saturday -- by sloppily dancing with a decorative plant like it was a juiced-up gorilla version of Mark Ballas.
So far, no comment from the plant.
Rick Springfield pled not guilty to two counts of DUI this morning -- stemming from his arrest in Malibu back in May.
Lawyers for Springfield entered the plea on behalf of the 80's rocker -- who did not appear in court.
As TMZ first reported -- the "Jessie's Girl" singer was busted in Malibu on May 1-- after he was pulled over by L.A. County Sheriffs and blew a .10.
Springfield faces a maximum of 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted on both counts.
The 61-year-old is due back in court on August 15.
'80s rocker Rick Springfield has been charged with two counts of DUI stemming from his Malibu arrest back in May ... but he will NOT be charged for threatening to "f**king kill" the arresting deputy.
TMZ broke the story ... the "Jessie’s Girl" singer blew a .10 after the L.A. County Sheriffs pulled him over on May 1.
Sources tell us ... Springfield was extremely angry after the deputy said his $200,000, 1963 Corvette Stingray would be towed away. Law enforcement sources tell us, Springfield yelled to the deputy, "If you tow my car I will f**king kill you and your family."
An L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. spokesperson explained officials did not take the threat seriously ... saying, "It is rare when a drunk doesn’t say something outlandish to police when they’re arrested."
If convicted on both misdemeanor charges, Springfield faces a maximum of 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
A hardcore porn star named Lexi Swallow ... clearly named after her affinity for birds ... found herself in handcuffs yesterday ... and for once, they weren't pink and fuzzy.
Law enforcement sources tell us Swallow -- star of "My First Orgy 2" and "Oooops I Did My Daddy's Best Friend" -- was pulled over early Thursday morning for failing to signal and during the stop, the officer noticed a funky smell on her breath.
We're told Swallow was given a breathalyzer test and blew a .09 ... just above the legal limit. Swallow was then arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence ... and was hauled off to a nearby jail.
TMZ spoke with a rep for Swallow, who tells us the porn star plans to fight the case tooth and nail ... just not too much tooth.
Lil Wayne's baby mama #4 -- R&B singer Nivea -- was busted for DUI in Atlanta this weekend ... after she SLAMMED into a tree, with a kid in the car ... and TMZ has obtained her mug shot.
The drama began after Nivea left a nearby wedding reception for her friend Toya Carter (Lil Wayne baby mama #1) ... where she also hung out with Lauren London (L.W.B.M. #3).
According to law enforcement sources ... Nivea was on the road around 1:30 AM on Sunday when she plowed her '06 Mercedes right into a tree that had fallen into the road during a recent storm.
We're told when cops arrived at the scene, Nivea had "bloodshot, glassy eyes and smelled like alcohol." Nivea told police she only had 3 drinks earlier in the evening ... and didn't see the bright yellow crime tape and the traffic cones directing cars away from the downed tree.
Nivea was eventually arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and reckless driving. We're told the child in the car was not injured and was released to Nivea's boyfriend.
As for Nivea -- sources close to the family are adamant she was NOT drunk, or speeding, at the time of the accident.
Alex Riley has a big WWE match with The Miz on Sunday, but he'll fighting with one less thing to worry about -- he won't be charged for driving under the influence stemming from an arrest last year.
As TMZ first reported, Riley was busted for driving under the influence in Tampa, FL back on November 17, 2010. He was booked into a local jail and eventually released on $500 bond.
But Riley's lawyers went before a judge earlier this month and argued that police had no probable cause for a traffic stop. The judge agreed, rendering the field sobriety test and the officer's observations (detecting the odor of alcohol) inadmissible.
Let's hope he has the same good fortune against The Miz.
