Tank can roll to the Bowl

**Pedro56** · 01-24-07, 07:44 AM

Judge lifts order, lets lineman go to Miami

January 24, 2007
BY STEFANO ESPOSITO Staff Reporter

The Tank will roll into Miami.

A Cook County judge Tuesday temporarily lifted Terry "Tank" Johnson's 24-hour home confinement to let the troubled Chicago Bears lineman travel with his teammates to the Super Bowl.

"It feels great," a grinning Johnson said as he left the Skokie courthouse, largely ignoring a pack of reporters.

Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson smiles as he departs the Cook County Courthouse where a judge cleared Johnson to travel with his team to Super Bowl XLI.
(AP)

Until Tuesday, Johnson wasn't even allowed to stop by his local White Hen for a packet of peanuts and a Coke.

Come next week, if he's not practicing or otherwise engaged with the Bears, Johnson is apparently free to nibble Key Lime pie and sip mojitos under a South Beach umbrella.

Judge John J. Moran put no restrictions on Johnson's movements while he's in Miami from Jan. 28 through Feb. 5. Moran said he assumes the Bears organization will impose restrictions on players.

And then the judge offered this warning to Johnson: "I assume he knows there won't be any violations of the law -- or dire consequences will result."

18 visits, 76 phone calls

Just before Christmas, Johnson appeared in court, accused of violating the terms of his probation in a 2005 illegal gun possession case. In December, Moran ordered Johnson confined to his Gurnee home except to travel to and from work.

To make sure he's obeying the rules, probation officers have visited Johnson at home 18 times at various times of the day and night, including Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, Johnson's attorneys say. The probation department has also telephoned him 76 times, the attorneys say.

Neither Cook County prosecutors nor the probation department objected to the Miami trip, noting Johnson has complied with the terms of his home confinement.

'Go Bears!'

Johnson, dressed in a navy suit and sky-blue dress shoes, signed autographs for fans milling about the courthouse.

One fan called out to Johnson: "Tank, You'll be all right," and another: "Go Bears!"

Johnson is due back in court Feb. 8.

Johnson's attorneys at that time hope to convince Moran to lift the lineman's home confinement while the probation violation case makes its way through court.

sesposito@suntimes.com