Standout cornerback Justin King was trying to play police at a fight in Gateway apartments in early April -- and for his efforts he was charged with multiple crimes.
Until Friday.
Charges against King -- which included criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and harassment -- were dropped just before a preliminary hearing on Friday.
Star safety Anthony Scirrotto was another of the six players in court today hearing over their roles in the April 1, 2007 brawl.
The Phanatic Magazine's take:
Jared Trexler: I was planning on staying quiet on this case because to me it's a non-story, though it quickly could turn into the second coming of Durham DA Mike Nifong's misstepts in the Duke rape case. Those I've talked to say the brawl is something that "happens all the time to a more severe degree in State College." However, the SC DA saw those involved, and in my opinion, his eyes welled up with joy, especially after he completely botched the Scott Paxson case. Likely, all charges will be dropped or lower plea bargins will be reached with each offender, unless the DA decides to drag his feet and prolong the matter. Head coach Joe Paterno's inactivity in handing down punishments should tell you what he thinks of the case.
It's a joke.
And just think what you would do if you were in Scirrotto's shoes. A guy physically harms your girlfriend, calling her vulgar names and spewing hate from Pugh Street to College Avenue. Though I'm not "jacked" like Scirrotto, the guys in question would likely get a seven-iron smashed against their skulls.
It's a fact of life. You disrespect, or worse yet, physically harm those close to me, you'll get the same in return.
Agree?
9 comments:
Typical homer response.
John,
Amen!!! It's good to see there is a real man out there who also lives in the real world.
I don't know any man who wouldn't react the same way as you would, and Scirrotto did. If a young girl is out on a date with her boyfriend and three street thugs insult her, shove her, punch the bf in the face, and destroy property, there are no rules or laws in 95% of the United States, or world for that matter.
The D.A. is out of control. To think that they've brought multiple charges against Scirrotto is just plain obnoxious and grandstanding. They decided to overcharge him, in my opinion, because he's the only returning First Team All Big Ten player on the Penn State team. The players are getting Nifonged ala Duke.
Imle, Scalamera, and the scum that had the college party, McGarrity, Himes, and Britt should all be expelled or otherwise transfer.
Jennifer
My guess is you don't have the balls to take a 7-iron to anybody's head nor should you. Penn St. seems to be falling from grace just a little bit. First I was surprised they had gone the JUCO route in recruiting. Now they are going around like a bunch of thugs, thinking they run the campus and school. The Domesticated Cats are looking more and more like the Hurricanes and Buckeyes every day.
Tom Byrne
41-17
WE ARE...GOING TO BEAT YOUR ASS IF YOU LOOK AT US FUNNY!
Let’s break down Trexler’s pearls of wisdom one by one here.
Those I've talked to – Jared’s fellow PSU-loving frat bros
Head coach Joe Paterno's inactivity in handing down punishments should tell you what he thinks of the case. – No, it just tells us that Grampa Joe’s nurse didn’t feel like interrupting his busy schedule of napping, bingo, and being outcoached to tell him the news.
And just think what you would do if you were in Scirrotto's shoes – Mr. Scirrotto doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who does too much thinking, but I’ll bite on this fun hypothetical. I would fight the guy who said something, one-on-one, not hang back like a coward until my football teammates show up. But then, I also would have chosen to go to a school that can actually contend for a championship, not a has-been program with a figurehead of a coach who may or may not know what year it is. But that’s just me.
Though I'm not "jacked" like Scirrotto, the guys in question would likely get a seven-iron smashed against their skulls – Whoa there, Herpen. You lost me on this one.
Sincerely,
Will Hobson
(I don’t have a score to add like Byrne, I just wanted to point out how ridiculous of a homer you are. I’d wager that if O.J. had gone to PSU, you’d be out there “hunting down the real killers” right now.)
Penn State has fallen from grace. They are a wannabe powerhouse in college football and that is a fact.
Also, advocating violence and saying you would hit someone with a golf club is a little insane and childish.
Grow up like the rest of the kids who choose to go to PSU so they can relive their high school days of being the "cool" kids.
CASE IS A SHAM
You were right on target. All charges were also dismissed by the Judge against Hayes, Sales and Sargeant, and 2 charges also dropped against Baker because the State's witnesses couldn't even identify him. Imle, the guy who took a swipe at Scirrotto and shoved his girlfriend, by all accounts, was a terrible witness for the State. The Assisitant D.A. was made out to be a media hungry fool and had the case blow up in his face, Nifong style.
The case was bound over against Scirrotto merely to save face for the D.A. Scirrotto is a choir boy, however, which makes the case altogether ridiculous. Not a single person can even testify that Scirrotto was even in the apartment. And, imagine this, he's being charged "criminal solicitation" for calling--his brother and best friend after being attacked.
OPINION: PLAYERS GETTING "NIFONGED", DUKE-STYLE, BY ASSISTANT D.A. RUNNING FOR COURT OF COMMON PLEAS JUDGE
http://www.sloaneforjudge.com/
In my opinion, there was a rush to judgment in this case, and grandstanding, by the Centre County District Attorney's Office, for the following reasons:
1. Justin King was charged with various criminal acts only to have the Assistant D.A., Sloan, agree to withdraw ALL of the charges against him before a basic Preliminary Hearing even began;
2. After a marathon Preliminary Hearing, the Assistant D.A. couldn't even get ANY charges to stick against Hayes, Sales or Sargeant. The Judge DISMISSED ALL OF THE CHARGES AGAINST THESE THREE PLAYERS;
3. Two of the charges against Chris Baker were DISMISSED by the Judge as well because the State's witness, who previously identified him as a person who allegedly destroyed a computer, couldn't even identify Baker in the courtroom. At first the witness said Baker was in the courtroom and dressed in a suit and tie. When asked by defense counsel to step down and I.D. Baker, the witness said he wasn't in the courtroom, even though he was sitting right there.
4. Scirrotto is being railroaded worst of all in my opinion. No one has even placed Scirrotto in the apartment, let alone as the person who burst into the drinking party. Moreover, no one can say that Scirrotto was involved in any of the fighting. Worst of all, Scirrotto is being charged with "criminal solicitation" for calling, of all people, his own brother and best friend after he and his girlfriend were admittedly assaulted and battered by a group of men. Not to mention that Scirrotto's property was damaged by one of the street thugs.
5. Imle, who admitted to assaulting and battering Scirrotto and his girlfriend, purportedl changed his story between an affidavit and his testimony because he was "nervous." He came across as a terrible witness, using phrases like "my balls" among other things.
6. Sloan is running for Court of Common Pleas Judge. http://www.sloaneforjudge.com/
7. In my view, this has Duke Rape Hoax writting all over it.
i live in west deptford i go to the same high school that scirrotto graduated from we have the same coach. as far as will hobson is concerned hes has no idea he chose to play football for penn state instead of playing for any thirty teams in the mlb that he tried out for
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