ATHENS, Ga. — Two Georgia football players have been arrested and jailed on charges of simple battery. Meanwhile, another Georgia player may face charges after allegedly punching a fellow student in a separate incident that occurred Saturday night.
The Athens-Clarke County Jail report shows offensive linemen Justin Anderson and Trinton Sturdivant were both released within hours of their arrest on Monday night on $1,500 bonds.
Sturdivant, 19, is a starting tackle from Wadesboro, N.C. Anderson, 20, is a guard from Ocilla, Ga.
The incident allegedly occurred early Friday morning at the East Campus Village dormitory on the university’s campus.
The woman who made the complaint said she and a friend were returning to the dorm about 1:30 a.m. when they encountered Anderson, Sturdivant and another unidentified male. The woman, who told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution she is six months pregnant, said they touched her without permission and began following her.
Affidavits filed with the Athens Clarke County Court stated the players “did intentionally make physical contact of an insulting nature with (the alleged victim).”
Ed Tolley, an Athens lawyer who is representing the players, said the charges are unfounded.
“The only thing I can tell you is I’ve talked with both boys and they absolutely deny they did anything of an offensive nature,” Tolley said. “They’re completely shocked that this allegation has been made.”
In the Saturday night incident, Demarius Jackson claims that redshirt freshman sophomore defensive end Michael Lemon of Lizella, Ga., punched him at least five times — including one that resulted in a fracture of his left eye socket — in an altercation that occurred at a barbecue at an apartment complex. Jackson was taken to a hospital and released about eight hours later. Lemon left the scene.
If Lemon is indeed arrested, that would make him the seventh Georgia football player to be charged with a crime since the end of last season.
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Comments » 44
TommyJack writes:
Maybe they were in mourning.
cjraney writes:
Very true TJ. Many folks lose their inhibitions when grieving over a lost UGA. Hopefully Rev. Richt will consider that when meting out discipline.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Kick em' off the team and replace the mascot with a baboon. That should solve all problems.
RJ_Vol writes:
I hate these stories, but that's not all. Check this link:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/st...
murrayvol writes:
I'm certainly glad it wasn't complicated battery.
DennisVols writes:
“The only thing I can tell you is I’ve talked with both boys and they absolutely deny they did anything of an offensive nature,”
Look the accused said they didn't do it so they must not be guilty. What a concept asked the accused and if they deny it then there is no foundation for the charges.
TommyJack writes:
Murray: Good one. Check you email.
IBleedOrange444 writes:
Uhhh, what exactly did they do to the pregnant woman to warrant a misdemeanor charge? Doesn't really sound like they did anything to her except maybe hit on her and make her feel unconfortable. It doesn't say anything about hitting her, or groping her, or forcing themselves on her.
burntorangeVOLffle writes:
Looks like UGA has the perfect storm brewing. A top 3 preseason ranking and an arrest every 3 weeks.
Bigger_Al writes:
If Adams were editor of the Athens paper, the headline would read:
Georgia Hoodlums Grope Pregnant Chicks!
This is a lot worse than when our Offensive Guard got busted for yelling and waving his arms.
Fire Mark Richt! Come on, Adams! This could get you on Florida radio!
DennisVols writes:
Saban and Bama WIN, the biggest Loser that is:
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/...
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Doldrums in Athens, Ga, too. Maybe they wanted to liven things up.
orange4ever writes:
I wonder if Lemon kicked him with a hobnailed boot.
CHANGE NEEDED AT THE TOP,hey Adams.
Colliervol writes:
Nope 55. The last I heard he was working this summer as Finebaum's cabana boy.
rusty_shackleford writes:
Collier, I heard adams and kaplan both were down in FLA with Tebow, polishing his trophy. But then again, it isn't a long trip from Gainesville to Birmingham. Maybe he's doing both?
ULTIMATEVOLUNTEER writes:
JOHN ADAMS......way too easy...Richt, Saban, Petrino, Meyer...they all must need the change at the top since they can"t conrol their players. Discipline is absent.
marinevol writes:
Once more Adams, your silence reveals what a coward you are.
LargeOrange writes:
I am so glad that Mr. John Adams, who don't forget won several STATE-WIDE awards for newspaper writers, was there for us Vol fans, in calling for the firing of our head coach on a multi-state radio publicity tour, and as an apparent result, we have been arrest free since. Must have been JA who fixed this problem, perhaps he should hire himself out to all the other schools that have bigger problems that UT. Where did you run off to Adams? You should have the nads to update your famous "article" in comparison to the other top 20 programs and their need for change at the top. LOSER!!
cwisenhower#637741 writes:
Nah, Adams will take the credit for the team turning around. If it weren't for his ad, the players would still be acting up. The players and coaches cannot possibly police themselves, they need John Adams. And that's all these other teams need, John Adams. Replace the UGA VI with Adams.
CrankE writes:
Maybe some carry-over from storming the field against UF, or the "blackout" in NOLA.
TommyJack writes:
Adams deserves our thanks, not ridicule. He got CPF back to mentoring. Perhaps a Pulitzer is in order. Excellent point, Geoff.
marinevol writes:
Let me wonder a little, too. Could it possibly be that the problems UT was experiencing were things all major programs experience? Could it be that UT's problems were minor compared to programs like Alabama, LSU and Georgia? Could it be that John Adams made a stupid reach in blaming Coach Fulmer for former players getting into trouble years after they left school, in his haste to bash Fulmer and UT? Hmmmmmmm...
volnbig11land writes:
Couldn't have said it better myself marinevol! I've been waiting on john's unbiased article(s) on these other programs for weeks, as well as a reply to my numerous emails to him. coward......
TommyJack writes:
Never saw the Adams' article as an attempt to bash UT. He's not paid to wave the pom-poms.
volnbig11land writes:
Don't remember saying he was tommyjack. I do think he is paid to be FAIR. His not addressing the MANY other teams with issues shows a strong indication that he is anything but a Volunteer pom pom waver!
BADGES0413 writes:
Adams initial article on Fulmer made some accurate points that no one can deny. But bringing up Leonard Little's and Dwayne Goodrich's name in that article made no sense. It was almost like blaming John McCay for O.J. Simpson's transgressions after he left USC. I know Adams is not paid to be a fan, but he is paid to write accurate articles. He is also paid to write good articles and some of them are mindless dribble.
TommyJack writes:
volinbig11: If, big IF, Adams wrote similiar articles about other SEC schools, many (maybe you?) would be complaining that this is a TN site..."don't be writing about other schools".
Am I wrong?
TommyJack writes:
dash727: Very well reasoned post, sir.
TommyJack writes:
Badge: I will concede that the remarks about ex-players was maybe a stretch. The remaining topic was fair game, IMO.
givehim6 writes:
I would think a disciplined team is somthing needed to win championships, GA. may have some talent. But you got to do more then stomp on someones end zone to win a sears trophy. GO VOLS!
volnbig11land writes:
Very fair question (and statement) tommyjack. Honestly I don't "think" I would make such a statement because I like to know what is going on around the SEC. However, I know you're correct in saying there would be people on hearing saying just that.
Like many, I've read enough of johns articles over the years to form my opinion that he doesn't have a lot of love for the hometown team. I understand and respect the fact that he's not paid to do that, but I do have a problem with the overwhelming negative lean he has towards us and really find it crossing the line that he went on a bama radio show and bashed us.
Now all these other schools are having problems which this site posts (the same as writing about them in my opinion) and he says nothing.....
TommyJack writes:
volnbig: Perhaps he will.
LargeOrange writes:
I wouldn't hold my breath on that one TJ. If he did point out the facts that other programs are having major felonies (Cocaine rings, robberies, assaults, rapes etc.) and the UT "crimes" as he referred to in his article and radio promotion tours in AL and GA, were mostly minor misdemeanors and a DUI or 2. He doesn't want to admit that he exaggerated the severity of the problem by acknowledging facts like these. I don't think anyone would complain if he was man enough to admit this, this board already posts the articles about the problems at the other schools, so it is not like it is a surprise or off topic to acknowledge this.
TommyJack writes:
LargeO: I don't think he did exaggerate the severity of the problem...He just didn't report on other schools. BTW, many complain when there IS reportage of other schools. As I said, perhaps he crossed the line with respect to blaming CPF for past Vols now in trouble. Other than that, I think it was a timely and honest report.
volchiq writes:
TJ - I think the problem is that if you take out the past Vols from the previous article, you are basically taking out a major argument and Adams attempt to show a pattern of neglect to discipline on Fulmer's part. Without the past stuff the article would just be a state of the program article that no one could really argue about. By inserting the past Vols, Adams made himself appear irrational and basically discounted his whole argument.
Outrageous statements make rational people question the whole message.
LargeOrange writes:
TJ - We will have to agree to disagree on the exaggeration point. JA intentionally and repeatedly chose to use the words "Criminal Activity" which has a specific legal meaning and associated connotations. Some of the problems he was referring to are far from "criminal" i.e. jumping up and down in a parking lot, underage beer drinking, etc. That to me constitutes a major exaggeration. And the fact that he went to two SEC states and over and over used these words on the radio there, made anyone listening without the background information, to think UT was akin to the Gambino crime family.
LargeOrange writes:
givim6- I agree that the article serves his purpose in that it created interest and controversy, arguably part of his job. But what I take offense to was the radio tour. I don't think the KNS sent him to Feinbahm and Atlanta Sports talk radio to increase circulation for their paper. I don't see any KNS delivery trucks running around Atlanta to serve all the new subscribers that Adams created while "doing his job" down here. He can write what he wants but it is not part of his job to travel to our rival states and slant the truth against UT and Fulmer. That was about the little mans ego and not to benefit the KNS.
invisiblekid writes:
Volchiq, Adams discounted his argument the second he picked up the microphone on Finebaum's show.
If he had come out with that column in 2005 after a losing season and the obvious lack of team chemistry to go along with some of the malcontents, then it would have made sense. However, the radio appearance made him come across as a self-aggrandizing jerk in the mold of Jerry Springer.
He could have used different tactics than the sensational approach he took to get the point across. The rash of incidents were completely unacceptable but splashing a headline screaming for the coach to be fired and following it up with the radio interview came across as a cry for attention as much as any real concern over the program.
DennisVols writes:
What is wrong with college Athletes?
http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/Denn...
volchiq writes:
invisible - I have heard about Adams "press tour" but I haven't actually heard what was said. While I support UT and Fulmer I really didn't order the orange koolaid Big Gulp until this article. Hearing audio from Bama would probably make be order a lifetime supply.
It just amazes me that people outside the program that don't have all the facts think they can run it better than people who stake their careers and lives on it.
rockyknox writes:
ADAMS: Please, somebody make a change.
LargeOrange writes:
volchiq - the link below worked for several months so you could hear the interview with Finebaum, it was enough to make you angry and nauseous. It is not there any longer, maybe someone knows somewhere else to get the mp3?
http://www.finebaum.com/media/archive...
givem6 wrote "However, the positive that comes from his "work" is that it creates discussion, which is never a negative.
LargeO, We found out about the radio trash talking because he knew it would make its way back to Knoxville, probably with his help."
The way I found out about the JA radio tour was not from this site, I live in Atlanta and I had several GA fans, FLA fans, UA fans, and even my boss (Clemson fan) all call me to tell me that they heard some guy on 680 The Fan radio show, trashing Tennessee and calling for Fulmer to be fired. I wonder how many high-school prospects and their parents also heard the interviews or heard from people who did? Those discussions based on JA's spin of the facts would not have been a positive discussion for those potential recruits and their families.
LargeOrange writes:
Couldn't agree more givim6! Be well.
philfan writes:
Today I looked at some preseason magazines and was impressed at Georgia's high national ranking. With their incredibly tough schedule, and now this rash of arrests, ...what can I say, Georgia could well be on its way to a down year, like our lousy 2005 year. I certainly hope they continue to screw up. We will need as much help as possible to get to the SEC championship game again.
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