On Tuesday, Elizabeth Cartwright told the Chicago Tribune that her fiance has cell-phone photos supporting the contention of Bears running back Cedrick Benson that he wasn’t boating while drunk and that the police used excessive force on him.

Though such photographic evidence has yet to be produced, Cartwright has given the Tribune one of the photos, an innocuous shot of Benson, his mom, and a friend.  In the image, Benson seems to be enjoying some Sun Chips (man those are good . . . now I’m going to have to go buy some . . . who says advertising isn’t effective?).

The story accompanying the photo doesn’t really plow any new ground.  The police contend he was drunk, Benson says he wasn’t.  The police say he was belligerent, Benson’s and Cartwright say he wasn’t. 

Though he’s only charged with a couple of misdemeanors, the possibility of a penalty under the Personal Conduct Policy could keep Benson from trying to work out a plea to, for example, one count of disorderly conduct.  And a guilty plea or a plea of no contest exposes Benson to a fine or a suspension.  A fine of a single game check would cost him more than $48,000.

Presumably, the tennis match between Benson and the cops will die down soon, and then we can wait for the legal process to run its course.