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Two former Mississippi State players avoid jail time
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JACKSON, Miss. — A judge has given two former Mississippi State players suspended sentences for firing guns on campus in March.
Oktibbeha County Circuit Court Judge Lee Howard gave Michael Brown two years suspended and Quinton Wesley three years suspended. Each will be on probation during the sentence and could serve time in jail if they do not meet all the requirements.
“Had the judge felt as if they were shooting at anybody I believe the outcome would’ve been a little different,” Assistant District Attorney Frank Clark said. “But the judge was convinced — and I think rightfully so — that they weren’t shooting at anybody so much as just shooting guns up in the air and being stupid. The problem is it put so many people in danger.”
Brown and Wesley waived their right to a grand jury hearing and pleaded guilty last Friday to the felony of bringing firearms onto educational property. They faced up to three years in prison. Howard said Wesley’s sentence was longer because he has a simple assault conviction on his record.
Brown and Wesley were arrested March 27 after an altercation that started off campus earlier in the day, then continued near several residence halls that evening.
Campus police Detective Don Bartlett “described it as a stare-down kind of deal,” Clark said of testimony offered to Howard on Tuesday.
The two were kicked off the team and dismissed from the university soon after their arrests.
Three other players still face grand jury indictment for what coach Sylvester Croom has called an indirect connection to the cases of Brown and Wesley.
Croom told fans in Tupelo last week that former starting cornerback Anthony Johnson, reserve linebacker Jamon Hughes and reserve defensive lineman Rodney Prince are not enrolled in school. Hughes likely will transfer while a spokesman said Johnson and Prince could still return to Mississippi State, depending on the outcome of the grand jury hearing in July.
Even if they do return, however, they will have to sit out next season under NCAA eligibility rules.
The Bulldogs have lost nine players who have left the team voluntarily or been dismissed since the end of their breakthrough 8-5 season.
Two reserve quarterbacks, Michael Henig and Josh Riddell, quit and three others, defensive backs Demario Bobo and Keon Humphries and linebacker Anthony Littlejohn, decided to skip their fifth years after Croom told them they were unlikely to make the 70-man roster.
Littlejohn has since returned to the team after serving as a student coach during spring drills, a spokesman said, and Bobo has been invited to try out at Cleveland Browns rookie camp.
Croom and Athletic Director Larry Templeton were both out of town Tuesday and unavailable for comment.
Brown’s loss will be the most difficult to overcome. He was Mississippi State’s best offensive lineman and a likely NFL prospect. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound College Park, Ga., native started 18 of 19 games he’s been eligible for since transferring from Florida and was featured on the cover of Mississippi State’s spring media guide.
He was an honorable mention pick on The Associated Press’ All-Southeastern Conference team after last season.
Wesley, a 6-4, 315-pound sophomore backup left defensive tackle from Atlanta, played in 21 games with one start. He had 19 tackles and one forced fumble last season and was expected to be a regular contributor next season.
© 2008, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Posted by TommyJack on May 6, 2008 at 9:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Fine student athletes.
Posted by nafslov on May 6, 2008 at 9:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who cares ? Go Vols !
Posted by rockyknox on May 6, 2008 at 10:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Adams: MSU football needs a change at the top.
Posted by 2000man on May 7, 2008 at 3:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Fire Croom, er, I mean Fire Fulmer.
Posted by General_Fritter on May 7, 2008 at 6:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Fulmer must have offered his legal staff.
Posted by sjt18 on May 7, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Fulmer did as much to cause this as he did to cause the problems former Vol players ran into after leaving. Adams used those problems to justify his conclusion that CPF should be fired.
I guess what I'm saying is... why not blame Fulmer? While we're at it, maybe someone can link him to the 9-11 conspiracy.
Posted by GreerVol22 on May 7, 2008 at 8:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you gonna pull the trigger, at least hit something...a stop sign, one of those football sleds, and ugly chic...something.
Posted by spam247buster on May 7, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Fulmer was the guy firing from the grassy knoll. He also bombed Pearl Harbor. He most likely caused the dodo bird to become extinct.
Posted by pdhuff on May 7, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Finally a positive article on college athletes.
"Shooting guns up into the air and being stupid".
Would make me bust my suspenders at the local store when anyone asked me how my young 'un was doing down at State!
Posted by pdhuff on May 7, 2008 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
sjt18 8:22am, maybe Adams wrongly thought ol' Phil had some influence on his players during their tenure under his guidance. Pshaw! They're on their own. Grown men.
You get any work done last night?
Posted by ElizabethtonvolnNC on May 7, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
PD... let's hold Phil accountable for every student athelete he coaches. Good students aren't good students before they get to UT...
It is only Phils influence on them that made good students of them after they got there...
Wow, I guess John Adams is right!
More kool-aid please!!
Posted by pdhuff on May 7, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
True EvoltonNC- I'm much more interested in performance on the field than off. I believe in privacy and privilege. And subscribe to - that you and you alone are responsible as "Master of my soul and Captain of my Fate".
With the big guy looking down, of course.
Posted by ElizabethtonvolnNC on May 7, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
PD-I hope that you quote because your well read and not because you've been watching too many reruns of Dead Poets Society....lol
I too am a subscriber to the P&P practice...
However, others choose to be a little more "inquisitive" and not so subjective during the course thereof.
Posted by pdhuff on May 7, 2008 at 2:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EtonvolNC- No one is educated or well read enough to be ready for the renderings of this board.
Description is defied daily. Just have a sense of humor and an approach as if you were an employee of ol' Bedlam in England. LOL
Posted by GoVol on May 7, 2008 at 5 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Fulmer's only responsible for poor coaching...pure & simple. Nothing more; nothing less.
Posted by ElizabethtonvolnNC on May 7, 2008 at 5:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
PD- I'm likened more to Jack Nicholson from "one Flew...." Pre-lobotomy of course!
Grounded sanity amongst the zanies!
Now-Please pass the kool-aid!
Posted by pdhuff on May 7, 2008 at 6:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EvolNC- As long as you attend here, you will never, I repeat, never lack for orange koolaid.
About Augie 15th, the orange glasses come out and K Kreme glazed sales soar. You'll know, no problem.
As far as "One Flew". do you look like "Chief"?
My better half gets worried when I try to get on a tricycle and alternate saying "Redrum" and "All work and no play makes".....
Posted by sjt18 on May 8, 2008 at 3:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
pdhuff, wonder if Adams has children...
I know that even good, sincere, caring parents have kids that get into deep trouble after leaving home. No college coach has the power to completely undo the upbringing of many of the guys they coach. Coaches should do all they can to influence their players lives... but to blame a coach because a player later goes bad is ridiculous.
Like I've said before, there are legitimate criticisms of CPF that can be spun into a call for his job... The stuff Adams used isn't it.
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