Seven Michigan State players were charged with crimes on Wednesday after the assault of two Michigan players following the Oct. 29 game between the two schools, the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office announced.
Spartans cornerback Khary Crump was charged with one count of felonious assault, stemming from video showing him hitting Michigan defensive back Gemon Green in the head with a helmet during the incident at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
Green reportedly sustained a concussion and his family expressed the desire to pursue charges.
“This was a gut punch to KJ, being charged the day before Thanksgiving,” said Mike Nichols, Crump’s attorney. “He’s going to get through it. While you’re up, having turkey, watching football, think of the seven young men whose lives have been upended by these criminal charges.”
Michigan State defensive end Jacoby Windmon was charged with one count of misdemeanor assault and battery. Windmon was shown in the same video as Crump.
Five Michigan State players were charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault. They are linebacker Itayvion Brown, safety Angelo Grose, cornerback Justin White, defensive end Brandon Wright and defensive end Zion Young. The video showed a group of players hitting and kicking Michigan defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows while he was on the ground.
The seven Michigan State players were suspended by the school. Cornerback Malcolm Jones also was suspended but he was not charged on Wednesday.
Michigan State interim president Teresa K. Woodruff said the university will continue to cooperate with investigative entities.
“While we do not condone the actions taken by some football players on Oct. 29, we will support our student-athletes through this process,” Woodruff said. “They are students first, and their academic journey continues. MSU believes strongly in restorative justice practices and the education around harmful actions.
“I do not condone inappropriate behavior by anyone on our campus or when representing MSU. And consequences, which were announced today, are part of a learning environment. But I also believe that as universities, we must make our respective environments safe places for competition. The rivalry between our two schools predates the current presidents and will likely last long into the future. But student success is more important than any score and I am committed to working with the University of Michigan to enable that success on the field and in all of the places and spaces where rivalry foreshortens any students’ pathway to that success. My commitment is to make changes that are meaningful to that goal and report back to the community before the end of the year.”
No Michigan players were charged in the incident.
“At the University of Michigan we appreciate the thoughtful, deliberate approach from the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office to this unfortunate incident,” Michigan president Santa J. Ono said in a statement. “We also want to express our concern for all the players involved, especially those who were injured. The University of Michigan will continue to cooperate fully with any additional reviews of this matter.”
The prosecutor’s office expressed that “charges are merely allegations.”
It said it received investigation results from the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security. The Michigan State University Police Department and the Michigan State Police assisted in the investigation.
The Wolverines won the game 29-7.
