Seven Michigan St football players charged in tunnel melee
The Michigan State football players charged with assault following an April 8 scuffle at Michigan State’s Camp Randall Stadium will be arraigned Friday on their various charges.
Michigan State is preparing for a possible maximum sentence of up to five years in prison when the players appear in Wayne County Circuit Court for their arraignments. However, the range of potential punishments is likely to be considerably longer, at least in cases involving assault and battery charges.
Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon speaks about the recent events in attendance
The three-day trial is also likely to be the most interesting segment of the overall proceedings. The players are expected to testify under immunity for their actions at the game involving Michigan State guard Marcus Allen and quarterback Wilton Speight.
Allen, a former Michigan basketball player, grabbed Speight in a bench press, causing what police described as a five-minute scuffle that included multiple players on each team. Allen and his teammates left the field without speaking with police, and instead continued their fight in the tunnel leading to the field. Allen was not charged with a criminal misdemeanor for the incident, but he had been disciplined by Michigan State in the past for rule violations that led to his ejection from a game in January.
Michigan State athletic officials quickly expressed their disappointment with the incident, saying it took an extremely poor decision by a “foolish football player” to use a force that could have injured or killed a Michigan State player.
Michigan State football players charged in the incident were not charged with a criminal misdemeanor.
The incident began after the Wolverines were down 10-0 at halftime against Eastern Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Allen, who was not charged in the incident, became involved in a fight with Michigan State linebacker Kosta Karageorge on the Michigan State sideline. As they started to leave the stadium, Michigan State running back Le’Veon Bell and senior safety Rashan Gary tried to calm Karageorge down.
“I didn’t know what to do. I felt like something was about to happen,” Bell said. “I saw a couple
