BY GEOFF HOBSON
When a San Diego Superior Court decided not to throw out Bengals quarterback Akili Smith's DUI case Monday, his lawyer opted to go to trial this week.
Smith, charged with suspicion of DUI Feb. 8, pleaded not guilty in a flurry of pre-trial motions continuing into Monday afternoon.
It was expected a jury would be seated by Tuesday morning and that the prosecution would begin arguments Tuesday afternoon. The trial could be completed as soon as
Wednesday, but isn't expected to go into Friday.
If he's found guilty, Smith, 25, would face a fine from the NFL that could be as much as $22,882, one of his 17 game checks. It's highly unlikely he would face jail time or a league suspension if convicted.
Smith has maintained his innocence ever since he was arrested early in the morning after going the wrong way down a one-way street in San Diego's entertainment district.
Smith, who had been working out the past five weeks in Cincinnati, is off this week with his coaches in draft meetings.
