So what better time to start a blog on Penn State Football! This is the initial post on PSU Happy Jacks and a HJ I will be. The first post will turn a new page and deal with all the garbage that has been going on at State for the last couple of years. Then, if the team can keep it nose clean, I won't ever have post about this topic again. I'll then be a complete HJ. The topic is, of course, the "legal problems."
If you follow PSU Football then you probably know a number of the "legal" stories. I haven't seen the whole story in one place, and while there is more to the "legal" problems than what I write (I wasn't there), here's my attempt at the rest of the story …
Incident #1
1. Anthony Scirrotto
Initial charges: Burglary, criminal trespass, and criminal solicitation, all felonies, simple assault and criminal solicitation, both misdemeanors, and summary harassment.
Outcome: Accepted a plea agreement to a reduced charge of misdemeanor defiant trespass; sentenced to one year of probation, 25 days of community service and a $500 fine.
2. Chris Baker
Initial charges: Burglary and criminal trespass, both felonies, as well as misdemeanor charges of simple assault, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct, and a summary charge of harassment.
Outcome: Accepted plea agreement to misdemeanor simple assault; sentenced to probation
3. Justin King
Initial charges: Criminal trespass, a felony, disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, and a summary charge of harassment.
Outcome: Charges dismissed.
4. Jerome Hayes
Initial charges: Criminal trespass, a felony, disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, and a summary charge of harassment.
Outcome: Charges dismissed.
5. Lydell Sargeant
Initial charges: Criminal trespass, a felony, disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, and a summary charge of harassment.
Outcome: Charges dismissed.
6. Tyrell Sales
Initial charges: Criminal trespass, a felony, disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, and a summary charge of harassment.
Outcome: Charges dismissed.
Timeline
May 4, 2007 – Justin King, Jerome Hayes, Lydell Sargeant, and Tyrell Sales had all charges dropped in preliminary hearings due to a lack of evidence.
August 20, 2007 – Center County, Pennsylvania Presiding Judge Charles C Brown, Jr. granted, in part, a Motion for Habeas Corpus, dismissing four of the six charges brought against Scirrotto. Presiding Judge Brown rules that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (DA Madeira) failed to proffer the basic, prima facie evidence, necessary to submit Scirrotto to trial on charges of burglary, two counts of criminal solicitation, or assault. Judge Brown held that the Commonwealth (DA Madeira) did not offer any evidence that Scirrotto entered the apartment party with the intent to commit a crime therein. The Judge also ruled that there was no evidence that Scirrotto solicited any teammates to confront the men who had earlier attacked him. Additionally, Judge Brown held that there was no evidence that Scirrotto assaulted anyone in connection with the earlier attack upon him, or during the alleged apartment party confrontation.
February 14, 2008 – Penn State Hero Back, Anthony Scirrotto was sentenced to a year of probation after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor defiant trespass. Scirrotto must serve 25 days of community service and pay a $500 fine.
May 15, 2008 - Chris Baker accepted a plea agreement. Baker pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor simple assault — one count stemming from the HUB altercation and one count in connection with the apartment altercation in April 2007. Baker was sentenced to probation.
Incident #2
October 7, 2007 - Chris Baker, Navarro Bowman, Phil Taylor were involved in an altercation at the Hetzel Union Building (HUB) on campus. Several other football players were involved along with another male, who was injured and received medical attention. According to the complaint, the male said he was kicked and punched and had a bloody nose and split lip.Cornerback Knowledge Timmons was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and defiant trespass stemming when Timmons turned over tables in the HUB after the initial altercation concluded. Timmons was searching for his iPhone.
Chris Baker, Navarro Bowman, and Knowledge Timmons were suspended from the team and did not play the final game of the regular season at Michigan State and the Alamo Bowl. Their suspension continued through spring practice.
7. Chris Baker
Initial Charges: Felony aggravated assault, simple assault, disorderly conduct, summary harassment and stalking.
Outcome: Accepted plea agreement to misdemeanor simple assault; sentenced to probation
8. Navarro Bowman
Initial Charges: Felony aggravated assault, simple assault, disorderly conduct, summary harassment and stalking
Outcome: Accepted plea agreement to disorderly conduct; one year probation and community service
9. Phil Taylor
Initial Charges: Summary harassment and stalking.
Outcome: Accepted plea agreement to disorderly conduct; one year probation and community service
10. Knowledge Timmons
Initial Charges: Disorderly conduct and defiant trespass.
Outcome: Accepted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program, a first-time offenders' program that will expunge his criminal record upon completion. One day of community service.
Timeline
May 8, 2008 - Cornerback Knowledge Timmons – who was charged for an altercation after the fight – was accepted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program, a first-time offenders' program that will expunge his criminal record upon completion. In addition to completing the 12-month program, Timmons will need to complete the standard one day of community service.
May 15, 2008 - Chris Baker accepted a plea agreement. Baker pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor simple assault — one count stemming from the HUB altercation and one count in connection with the apartment altercation in April 2007. Baker was sentenced to probation.
May 30, 2008 – Phil Taylor and Navarro Bowman were sentenced to one year of probation and community service. Bowman and Taylor pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charge. Charges of felony aggravated assault, simple assault, summary harassment and stalking were dropped.
Incident #3
October 12, 2007 - PSU Tailback Austin Scott was accused of raping a female student at the Nittany Apartments complex Oct. 5 at 4:16 a.m. after meeting her in a bar. Scott was suspended from the football team for violating an unspecified team rule. (Read that as out late and drinking before a football game.)
11. Austin Scott
Initial Charges: Felony rape, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, simple assault, indecent assault
Outcome: All charges dropped
Timeline
April 18, 2008 - Centre County’s district attorney announced that all charges against former Penn State running back Austin Scott were being dropped.
In withdrawing the charges, the Centre County district attorney’s office issued a statement saying its case was handicapped by a ruling to allow the defense to cross-examine the accuser about rape allegations she made in 2003 against a Moravian College student who was later acquitted.
In a written decision, Centre County Judge Thomas King Kistler cited as reasons to allow the cross-examination, 19 similarities between the two cases, including assertions that the woman never cried for help and that she kissed both men goodbye after intercourse.
Ongoing Incidents
Now if you throw in the really terrible charges … Imagine this! You go to Penn State. You are a college student. You drink adult beverages.- Andrew Quarless – Underage Drinking – Guilty
- Willie Harriot – Underage Drinking – Guilty
- Joe Suhey – Underage Drinking – Guilty
- Ryan Breen – Underage Drinking – Guilty
- Tyrell Sales – Underage Drinking – Guilty
- Dan Lawlor – DUI – Guilty
- 25,000+ PSU Students each year – Underage Drinking - Guilty (perhaps not charged)
Analysis
Centre County District Attorney Michael T. Madeira was elected in November 2005 and was sworn in January of 2006. Since that time Madeira has a piss poor record of gaining convictions against Penn State football players. This is in part because there is little evidence. In the months of legal activities and thousands of dollars spent the most that Madeira could get was:- Anthony Scirrotto – misdemeanor defiant trespass
- Chris Baker – misdemeanor simple assault
- Phil Taylor – misdemeanor disorderly conduct
- Navarro Bowman – misdemeanor disorderly conduct
- Knowledge Timmons – misdemeanor - searched for his cell phone
In the past, Joe Paterno would handle these types of issues inside the program. There were three serious incidents (not counting the drinking related items). The Main Stream Media (MSM) gets a hold of the arrest records and within minutes it is plastered all over the Internet, on ESPN Sport Center, and a day later in the newspaper. There’s not much that JoePa could do about Austin Scott as a charge of rape is very serious in nature. As it turns out Scott was up late drinking before a game. That’s pretty serious if Scott really wanted to play football. In the end Scott got what he deserved. JoePa delivered the appropriate punishment to Scott. Unfortunately, JoePa had to continue that punishment beyond what is required for being up late and drinking before a game. The responsibility for that falls clearly on Madiera. I wonder how Madiera sleeps at night.
As for the other two incidents, it is good to see that PSU teammates are sticking up for each other. The real story behind these incidents has never been told. There is not an accurate picture of what happened. The final result is known, and when compared to initial charges, it seems the Madeira didn’t have a leg to stand on if these charges went to court. Madeira’s over zealous charges, felony after felony, against football players make it seem that he has it out for Penn State Football.
The police should have just gone to Joe and said, "Here are your boys, now take care of them." Keep Madeira out of the loop. Too bad, those days are gone.
At least now, you know the rest of the story.
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