Six Penn State Football Players To Face Charges
By: Import User
Updated: August 27, 2007
Six Penn State football players, including stars Anthony Scirrotto and Justin King, turned themselves in to police Friday to face charges following an off-campus apartment fight.
State College police chief Thomas R. King and Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira held a news conference Friday to announce each player faces at least one felony count of criminal trespass.
Scirrotto faces the most serious charges, including two other felonies -- burglary and criminal solicitation. Christopher Baker was charged with two felony counts, burglary and criminal trespass, plus four related charges.
All six defendants were arraigned and released on unsecured bail.
Police said Scirrotto and his girlfriend got into an altercation with three men on a street in State College and then followed them to an apartment building.
Scirrotto called a fellow football player and met up with a group of players who also arrived at the party, authorities said.
A group of about 10 men, including all six players, rushed into the apartment early on April 1 and a melee ensued, police said. Some of the victims were punched, one was hit in the head with a beer bottle and knocked unconscious, and another was punched and kicked in the face, authorities said.
At least five students were struck during the fight and at least two of those needed treatment at a hospital, police said.
Players Jerome Hayes, Lydell Sargeant, Tyrell Sales and King were each charged with one felony count of criminal trespass, plus two related counts. Two other non-athletes were charged with less serious offenses, police said.
Scirrotto was the Big Ten's leader last year in interceptions and King was one of coach Joe Paterno's top recruits in 2005.
In a statement issued by the athletic department, Paterno said the football staff was concerned about the accusations "and will determine the appropriate consequence for each player's status on the team when due process has transpired."
Spring practice has ended, and no official team activities are scheduled until preseason practice begins in early August.
Stacy Parks Miller, an attorney for Sales, said: "Right now, everything is just an accusation."
Sargeant's attorney, Karen Muir, said she planned to discuss the details of the case with her client.
State College police chief Thomas R. King and Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira held a news conference Friday to announce each player faces at least one felony count of criminal trespass.
Scirrotto faces the most serious charges, including two other felonies -- burglary and criminal solicitation. Christopher Baker was charged with two felony counts, burglary and criminal trespass, plus four related charges.
All six defendants were arraigned and released on unsecured bail.
Police said Scirrotto and his girlfriend got into an altercation with three men on a street in State College and then followed them to an apartment building.
Scirrotto called a fellow football player and met up with a group of players who also arrived at the party, authorities said.
A group of about 10 men, including all six players, rushed into the apartment early on April 1 and a melee ensued, police said. Some of the victims were punched, one was hit in the head with a beer bottle and knocked unconscious, and another was punched and kicked in the face, authorities said.
At least five students were struck during the fight and at least two of those needed treatment at a hospital, police said.
Players Jerome Hayes, Lydell Sargeant, Tyrell Sales and King were each charged with one felony count of criminal trespass, plus two related counts. Two other non-athletes were charged with less serious offenses, police said.
Scirrotto was the Big Ten's leader last year in interceptions and King was one of coach Joe Paterno's top recruits in 2005.
In a statement issued by the athletic department, Paterno said the football staff was concerned about the accusations "and will determine the appropriate consequence for each player's status on the team when due process has transpired."
Spring practice has ended, and no official team activities are scheduled until preseason practice begins in early August.
Stacy Parks Miller, an attorney for Sales, said: "Right now, everything is just an accusation."
Sargeant's attorney, Karen Muir, said she planned to discuss the details of the case with her client.
