Four Michigan State football players involved in the Oct. 29 tunnel assault of Michigan defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows will have their misdemeanor aggravated assault charges dropped, according to a report from Matt Wenzel of MLive.com.
Defensive ends Itayvion “Tank” Brown and Brandon Wright, as well as defensive backs Angelo Grose and Justin White, entered into a pre-plea diversionary program on Friday in Ann Arbor’s 15th District Court.
“The result here for our clients is a no-brainer because this case will be dismissed,” defense attorney Wade Fink said Friday. “In order to get a dismissal, they’re being asked to do things they would already do—charity and be in the community and be great citizens, which they already are. None of these kids are guilty of anything and if it was a situation where we couldn’t earn a dismissal for basically what we do anyway, then we would have fought it. This splits the difference here of getting out there and doing some good things in the world and also earning a dismissal without ever having to admit something they didn’t do.”
As for the other three Michigan State players facing charges, the statuses of those cases vary. Defensive back Khary Crump took a plea deal on his felonious assault charge for swinging a helmet at Michigan’s Gemon Green. The deal meant that Crump’s charge was downgraded to misdemeanor counts of assault and battery and disorderly person jostling. It is not anticipated that he will serve jail time.
Linebacker Jacoby Windmon was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery, and defensive end Zion Young was charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault. Both cases are pending.
Michigan announced earlier this week that a renovation project will take place to widen the stadium’s tunnel, which is in part being conducted due to the incident that took place after the Michigan State game.
