Anthony Wayne Smith Charged In 2008 Killing

LOS ANGELES -- Authorities say former Oakland Raiders defensive end Anthony Wayne Smith and two others have been charged with murder in the 2008 beating and shooting death of a 31-year-old man in northern Los Angeles County.

District attorney's spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons says a judge Friday postponed arraignment for the 43-year-old Smith and two other suspects until March 17.

Smith, 41-year-old Charles Eric Honest and 32-year-old Dewann Wesley White were charged last month with one count of murder in the killing of Maurilio Ponce in Lancaster. They were arrested this week and are being held on $1 million bail.

All three men are expected to have court-appointed attorneys. A message left with the public defender's office was not immediately returned.

Smith played for the Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders from 1991 to 1998.
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CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story briefly contained the term "convicted." The men involved are only charged at this time.

Comments

[water57]

10:31 PM on 03/07/2011

Once a Raider, always Raider. They can't help themselves its in their DNA.

[FoxNude]

01:39 PM on 03/07/2011

A beating then a shooting or a shooting then a beating? Lancaster? Was Meth involved? I'd love to hear the whole story.

[BlueZoo]

11:45 PM on 03/06/2011

Oh, man, he would have to have been a Raider! I didn't notice HuffPo putting up the team logos of other players charged with felonies but they just had to put the Raider logo up there? Does somebody have something against Al Davis or do they just hate the Raiders?

[OutAtFirst]

02:30 PM on 03/07/2011

Most well-adjusted people that are productive members of society just hate the Raiders.

[BlueZoo]

03:29 PM on 03/07/2011

Good grief! It's a football team not a group of Senators and the latter would warrant far more derision than the Raiders!

[MARTYB]

04:33 PM on 03/07/2011

I am a Raiders fan, but i will admit that post is funny : )

[PaulTheZombie]

03:36 AM on 03/06/2011

Wow, more sports news garbage. The Huffington Post seems to be high schoolish. I thought it being a liberal news organization that it'd have some more intellectual journalists and discussions. However, I've come to realize that a good number of them just as bad as their Fox/Conservative counter parts. If you don't agree with them, you're on the other side's team. No real analysis or news. The only I like is the HuffPo's comedy section. But, I can without it just to avoid some of the people around here.

[cphill]

02:55 PM on 03/06/2011

What "intellectual" discussion did you expect in the SPORTS section?? This story merely reports that a former NFL player is being charged in a crime. There's not much to "analyze" or "debate."

[JohnnyBlack]

09:09 PM on 03/05/2011

I got to know Anthony Smith a little bit when he played for the LA Raiders. He was a great guy. He had a big personality, a great sense of humor and loved to have fun.

I don't know what happened to him since he left pro football... but to go from a 1st Round NFL draft pick to being charged with 1st degree murder for shooting a guy and dumping his body in the desert? And you're apparently broke because you're in need of a public defender?

Sounds to me like drugs have to be a part of this story.

[bridgeman]

04:43 AM on 03/07/2011

yep....very sad

[sloreader]

10:32 AM on 03/07/2011

Another unfortunate lose lose situation.

[PaulCircharo]

08:15 PM on 03/05/2011

huff doesnt really like football, they only talk about crimes committed by players. though the nfl should want stircter standrds for their players. they take all these repeat offenders back into the league

[Phemale]

02:16 PM on 03/06/2011

No, they've also been talking about the current battle between the players and owners.

They display all types of sports stories.

If you want to receive a much wider variety of sports news then I'd suggest checking out ESPN instead of HP0.

[PaulCircharo]

05:56 PM on 03/06/2011

thanks phemale, i have a ton of news apps on my iphone trust me theres no shortage of resources in my world lol. i love huffpost and was only simply making an observation, noticing that there were a good amount of depressing headlines this week. huffpost does cover sports very well, they have a lot of material. now that i got my level 2 superuser badge my comments are going to be much more thought out and intelligent. i honestly was going nuts commenting on everything and anything trying to earn the badge. i know its juvenile but hey whatever. thanks for the comment always appreciated

F&F

[BMVB]

05:34 PM on 03/05/2011

Can huff post pls try & at least talk about the positive things athletes r doing too cos this week has been all negative anyways baseball polls & fantasy draft advice @ www.sportbloggers.com

[cookerman45]

05:43 PM on 03/05/2011

they create these negative stories in order to harmonize with the negative world of politics......if it is not negative then fewer people are interested enough to post there thoughts.

[Phemale]

02:23 PM on 03/06/2011

There not all negative...
Here's some of the other sports headlines on HP0;
Watch: Fastest Serve in Tennis History.
UNC Wins ACC Regular Season Title
3rd Title in 3 Days
College Guard Makes Impressive Dunk Video
NFL Players Agree to CBA Extensions
Magic Pull Off Epic Comeback

HP0 really isn't the best place to obtain sports news anyway; ESPN is a much better choice.

[rozalindb]

04:00 PM on 03/05/2011

Is this the place to bring up the sustainability of one of America's favorite sports: football. It isn't just about the Raiders, it is about the concussions, obesity and violence that the sport demands of all of its players. Football's environment is deadly for the players' long-term health and well-being.
Granted, it is their choice to risk life and limb, and some are handsomely rewarded. But if fans stop supporting a business where their tax dollars are used to build stadiums that profit team owners and tickets end up being too expensive for the average Joe, we'd all be on better footing, so to speak.

[ejay579]

11:04 AM on 03/06/2011

There always have been laws as to which willing conduct individuals can engage. The biggest example is boxing. If a boxer cannot pass a physical examination, he or she cannot engage in a sanctioned boxing match. Why are football players different?

[CaliTLC]

03:39 PM on 03/05/2011

It's OFFICIAL. The Huffington Post really needs a CRIME tab. The SPORTS tab seems to be consumed with articles about present and past athletes criminal exploits and capers.

[TNFarmer]

05:25 PM on 03/05/2011

Sordid news is money, especially when it involves crimes and notables. Personally, it's worthwhile to see these professional athletes get the "other" kind of publicity they've earned. So many of them are held in such high praise for only a part of who they really are - good to see any celebrity (not just jocks) recognized for their total package: talent and character (or lack thereof).

[CaliTLC]

08:13 PM on 03/05/2011

I know - "IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS." But, HP will run a piece on someone who left the NFL 10 years ago. I've usually never heard of the person and know nothing of their talent. It's just that my Lakers are on a winning streak and it would be nice to see something about that streak on HP.

[triplettam]

06:39 PM on 03/05/2011

Hey Cali. I found this in the LA section. I've been saying for a long time that HuffPo needs a "Scandal" section. That would cover just about everything. Then we could go to Sports and not read about porn stars; politics and not read about affairs; Entertainment and not read about DUIs. There could be a sub-section off to the side: "Celebrities Arrested This Week." If you need an Enquirer fix, just head there.

[CaliTLC]

08:11 PM on 03/05/2011

Exactly. Great idea for the sub-section "Celebrities Arrested This Week." For sure, that section will NEVER be blank. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind reading about the scandals. It is just that often I am looking for a pure SPORTS piece and can't find it for all the recent arrests and scandals. For example, as a Lakers' fan, I would love to see more pieces about my team. But there is no room here.

[dbrett480]

11:47 AM on 03/05/2011

Court-appointed attorneys? He is an ex-football player, surely he can afford his own.

[iuriggs6]

02:18 PM on 03/05/2011

Not all are millionaires. Some save and do well, some splurge and lost it all and some make bad investments and lose it all. I have no idea about this guys finances but being an NFL player does not mean one is swimming with money.

[dbrett480]

02:33 PM on 03/05/2011

You don't have to be swimming with money to afford your own attorney. Most people would rather pay out of pocket than get a public defender.

[CaliTLC]

03:39 PM on 03/05/2011

No. Being a FORMER NFL player does not a millionaire make. Most are flat broke.

[dbrett480]

04:56 PM on 03/05/2011

Smith was a first round draft pick who played for 6 years. I'm sure he made much more money than I did. Perhaps the NFL should give these guys classes in personal finance.

[Gigity]

10:56 AM on 03/05/2011

To prison where you belong.

[Gigity]

10:56 AM on 03/05/2011

Yeah, Oakland is a dump.

[joeblow]

10:00 AM on 03/05/2011

When you read a headline that says a former Raider has been charged with murder, there are just too many likely suspects. But the good news is that now that this guy is off the streets, we only have to worry about five-hundred other former Raiders.

[YOKEL13]

08:31 AM on 03/05/2011

Why is the Raiders logo featured in this article?

[Studebaker Hawk]

09:12 AM on 03/05/2011

Because Smith was a Raider.

[YOKEL13]

11:49 AM on 03/05/2011

Yeah, it says that in the article.

[pumphog74]

05:04 PM on 03/05/2011

because the huff post editors are Raider haters... when warren sapp was accused of domestic violence or whatever it was, they showed him in a Raider uniform. even though he played for the bucs -and won a ring with them- a lot longer than he played for the Raiders. that's alright though, they can hate all they want. especially after we win the super bowl next season! (wishful thinking i know but stranger things have happened!)

[williamg]

11:56 PM on 03/04/2011

Dumb headline.