Will Mississippi State University star football player Demonte Russell face justice next week?
An Oktibbeha grand jury declined to indict a Mississippi State University football star for aggravated assault after (allegedly) injuring a fellow student through an unprovoked attack.
MSU Junior Trace Howell accused Demonte Russell of sucker-punching him as he left Two Brothers Smoked Meats in Starkville on May 8 around 11:30 PM. The alleged punch struck Howell so hard it knocked him out cold. His head struck the pavement as he fell, causing a brain bleed. Several witnesses corroborated Howell's account.
Russell is a 6'4", 280 lb defensive end for the gridiron Bulldogs while Howell is all of 150 lbs. Russell matriculated from Provine High School in Jackson. Howell is the Speaker of the Student Senate and on the Dean's List. Earlier post
The grand jury remanded the charge as a misdemeanor to the Starkville Municipal Court. A hearing will be held May 16 at 2 PM.
Howell's attorney, Jeff Reynolds, sent the following letter to the Starkville prosecutor, urging him to seek full punishment against Russell.
Stay tuned.
31 comments:
Football "stars" in the South can do no wrong.
Thug, hopefully the thug gets sued for all his nil money, loser
The DA is a Soros POS
A DA who wants to be appointed to higher office by Tate Reeves won't get there by prosecuting Miss. State's star football players.
Just wondering... Was Soros' money coming from USAID? (and maybe he'll be running out of funds, soon) Or is it STILL coming in - like maybe from the CCP?
Just further proof that the academic component of today's universities are simply support systems for the athletic component. Athletics now bring such an incredible amount of funding to schools that the schools are loath to do anything that might unsettle those revenue streams. Therefore, athletes who "act badly" (especially the high-profile ones) can pretty much do what they want, with impunity.
True dat.
If the DA declines to prosecute can Civil Charges still be filed?
Makes me like more and more that Hulu had a good number of D3 playoff games this past season.
This guy isn’t high profile. Average player on a good day. I hope he never wears the maroon and white again.
What the F is a "grand jury" for if not to administer justice that is so, so blatantly obvious in this case. Shame on you Oktibbeha citizens! You'd rather protect a mid player on a sub-mid team than to DO THE RIGHT THING!
Could be that the jury heard the evidence and concluded that the little guy provoked the big guy and declined to indict because it was a simple, old-fashioned case of FAFO.
Don't poke a bear - or even open your mouth - when it clearly is a bear you're in the presence of that could do you significant harm.
He received a grand jury blessing.
To answer directly the question posed in the headline, it depends upon the anticipated importance this gentleman's contribution to Bulldog success will be.
They do things bigger in Texas:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baylor_University_sexual_assault_scandal
Ironically, former Special Counsel Ken Starr presided over the coverup of actual rapes and assaults by football players, because they were winning college football games.
This is so sad for Howell & absolutely should be amended to felony as to the money, time unable to perform normal life activities & health issues in addition to being held liable for medical expenses alone. I don’t care if the MSU Russell is NFL bound or not!
@7:10 - Could be that the grand jury thought the accused was too stupid to qualify for adult court and felt the proper venue was youth court.
A MSU Thug
Perhaps he will be prosecuted after his eligibility runs out.
"If the DA declines to prosecute can Civil Charges still be filed?"
Demonte Russell can, and surely will be, sued for civil damages. I hope he gets drafted so Mr. Howell can collect.
If Russell is convicted, then liability should be established and Howell's attorney, Jeff Reynolds, can put on the case for damages. It could be a whopper, as previewed in his letter to the prosecutor.
Disclaimer: I'm no lawyer. But is it proper for a lawyer to interface with a judge prior to an upcoming hearing in order to influence the outcoming of the hearing? Is the place for this not as testimony at the hearing rather than a lawyer's letter?
Would it be proper for the bully to write a letter to the judge in an effort to influence the outcome of the hearing?
Should not this be an opening statement by the attorney when the hearing convenes?
Just like that Jeffery Simmons thug (do I recall the name right?) who kicked and beat the woman on the ground several years back, I don't want this thug playing for my Bulldogs. They suspended him a couple of games although he was not even yet on the team. This thug should be kicked to the curb and recruited by the Rebels.
Meanwhile: How the F is this a misdemeanor charge?
5:38, The letter was to the prosecutor, not the judge.
Sadly, if Howell had been from a poor family who couldn't afford an attorney to pursue the police & DA, the whole thing would have been swept under the rug...which appears to be what they are still trying to do.
To the FAFO comment: If Howell had offered any sort of violence, then Russell may have been justified. Being a violent drunk who is easily offended and randomly attacks much smaller people, is not a justification.
7:10: Except there are witnesses who said the kid did not say anything to Russell. Period. I bet you blame rape victims, don't you?
I personally hope this little monster is prosecuted fully.
But I am shocked that there is no GoFundMe to pay for the defense of the MSU player.
Maybe he should have focused on track meets and knife skills to ensure the nation would rally around him?
Ooops - Thought the letter was to the magistrate or whatever they now call these pseudo-jurists.
However, should the letter even been appropriate for one attorney to send another, in an effort to establish a line in the sand? And of course that's exactly what it was.
Anonymous said...
"5:38, The letter was to the prosecutor, not the judge."
Still, should a plaintiff's attorney be corresponding or otherwise communicating with a permanent officer of the court regarding an upcoming hearing?
Surprised the letter was not copied to the hearing officer or whatever we call a Justice of the Peace today.
Most of them sat in a tiny office, often a highway shack, waiting for a highway patrolman to haul in a speeder.
The prosecutor is related to the ambulance chasing Crawleys who practice in Louisville and Kosciusko. Think "Farese" or "Tullos" connections except they are bad lawyers.
How do you think guilty plea negotiations occur? It's only a problem if the judge is only hearing from one side. QUite normal for attorneys for both sides to converse about a case.
Wow, Kingfish - the guy was NOT indicted by a grand jury for SOME reason. Either you know something we don't, or the guy WAS innocent or justified in their eyes. Hard to swallow for ya, but them's the facts - and you're the one who decided to post the story. I pretty much don't question a grand jury of our peers, unless they decline to indict when they have as much evidence as the O.J. prosecution.
As a state grad and fan, he needs to answer for his behavior. You can't just assault people with no consequences. There have been a lot of men walk into that courthouse and get longggggggg sentences for far less.
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