LSU Players Suspended & Facing Felony Charges

LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson and teammate Joshua Johns were released on $5,000 bond each Friday in connection with a bar fight that injured four people.  Read more after the jump.

@Shay_Marie x @gametimegirl

The two players turned themselves in after police obtained arrest warrants on felony charges of second-degree battery, stemming from their alleged roles in a fight outside Shady’s bar in Baton Rouge on Aug. 19. The players have also been suspended indefinitely by the school.

“Today is a sad day for the city of Baton Rouge. Today is a sad day for Louisiana State University, the LSU alumni and the countless fans that follow the Tiger football program,” Baton Rouge police chief Dewayne White said. “It is also a sad day for the Baton Rouge police department.”

White said the evidence in the case would be forwarded to the East Baton Rouge Parish district attorney for review.

He described the evidence as “numerous interviews of witnesses, including victims and players implicated in the incident … as well as video evidence of certain individuals, all of whom were present at the scene.”

Jefferson and Johns both hired new attorneys, with Jefferson retaining Lewis Unglesby and Johns enlisting Thomas Damico.

“This has become something very disproportionate to what it is,” said Unglesby, a former special counsel for the Louisiana governor’s office whose other past clients have included former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo, Popeye’s Fried Chicken founder Al Copeland and several politicians who have faced corruption charges. “There are fights in bars involving young people all over this country every day. I don’t believe Mr. Jefferson did anything wrong. At the end of this, when you get through with the drama of a big-time program and quarterback, at the end of it it’s a bunch of college students acting like college students act. And we can’t lose sight of that.”

Attorney Shannon Fay, an associate of the players’ former lead defense attorney, Nathan Fisher, said their effort to disprove the accusations against the players would continue.

“This is an ongoing case, and we will continue to diligently defend our clients, who we believe are innocent,” Fay said.

While that effort continues, Jefferson, a starter, and Johns, a reserve linebacker, will miss fourth-ranked LSU’s season opener on Sept. 3 against Oregon at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. They could miss many more games than that.

“We will continue to cooperate with the authorities in an effort to find out exactly what took place during the incident,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “As sad as this incident is, it’s important that we learn from this and that we take away a valuable lesson. This has weighed on all of us. It’s time for us to come together as a team and focus on what we are here to do.”

A police report says a 19-year-old woman named Victoria Long said she witnessed several LSU players beating one of the alleged victims and saw Jefferson kick that man in the face.

“Jordan disputes that he kicked an individual in the face,” Unglesby said. “I have no fear of the facts of this case. Which is why Jordan needs to be back playing football. At the end of this, the evidence will be that Jordan Jefferson acted as a leader for his team, doing what he was taught to do, being a good teammate.”

Four people were treated and released at a hospital in the hours after the fight, and police have said one person had three fractured vertebrae, injuries serious enough to warrant felony charges.

“This has been an unfortunate and difficult situation for everyone involved,” said Michael Bienvenu, an attorney representing the alleged victims. “My clients have remained strong throughout this process and are currently focused on healing their injuries.”

Two witnesses who work at the bar told The Associated Press that the players did not throw the first punch but added that once the melee began, it was difficult to see who hit whom, and they could not verify the extent to which Jefferson and Johns were involved.

Shady’s door manager Jordan Neldare, who said he witnessed the fight, said he noticed that Jefferson removed himself from the brawl before it was over and was standing alone near the bar’s entrance, looking upset.

White said Jefferson and Johns have cooperated fully in the investigation.

“I am surprised an arrest was made based on the evidence I’ve seen,” Damico said. “I don’t believe Josh is guilty. I don’t believe Josh was involved at all.”

Police also identified offensive lineman Chris Davenport and receiver Jarvis Landry as people of interest in the fight but did not comment on their status Friday. White said the police would not be making any more public comments about the merits or facts of the case, “for the purposes of protecting the integrity of an ongoing and continuing investigation into to this matter.”

Each of the four players were interviewed by investigators Tuesday. On Wednesday, police executed a search warrant of Jefferson’s apartment and took 49 pairs of shoes, along with a DNA swab.

Under team orders, LSU players have not discussed the fight publicly since it happened.

“It’s certainly a tough time for our team when they see a teammate in peril,” said Miles, describing some players in tears when they first gathered to talk about moving forward without Jefferson and Johns. “It’s hard on them. I don’t believe there were many that believed that was the outcome, and it took some time for them to understand what was going on.

“This is not how I intended to spend my preseason,” Miles added. “I wanted to spend it much more on football.”

With Jefferson suspended, fellow senior  Jarrett Lee is the likely starter against Oregon, with sophomore Zach Mettenberger, a junior college transfer, next in line.

Jefferson, a senior, guided LSU to an 11-2 record last season. He is 20-7 as a starter, but the team ranked last in passing in the Southeastern Conference last season, with 155.6 yards per game.

Still, LSU has numerous key players returning and was expected to compete for Southeastern Conference and national championships this season.

The team’s success now will ride on how the players are able to regroup from a series of setbacks this offseason, one of which occurred Thursday when LSU suspended starting wide receiver Russell Shepard for violating school and NCAA codes that pertain to discussing NCAA inquiries with teammates who are also scheduled to be interviewed on the same matter.

LSU plans to apply for Shepard’s reinstatement, but it is unclear how long that will take. The receiver will miss at least the opener and possibly more games.

Shepard had been interviewed about the NCAA’s ongoing investigation into the relationship that scouting services provider and purported street agent Willie Lyles has had with a number of college football programs, including both LSU and Oregon.

Earlier this summer, Steve Kragthorpe, who was hired after last season as the Tigers’ new offensive coordinator, announced he had Parkinson’s disease. He has remained on staff as quarterbacks coach, but relinquished offensive coordinator duties. Miles has since promoted offensive line coach Greg Studrawa to fill that void.

ESPN

Shaina Auxilly

Leave a Comment





THE BLOG

none

Archives

HOT 97

OT the REAL | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle152

Another Philly spitta spitting in NYC, OT the Real! OT has been on his been on his grind since he got out from his 6yr bid, and he likes to show his street side through his bars.

LGP QUA | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle151

We’ve been watching this young man spit bars for a while now, the very talented “Voice of the Youth” has been dropping bars all over the Web! LGP Qua, LGP stands for “Let’s Get Paid”, one of Philly’sfinest… it was time to bring him up!

SMOKE DZA | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle150

A lot of speculation since the launch of “Block Work” that the legendary Hot97 #FlexFreestyle Series was not happening any more… But not only is it still counting with Smoke Dza hitting the 150 mark with Bars!

HOODCELEBRITYY | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle149

Ok… We’re getting back into action and here’s a great start with the spicy HOODCELEBRITYY!! She’s petite but packs a an exciting lyrical punch.

Dj Drama | Jack Harlow | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle148

On our 148th freestyle, we received the great Dj Drama highlighting his latest treasure find Jack Harlow from Louuvile(Louisville KY) to spit some BARS on the Big platform!

Lil Baby | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle147

Yes Lil Baby is on promo run for sure, dropping freestyles here and there to promote his album “My Turn”. No Doubt dropping by the series with Actual Numbers was a top priority of his and his team!

LINKS

MUSIC

Tee Grizzley | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle129

Tee Grizzley rejoined us like it’s his next ‘First Day Out’ in these streets! This time he brought Sada Baby to sit next to him as he delivers his bars to Funk Flex.

Bobby Konders Presents: Massive B Legacy, Vol. 1

Release Date: November 19th, 2018 Bobby Konders Presents: Massive B Legacy – Volume 1 is now available and includes ten features on ten tracks. Burro Banton, Vybez Kartel, Bounty Killa, Sizzla, T.O.K., Elephantman, Richie Spice, Chezidek, Chronicle, and King Kong. You can listen on Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal.

#MusicStillMatters New Music: A Boogie – Nice For What

A boogie gave fans a snippet of this one via his instagram. Finally after all the request to drop the full version from fans – here it is. Check A Boogie’s version of “Nice For What.” Listen below.

#MusicStillMatters New Music: Dave East – Imagine

Dave East is set to release the 2nd installment of his “Karma” series, next week on July 27. Check out this new one off the tape called “Imagine.” Listen below.

#MusicStillMatters New Music: 070 Shake – Accusations

The G.O.O.D. Music rookie 070 Shake releases a new one called “Accusations.” Listen below.

(Video) Tony James – Sweat Slow

Toronto’s very own Tony James has released his major label debut single and visual for “Sweat Slow.” Tony says this one “Is about the one that got away, so we wanted to show the beautiful, happy women representing the ex-girlfriends of the men who took them for granted.” Look out for more from Tony this…

#MusicStillMatters New Music: Childish Gambino – Summertime Magic / Feels Like Summer

Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover follows up his video/song “This Is America” with not only one, but two records for the summer. The “Atlanta” creator tweeted “summer pack,” with a link to his songs, “Summertime Magic” and “Feels Like Summer.”

#MusicStillMatters Stream: Meek Mill – Legends Of The Summer

Meek Mill decided to treat his fans to new music when he dropped a new EP called “Legends of the Summer.” the 4-track tape features Swizz Beatz, Jeremih and PNB Rock. Stream below.

#MusicStillMatters Stream: Future – Beast Mode 2

Future links up with Zaytoven for the follow up to 2015’s “Beast Mode” titled “Beast Mode 2” which includes 9 tracks with a feature from Young Scooter. Listen below.

#MusicStillMatters New Music: T-Pain – Boo’d Up (Remix)

First it was Nicki Minaj and Quavo who put their touch on the track to mixed reviews. Then Fabolous laid his verse on the hit single. Now, T-Pain decided to give his take on the track. Listen below.

TECH TALK

We Know What YG’s Next Purchase Will Be: This ALL RED Special Edition iPhone!

An all red iPhone is on the way – I’m sure much to the delight of the Bloods. LOL! A special edition red version of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have been introduced, in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Apple’s partnership with HIV/AIDS organization, (Red).

(Video) Apple Unveils New Spaceship Campus Called “Apple Park”

One of Steve Jobs projects he left behind before his untimely death from pancreatic cancer, was the Apple spaceship campus. Take a look.

(Video) Cam’Ron Responds to Jim Jones Interview with Funk Flex

Rapper Jim Jones recently sat down with DJ Funkmaster Flex for an interview. During the interview Jim discussed many things including, the break-up of the infamous Dipset, his relationship with Cam’ron and many other things.

(Video + Photo) Meek Mill Is Back On Instagram And With A Cryptic Message

Meek Mill IG Screenshot Meek Milly is back on his beloved gram and might have dropped some potential cover art in the process for DC 4.5?

(Video) Lil Wayne Featured In EA’s ‘Need For Speed: No Limits’ Game

While we still have no Carter 5 in sight, we can at least get SOMETHING from Lil Wayne in the form of EA’s new mobile game, Need For Speed: No Limits. Players can drive as Weezy in the game, and both his voice and likeness are there for fans to enjoy. Tune is also working…

Sprint Purchases 33% Stake In Jay-Z’s Tidal

Power moves on power moves on top of power moves. Hov just struck a big deal for Tidal and the artists who have stake in the company as well, through Sprint.

(Video) Travis Scott Previews New Heat On Snapchat

Looks like Travis Scott is cooking something up…Astroworld this year?

Azealia Banks Has Been Banned From Facebook

AzealiaBanksVEVO Well, that took longer than expected.

(Video + Photo) Ariana Grande Got Her Own Character In “Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius” Game

Soon you’ll be able to play as Ariana in Final Fantasy and she broke the news to her fans yesterday.

SoundCloud Makes A Major Update That MANY People Will Be Happy About!

When SoundCloud first came out, it quickly became a hub for DJs, uploading their mixes and gaining a decent following because of it. However, as labels became more hip to the new site, they began issuing copyright infringements left to right, and DJs began leaving the streaming website in droves – especially because their accounts…

MARISA EXPLAINS IT ALL

Marisa Mendez x Jamal x Tunisia – Marisa Explains It All [Episode 16: “Holiday Hangover”]

We’ve made it to episode 16 of my podcast, Marisa Explains It All, and I finally decided to share it with you guys here. LOL! On this episode, we pre-gamed before the Ebro In The Morning holiday party…and uh, yeah. Drunk talk and feelings were at an all time high. Our music picks are as…

Behind The Lyrics: Lil Wayne Admits To Botched Suicide Attempt As A Child On “London Roads”

Lil Wayne has long recounted a story of “accidentally” shooting himself when he was 12, playing with a 9 mm handgun. Thankfully, an off-duty cop was around to help young Tune, and he survived to become the rap star he is today. Apparently, that wasn’t the whole story, though! On “London Roads”, a song from…

(Video) Machine Gun Kelly Finally Opens Up About Amber Rose

Machine Gun Kelly is one of my favorite artists and has been a good friend of mine for years now, so it was double the blessing to make my Hot 97 interview debut with him on Ebro In The Morning today! The Bad Boy rapper stopped by to discuss his new single and its powerful…

Behind The Lyrics: Wiz Khalifa Comes For Amber’s Neck On “For Everybody”

Last night, Juicy J dropped his Wiz Khalifa-assisted single “For Everybody,” and boy did Wiz have some choice words for his ex Amber Rose on the track! And to drive the point home, they included a photo of themselves at his wedding to Amber as the song’s artwork.

(Video) Honey Cocaine Plays A Hilarious Game Of Taboo

Toronto-bred raptress Honey Cocaine made her rounds at Hot 97 a few weeks back, promoting her latest mixtape Like A Drug, and its 2 singles, “Gwola” featuring Kid Ink and Maino, and “None Of My Business” with Kirko Bangz and Constantine. Following her dope interview with Jen From BK for Jen’s “Ladies First” segment, I…

Interview: Machine Gun Kelly On Debut Film: “I hope that it kind of strikes a social issue…” [PLUS Details On Sophomore Album!]

This Friday, Colson ‘MGK‘ Baker will make his big-screen debut, starring as Kid Culprit in the romantic drama, Beyond The Lights. Since his 2012 Bad Boy/Interscope debut Lace Up and his breakout single “Wild Boy,” Kells has toured the world and shot not only Beyond The Lights, but two more as-of-yet unreleased films as well.…

Elijah Blake Gives 7 Tips How NOT To Act Around A Celeb, Plus Talks New EP, His First Big Check & More!

Singer/songwriter Elijah Blake has worked with a majority of the biggest names in the music business from Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Usher, Mary J and more, either having written for them or being featured on their songs. Now with his recently released Drift EP (available on iTunes here,) the talented Def Jam signee sat down to…

IFWT Exclusive: Maino Gives Us The REAL Story Of What Happened With The Porn Star!

Maino is currently being sought out by the NYPD for questioning, after an adult film star accused him of assaulting her inside of his truck after they partied at Griffin on Monday night with Drake, Ashanti, JR Smith and more. According to the police report filed by the porn star, Mellanie Monroe, “he started punching…

Mila J Reveals The Real Deal Between Her & A Rumored Beau, Plus Talks New EP, Diet/Workout, Her Mains & More!

Gorgeous singer/songwriter/dancer Mila J finally released her debut EP M.I.L.A. (Made In L.A.) yesterday, after years of trying out girl groups, various solo ventures, random day jobs and the like. She’s finally found her niche now though, and has seen success with her latest singles, “Smoke, Drink, Break-Up” and the Ty Dolla $ign-assisted, “My Main.”…

Adrian Marcel Gives 7 Tips For The Bedroom

Last week, I caught up with Mr. “2 A.M.” himself, Adrian Marcel. As it’s quite clear what’s going on at such hours of the night, I decided to get a few sex tips from the Bay Area native. Check out his 7 tips for the bedroom below!