MSU players charged with assaulting off-duty police officer

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) Six Mississippi State football players pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting an off-duty city police officer, their lawyer said Monday.<br> <br> Starkville Police also charged freshman quarterback Tray Rutland with simple assault of a police officer in connection with the weekend incident at a downtown bar.<br> <br> Five teammates, all freshmen, were arrested a day earlier defensive backs Keith Fitzhugh and Derek Pegues, offensive tackle Michael Gates, and defensive linemen Charles Burns and Quinton Wesley.<br> <br> They did not appear at Starkville Municipal Court on Monday, and their initial court appearance before Judge William Eshee has been rescheduled for May 1, said lawyer Jay Perry of Starkville, who is representing the players.<br> <br> ``At this point, we&#39;re just kind of trying to figure out what&#39;s happening,&#39;&#39; said Perry, who declined further comment.<br> <br> Each player is free on $25,000 bond.<br> <br> Athletic department spokesman Mike Nemeth said coach Sylvester Croom would wait for further legal actions against the players before implementing disciplinary procedures.<br> <br> Police Chief David Lindley says the incident that apparently triggered the assault occurred at about midnight Saturday at a party in downtown Starkville hosted by two sororities. He said Officer Demetric Armstead was off-duty and was attending the event with his fiancee, a sorority member.<br> <br> Lindley said an argument escalated between two women, prompting Armstead to intervene. That&#39;s when the suspects assaulted Armstead, knocking him to the floor and kicking him and striking him with their fists, Lindley said.<br> <br> During the attack, security guards working the party and other witnesses warned them that Armstead was a police officer, and statements given to police corroborate that, Lindley said.<br> <br> The security guards and other partygoers stepped in to break up the incident. Armstead escaped the melee and left with his fiancee to call for help, authorities said.<br> <br> His shirt was ripped and he suffered numerous cuts and bruises to his face, head and back, Lindley said.<br> <br> The suspects allegedly followed Armstead outside and again attacked him, but fled when hearing Starkville police officers and Oktibbeha County sheriffs deputies had been called, Lindley said.<br> <br> (Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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