The six Mississippi State football players accused of felony assault pled guilty to misdemenor simple assualt late Thursday.
The players were scheduled to appear in court on Monday but will now pay a $500 fine and recieve a six month suspended sentence, The Clarion-Ledger reported.
“We are extremely pleased with the outcome,” Jay Perry, attorney for the six, told The Clarion-Ledger.
Four sophomores-defensive backs Keith Fitzhugh and Derek Pegues, offensive tackle Michael Gates and defensive lineman Charles Burns–and two redshirt freshmen-defensive lineman Quinton Wesley and quarterback Tray Rutland- were arrested for assaulting an off-duty police officer.
The incident occurred Sunday morning, April 2, when an argument erupted between two women attending a sorority party at Level III, a downtown Starkville nightclub.
The suspects assaulted off-duty Starkville police officer Demetric Armstead when he tried to break up the fight. He was at the event with his fiancܬe, a member of one of the sororities.
Fitzhugh, Pegues, Gates, Burns and Wesley were arrested shortly after the event, with Rutland being arrested later.
They were freed on $25,000 bond.
Despite the guilty plea, the campus is still left desperately trying to balance their support for the players, which include three starters, with their support for the law.
“The media always over exaggerates things,” freshman biological science major Ashley Doubleday said. “I’m not saying that the boys didn’t do anything wrong, but I think (they) should be able to voice their side of the story as well.”
On April 4, head coach Sylvester Croom suspended the six players indefinitely, wanting to discipline them “as if they were my own sons, my own flesh and blood,” Croom said.
Croom also banned each player from activities at the sports and cultural center where the alleged assault happened.
Each player will have an 11 p.m. curfew through the end of the spring semester and will undergo sensitivity counseling.
Since the incident was first reported, the relative guilt or innocence of the players has been debated campus-wide.
“It’s difficult to say whether or not the players are (really) innocent or guilty,” kinesiology major Sarah Gasparrini said. “It all depends on the situation. Did they assault the police officer because they thought he was being too rough with the girls, or did they do it because they wanted to watch the girls fight?
“I would like to think they are innocent, but I don’t think I have enough information to make a conclusion.”
Another factor that can be taken into consideration is that all the players accused were underclassmen.
Sometimes the decision-making abilities of underclassmen are less tempered with experience and more blinded with youthful ambition.
Other students on campus say this is not an excuse.
“We’re all adults, and we know what’s right and wrong, no matter if the football player was a senior or a freshman,” sophomore communications major Raimeka Grizzard said. “I believe the incident should receive more attention for its case, not for who’s involved in it.”
Faculty, staff and student body alike are no doubt glad the ordeal is behind them.
There is no immediate word from Croom on how the plea will effect the six players’ status when football practice resumes in the fall.