I'm sure they were just misunderstood
Who let the thugs out?
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Who let the thugs out?
Reading the Starkville Daily today. Seems our thugs got loose over the weekend and decided to rough up an off duty policeman. You can take the brother out of the hood, but...
I'm sure they were just misunderstood
I'm sure they were just misunderstood
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Greenhead22
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Well damn, this has to be a first for sure..........another newspaper beating The Clarion Ledger to the punch about negative stuff in the msu athletic program. 
Monday, April 3, 2006
MSU football players charged in assault
By BRIAN HAWKINS and TRAVIS DOWNEY
Starkville Daily News
Five Mississippi State football players each face a felony assault charge in connection with the Saturday night assault of an off-duty Starkville police officer at a downtown party.
The five were arrested shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday on individual warrants for simple assault on a police officer.
Those arrested include:
€ Sophomore defensive back Keith A. Fitzhugh, 19, of 10969 Clearwater Drive, Hampton, Ga.
€ Sophomore defensive back Derek A. Pegues, 19, of Batesville, who lists a local address at 348-B Ruby Hall, MSU.
€ Sophomore outside linebacker Michael Jerrod Gates, 18, of Fairburn, Ga., who lists a local address at 319-B Ruby Hall, MSU
€ Sophomore defensive lineman Charles J. Burns, 19, of 516 Hacienda Ave., Hattiesburg.
€ Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Quinton L. Wesley, 19, of 109 Gault, Apt. D, Atlanta, Ga.
All the suspects except Gates were arrested on the MSU campus, while Gates turned himself in to officers at Starkville Police Department headquarters after being contacted by phone that a warrant had been issued for his arrest.
All five were booked on bonds of $25,000 apiece and initially transported by officers to the Webster County Jail because the Oktibbeha County Jail was full Sunday night. They were subsequently released on bond late Sunday night, SPD officials said.
All are scheduled to make initial appearances before Municipal Court Judge William Eshee at 2 p.m. today.
Starkville Police Chief David Lindley on Sunday would not comment on whether the five suspects were MSU football players, but that fact was later confirmed via the university's athletics website.
The five are charged in connection with an incident at the Level III facility on Main Street around midnight Saturday, said Starkville Police Chief David Lindley Sunday night. Two sororities were hosting a joint party there, Lindley said.
Police Officer Demetric Armstead, who was off-duty Saturday night, was attending the event with his fiancee, who is a member of one of the sororities, Lindley said.
An argument between two women attending the party was growing violent, and Armstead attempted to intervene to stop it from escalating, Lindley said. When he did so, the suspects began to assault Armstead, knocking him to the floor and kicking him and striking him with their fists, Lindley said.
As the suspects began to assault Armstead, security guards working the party and other witnesses warned them that Armstead was a police officer, and witness statements given to police corroborate that, Lindley said.
The suspects involved in assaulting Armstead were reportedly trying to instigate the two women involved in the fight into exchanging blows, and grew upset when he intervened, but Lindley would not comment on that factor Sunday night.
The security guards and other party-goers stepped in to break up the incident, and Armstead was able to make his way out of the melee and leave the building with his fiancee so he could call for help. His shirt had been ripped and he had suffered numerous cuts and bruises to his face, head and back, Lindley said.
The suspects followed Armstead outside and again attacked him, but fled upon learning that Starkville police officers and Oktibbeha County sheriff's deputies had been called, Lindley said.
All the suspects were gone when the officers and deputies arrived just after midnight, Lindley said.
Armstead was able to identify all the suspects involved in his assault, and investigating officers were able to corroborate their identities with multiple witnesses to the incident, Lindley said.
Lindley and SPD Capt. Chris Thomas both said that additional arrests in the case are pending.
Mississippi State Athletic Department officials - including Head Football Coach Sylvester Croom - had been notified about the arrests Sunday night, but a spokesman for the department said officials were still working to learn the details of what transpired and would not comment about what actions might be taken against the football players until learning further information.
Mike Nemeth, associate athletic director for media relations, said Croom was “caught off guard†after hearing of the incident and the players' arrest and was going to “wait and see†what legal actions were being taken against the players before implementing disciplinary procedures.
"We're aware that something occurred. Right now we are trying to get all the details at this time. At some point in time he will make a decision after the legal process has run it's course ... on what to do," Nemeth said.
Nemeth said Sunday night that athletic officials expected to have more information today.
Monday, April 3, 2006
MSU football players charged in assault
By BRIAN HAWKINS and TRAVIS DOWNEY
Starkville Daily News
Five Mississippi State football players each face a felony assault charge in connection with the Saturday night assault of an off-duty Starkville police officer at a downtown party.
The five were arrested shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday on individual warrants for simple assault on a police officer.
Those arrested include:
€ Sophomore defensive back Keith A. Fitzhugh, 19, of 10969 Clearwater Drive, Hampton, Ga.
€ Sophomore defensive back Derek A. Pegues, 19, of Batesville, who lists a local address at 348-B Ruby Hall, MSU.
€ Sophomore outside linebacker Michael Jerrod Gates, 18, of Fairburn, Ga., who lists a local address at 319-B Ruby Hall, MSU
€ Sophomore defensive lineman Charles J. Burns, 19, of 516 Hacienda Ave., Hattiesburg.
€ Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Quinton L. Wesley, 19, of 109 Gault, Apt. D, Atlanta, Ga.
All the suspects except Gates were arrested on the MSU campus, while Gates turned himself in to officers at Starkville Police Department headquarters after being contacted by phone that a warrant had been issued for his arrest.
All five were booked on bonds of $25,000 apiece and initially transported by officers to the Webster County Jail because the Oktibbeha County Jail was full Sunday night. They were subsequently released on bond late Sunday night, SPD officials said.
All are scheduled to make initial appearances before Municipal Court Judge William Eshee at 2 p.m. today.
Starkville Police Chief David Lindley on Sunday would not comment on whether the five suspects were MSU football players, but that fact was later confirmed via the university's athletics website.
The five are charged in connection with an incident at the Level III facility on Main Street around midnight Saturday, said Starkville Police Chief David Lindley Sunday night. Two sororities were hosting a joint party there, Lindley said.
Police Officer Demetric Armstead, who was off-duty Saturday night, was attending the event with his fiancee, who is a member of one of the sororities, Lindley said.
An argument between two women attending the party was growing violent, and Armstead attempted to intervene to stop it from escalating, Lindley said. When he did so, the suspects began to assault Armstead, knocking him to the floor and kicking him and striking him with their fists, Lindley said.
As the suspects began to assault Armstead, security guards working the party and other witnesses warned them that Armstead was a police officer, and witness statements given to police corroborate that, Lindley said.
The suspects involved in assaulting Armstead were reportedly trying to instigate the two women involved in the fight into exchanging blows, and grew upset when he intervened, but Lindley would not comment on that factor Sunday night.
The security guards and other party-goers stepped in to break up the incident, and Armstead was able to make his way out of the melee and leave the building with his fiancee so he could call for help. His shirt had been ripped and he had suffered numerous cuts and bruises to his face, head and back, Lindley said.
The suspects followed Armstead outside and again attacked him, but fled upon learning that Starkville police officers and Oktibbeha County sheriff's deputies had been called, Lindley said.
All the suspects were gone when the officers and deputies arrived just after midnight, Lindley said.
Armstead was able to identify all the suspects involved in his assault, and investigating officers were able to corroborate their identities with multiple witnesses to the incident, Lindley said.
Lindley and SPD Capt. Chris Thomas both said that additional arrests in the case are pending.
Mississippi State Athletic Department officials - including Head Football Coach Sylvester Croom - had been notified about the arrests Sunday night, but a spokesman for the department said officials were still working to learn the details of what transpired and would not comment about what actions might be taken against the football players until learning further information.
Mike Nemeth, associate athletic director for media relations, said Croom was “caught off guard†after hearing of the incident and the players' arrest and was going to “wait and see†what legal actions were being taken against the players before implementing disciplinary procedures.
"We're aware that something occurred. Right now we are trying to get all the details at this time. At some point in time he will make a decision after the legal process has run it's course ... on what to do," Nemeth said.
Nemeth said Sunday night that athletic officials expected to have more information today.
Last edited by Greenhead22 on Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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dawg-n-duck
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mshunter77
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Po Monkey Lounger
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MSU guys, what is the scoop on this sitiation. Is it as potentially bad as it seems, or is there more to the story that will aid the players' defense?
Is this police officer Armistead a black man? Was he well known as a police officer in the community? Any previous problems between these football players and this officer? Or is the motive for the attack as simple as it appears in the story? Was Armistead a former athlete at MSU? Was he roughed up as bad as the report indicated, or is it being exaggerated? Did the players really know before either the first attack or second attack that he was a police officer with SPD?
I feel for Coach Croom and the decisions he must make on this thing. He will be second guessed regardless of what he decides to do. It will be interesting to see what, if any, public input the new Chancellor at MSU has with respect to this matter. I don't know much about him, other than he has a former military background.
As I have said (or ranted perhaps) in previous posts re these types of incidents, they are going to happen at every school. These types of things are always like little time bombs just waiting to explode, giving college coaches grey hair before their time.
Is this police officer Armistead a black man? Was he well known as a police officer in the community? Any previous problems between these football players and this officer? Or is the motive for the attack as simple as it appears in the story? Was Armistead a former athlete at MSU? Was he roughed up as bad as the report indicated, or is it being exaggerated? Did the players really know before either the first attack or second attack that he was a police officer with SPD?
I feel for Coach Croom and the decisions he must make on this thing. He will be second guessed regardless of what he decides to do. It will be interesting to see what, if any, public input the new Chancellor at MSU has with respect to this matter. I don't know much about him, other than he has a former military background.
As I have said (or ranted perhaps) in previous posts re these types of incidents, they are going to happen at every school. These types of things are always like little time bombs just waiting to explode, giving college coaches grey hair before their time.
Who cares?! I'm so sick and tired of football and basketball players going out making headlines because of drugs, bar fights, ect. If they would make some headlines on the court or on the field that would be nice. I find it amazing that major educational institutions all over the Southeast fight to give these kids a free education, room and board, and other perks and this is what you get in return. By these kids, I'm referring the players in question but all of the athletes that are basically catered to. I have no doubt that Croom tries to recruit good kids but it just wonder if there is such a thing.
I don't know the details, but it doesn't sound good and if they are guilty I hope they get burned.
Pondman
I don't know the details, but it doesn't sound good and if they are guilty I hope they get burned.
Pondman
"That's the one trouble with this country: everything, weather, all, hangs on to long. Like our rivers, our land: opaque, slow, violent; shaping and creating the life of man in its implacable and brooding image." William Faulkner
My two cents......if the accounts are accurate, Coach Croom will kick the guys off the team.....this will mean you Ole Miss boys will have a chance to get Pegues back (South Panola Connection). I know this kind of thing happens in every college town, but if you're an athlete, you need to stay away from these situations.
Like it or not, these guys are high profile in the community. It sounds like these guys started the whole thing....let's hope not....but if they did, tell them to hit the road. Not trying to throw mud at Ole Miss, but the same thing should of happened to Rizzano (spelling) after his altercation. For all reasons previously mentioned, the State players and Rizzano should never have been in the situation. They may be innocent, but because of who they are, things get blown out of proportion and give your program a black eye.
I used to play for Coach Polk, he always had a rule that you could not drink a beer in a public place during the season. His reasoning was that it may be very innocent, but someone sees you having a beer for dinner and you have a bad game the next day......then the whole team in the public's eye are a bunch of alcoholics.....my point is that these guys should never have been in that situation......guilty or innocent.
Like it or not, these guys are high profile in the community. It sounds like these guys started the whole thing....let's hope not....but if they did, tell them to hit the road. Not trying to throw mud at Ole Miss, but the same thing should of happened to Rizzano (spelling) after his altercation. For all reasons previously mentioned, the State players and Rizzano should never have been in the situation. They may be innocent, but because of who they are, things get blown out of proportion and give your program a black eye.
I used to play for Coach Polk, he always had a rule that you could not drink a beer in a public place during the season. His reasoning was that it may be very innocent, but someone sees you having a beer for dinner and you have a bad game the next day......then the whole team in the public's eye are a bunch of alcoholics.....my point is that these guys should never have been in that situation......guilty or innocent.
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duckkiller
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Sometimes, these incidents need to be taken with a grain of salt. Athletes are high profile figures in small towns like Oxford and Starkville. They can be lightning rods for controversy because little schits want to be a big man and say that they mixed it up with a football player.
That said, this does not appear to be one of those cases. Until all the facts come out (maybe they have), it might be best to reserve judgment. However, athletes trying to instigate a fight between two girls is pretty damn low. To then jump on an officer of the law is beyond my comprehension. I can't even begin to imagine what extreme circumstances would have to arise for me to have any interaction with a cop other than "Yes sir" or "No sir." The officer trying to break up a fight between two girls certainly does not qualify. Hope Croom dismisses these clowns from the team, just like I wanted Pittman and Rizzano gone. Maybe Tennessee can pick em up.
mottlet
That said, this does not appear to be one of those cases. Until all the facts come out (maybe they have), it might be best to reserve judgment. However, athletes trying to instigate a fight between two girls is pretty damn low. To then jump on an officer of the law is beyond my comprehension. I can't even begin to imagine what extreme circumstances would have to arise for me to have any interaction with a cop other than "Yes sir" or "No sir." The officer trying to break up a fight between two girls certainly does not qualify. Hope Croom dismisses these clowns from the team, just like I wanted Pittman and Rizzano gone. Maybe Tennessee can pick em up.
mottlet
It's a bloody mary morning...
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Greenhead22
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Well, I'll tell you all this.......there are 3 starters involved in this and none of them will be kicked off.
stitch, as for Polk's rule, I've known about it for yrs but probably 90% of the team didn't even pay attention to it. I saw it a bunch while I was at state, especially on the weekends when they had a sec team in town. I hung out with several that were frat guys, never bothered them any. Heck a few yrs ago there was a ton of pics taken at Rick's one night when several of them were there getting loaded, pics ended up on the net and none of them were ever reprimanded. Heck one of the relievers took the two best players on arizona's team to Rick's on friday night after the first game...........both said they had food poisoning and couldn't play saturday.
This is college, drunks and fights are part of the deal, doesn't matter if you are a student or student athlete.
stitch, as for Polk's rule, I've known about it for yrs but probably 90% of the team didn't even pay attention to it. I saw it a bunch while I was at state, especially on the weekends when they had a sec team in town. I hung out with several that were frat guys, never bothered them any. Heck a few yrs ago there was a ton of pics taken at Rick's one night when several of them were there getting loaded, pics ended up on the net and none of them were ever reprimanded. Heck one of the relievers took the two best players on arizona's team to Rick's on friday night after the first game...........both said they had food poisoning and couldn't play saturday.
This is college, drunks and fights are part of the deal, doesn't matter if you are a student or student athlete.
GH22 I will have to strongly disagree with you. Although drinking and fighting are making the headlines a lot lately they shouldn't be part of college athletics. The easiest example I can give you is look at when Nick Saban was at LSU, he ran a tight ship. You NEVER read in the paper about kids getting into trouble. That means one of two things either he was better at covering up stuff than coaching football, or there just wasn't that kind of crap happening. College coaches are expected to be good disciplinarians along with good coaches. IMO if you have good discipline, thenyou will have a better team. There may not be the talent to win it all, but a team will play better. There is no way that crap should be tolerated, if everything is true in that article, then those guys need to be thrown off the team ASAP and you guys need to really start praying as it looks like that was half your defense in that fight.
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Greenhead22
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Greenhead22
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April 3, 2006
Five MSU football players charged with assaulting a cop
By Ian R. Rapoport
irapopor@clarionledger.com
STARKVILLE — Five Mississippi State football players, including two starters, are scheduled to appear in Starkville Municipal Court today at 2 p.m. to face charges that they assaulted a police officer.
The five were were arrested and charged with simple assault of a police officer, a felony, late Sunday night, according to a news release from the Starkville Police Department.
Cornerback Derek Pegues and safety Keith Fitzhugh are the starters arrested. Offensive tackle Michael Gates, and defensive ends Charles Burns and Quinton Wesley are the others. All are freshmen.
Each player charged with the felony was held in Webster County Jail until a $25,000 bond was posted, because Oktibbeha County Jail was full.
Through spokesman Mike Nemeth, MSU coach Sylvester Croom said he’ll wait for the legal process to run its course before disciplining the players. “But,†Croom added in a statement, “there will be discipline taken no matter the outcome of the legal process.â€
Police say other arrests are “anticipated.â€
According to the report, the incident occurred at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday at Level III, a downtown Starkville nightclub, when off-duty police officer Demetric Armstead attempted to break up a fight between two women.
Armstead was attacked by “several individuals†and was knocked to the floor, said the report. He then identified himself as a Starkville police officer, but the attack continued. After Armstead went outside and called for help, on-duty police arrived, as did Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s deputies. The report said that the “attackers†left the scene. A day long investigation took place on Sunday, leading to the arrests.
Five MSU football players charged with assaulting a cop
By Ian R. Rapoport
irapopor@clarionledger.com
STARKVILLE — Five Mississippi State football players, including two starters, are scheduled to appear in Starkville Municipal Court today at 2 p.m. to face charges that they assaulted a police officer.
The five were were arrested and charged with simple assault of a police officer, a felony, late Sunday night, according to a news release from the Starkville Police Department.
Cornerback Derek Pegues and safety Keith Fitzhugh are the starters arrested. Offensive tackle Michael Gates, and defensive ends Charles Burns and Quinton Wesley are the others. All are freshmen.
Each player charged with the felony was held in Webster County Jail until a $25,000 bond was posted, because Oktibbeha County Jail was full.
Through spokesman Mike Nemeth, MSU coach Sylvester Croom said he’ll wait for the legal process to run its course before disciplining the players. “But,†Croom added in a statement, “there will be discipline taken no matter the outcome of the legal process.â€
Police say other arrests are “anticipated.â€
According to the report, the incident occurred at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday at Level III, a downtown Starkville nightclub, when off-duty police officer Demetric Armstead attempted to break up a fight between two women.
Armstead was attacked by “several individuals†and was knocked to the floor, said the report. He then identified himself as a Starkville police officer, but the attack continued. After Armstead went outside and called for help, on-duty police arrived, as did Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s deputies. The report said that the “attackers†left the scene. A day long investigation took place on Sunday, leading to the arrests.
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