Cowboys Owner Drops Appeals

Monday, May 8th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

IRVING, Texas (AP) â€” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Friday dropped his appeal of charges of interfering with a police officer and will begin serving his sentence of six months probation.

``It was a case of embarrassment for me and my family. ... I am sorry,'' Jones said.

Jones pleaded no contest in February to a Class B misdemeanor charge of interfering with a police officer's duties. He was placed on deferred adjudication for six months â€” meaning the offense will be erased if his record remains clean over that time. He also must pay a $750 fine, perform 24 hours of community service and meet monthly with a probation officer.

But then he filed notice of appeal, delaying his sentencing and the release of dashboard videotapes made by police.

The incident occurred last Aug. 29, a Sunday morning, when a Highland Park Police Department officer stopped Jones and his family for speeding as they drove to christening services for Jones' grandson at the nearby Highland Park Methodist Church.

On early evening newscasts Friday, television stations showed a videotape of the traffic stop. The videotape showed Jones, a passenger in a white Suburban, arguing with the officer about the stop and complaining that the family will miss the christening. He asked the officer, ``Have you got a police chief I can call?''

Two men â€” one of them the driver, a Jones employee â€” got out of the Suburban to talk to the officer. The Suburban, with Jones now driving, then pulled away, and the videotape shows the officer radioing in that the vehicle had driven away without permission.

Jones was arrested near Highland Park United Methodist Church shortly after he let off other members of his family. He drove away from the church, then stopped and got out of the vehicle as another police unit pulled in behind him. Jones was taken to the Highland Park Police Department and missed the christening.

``I did not use good judgment in dealing with the first police officer, because I was so concerned about the prospect of missing my grandson's christening. I regret the frustration I felt on that day.''

Jones was ordered to pay more than $230 in court costs in addition to the fine.

Asked if he believes that celebrities have more latitude with police, Jones responded:

``My mistake in judgment shows you can't do that. I don't care who you are, you have to make good judgments and behave in a way that is expected. I will say to anyone (that) making it on time to a christening is no excuse for embarrassing yourself and your family.''

Highland Park is a suburb within the Dallas city limits, near the Southern Methodist University campus.