Gamecock players arrested

Arrests announced in Nov. 22nd Williams Brice theft


(Columbia) Jan. 20, 2005 - The University of South Carolina announced Thursday that six current and former athletes will be charged in connection with the November 22nd theft of university property from Williams-Brice Stadium.

Syvelle Newton , a second-year student from Wallace, petit larceny
Dondrial Pinkins , a fourth-year student from Camilla, Georgia., petit larceny;
Freddy Saint-Preux , a fourth-year student from Brooklyn, N.Y., petit larceny;
Woodly Telfort , a fourth-year student from Miami, Florida, grand larceny
Rodriques Wilson , a former student from Cross, petit larceny.
The serving of one additional warrant is pending.

Telfort is suspended indefinitely from the team. Saint-Preux and quarterback Syvelle Newton are both suspended until their cases are resolved. Dondrial Pinkins no longer has college eligibility.

While they're suspended, they will not be able to participate in any team activities, including the winter conditioning program.

The charges now head to the Fifth Circuit Solicitor's Office. Solicitor Barney Giese declined comment, but a spokeswoman says the university's statements this afternoon speak for themselves.

Head Coach Steve Spurrier is on the road recruiting, but he has issued a statement, "This incident at the stadium unfortunately is the aftermath of the brawl which took place during the Clemson game followed by the announcement that we wouldn't be going to a bowl game. A few of our players made a terrible decision on how to deal with their frustrations. The current members of the team who were involved have been suspended. Hopefully, we'll never have a situation like this happen again."

University officials report that all computer and video equipment originally reported missing has now been recovered. Most, if not all, of the wall display items in the football locker room areas are believed have been recovered.

The value of the items originally stolen is reported to still be approximately $18,000.

USC President Andrew Sorensen, who has supervised a review of the matter in the weeks after the thefts, stated, "I regret very much that these incidents occurred, and they certainly cast a negative light upon the University of South Carolina. However, I believe that they (incidents) are in no way indicative of the overall character and behavior of the hundreds of student athletes who represent Carolina in a positive way each and every day of the year."

Sorenson says the actions taken are the correct ones, "I feel the actions we are taking are appropriate, and I look forward to the final disposition of the matter once all student disciplinary proceedings have been concluded."

South Carolina athletic director Mike McGee took some blame Tuesday for conditions that preceded the thefts. McGee, who on Tuesday announced his plans to retire in June, says construction of the stadium's nearly completed South End Zone project left the area too wide open.

Plus, the football team was caught between coaches after the resignation of Lou Holtz and before the official hiring of Steve Spurrier as replacement.

The thefts apparently took place the evening of November 22nd after McGee had informed the squad that it would not go to a bowl game as punishment for its on-field brawl with Clemson two days earlier.

Both Clemson and Carolina made the announcement on November 22nd, despite having bowl eligible 6-5 records. The fight broke out with 5:48 left in the game when South Carolina failed to convert on fourth down. Both teams were assessed unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and the game was halted for about ten minutes. Clemson won the game 29-7.

Several players say the team was disappointed, hurt and angry. An incident report from USC Police filed November 26th suggests in response, angry players walked off with the equipment.

The report called the case "Grand Larceny." A second report filed almost a week later said the items had been returned and no larceny had taken place.

Updated 6:47pm by BrettWitt with AP


www.wistv.com

 

probably snagged some projectors or plasmas

 

Laptops, pictures, etc. Here's more on the story since a 6th turned himself in:


6th USC Football Player turns Himself In



Columbia (AP) - A sixth South Carolina football player has been charged with stealing more than $10,500 worth of computer and video equipment from Williams-Brice Stadium, university officials announced Friday.

Former tight end Brian Brownlee of Abbeville was charged with grand larceny, which is a felony. An arrest warrant says Brownlee confessed to taking two laptop computers, each valued at $4,000, and two computer projectors, worth about $1,675 and $850.

ORIGINAL STORY OF THE ARRESTS

Offensive lineman Woodly Telfort is charged with grand larceny, a felony. He admitted to investigators he took a $4,000 laptop, according to an arrest warrant.

Quarterbacks Syvelle Newton and Dondrial Pinkins have been charged with a misdemeanor, petit larceny, along with defensive lineman Freddy Saint-Preux and safety Rodriques Wilson.

Arrest warrants say all four players took action photos of themselves from the South Carolina locker room area of the stadium and have confessed to the theft.

A total of $18,000 worth of computer and video equipment and framed photographs were taken from the stadium on Nov. 22, shortly after the Gamecocks were told they would not go to a bowl as punishment for an on-field brawl with Clemson.

"Regrettably, a few of our student-athletes made a very poor decision during the course of a frustrating situation, and they must now face the consequences," athletic director Mike McGee said.

Newton is a rising junior and started several games for South Carolina last year. Saint-Preux, who was injured much of this season and Telfort, who saw extensive play as a reserve in 2004, will be seniors next year and have already been suspended for the Gamecocks opener Sept. 1 against Central Florida because of their involvement in the brawl with Clemson.

All three will now be suspended at least until the charges are resolved, McGee said.

Along with criminal charges, Telfort, Newton, Pinkins and Saint-Preux will face disciplinary hearings from the university. Wilson is no longer a student at South Carolina.

All five, speaking to the judge separately through a hole in the bond hearing room's fenced wall, were to be released on bond Thursday night. The players sat beside each other in chairs, waiting their turn, as hearings for eight other people were held on charges ranging from assault to shoplifting.

"These five kids have never been in trouble," said Joshua Snow Kendrick, one of the lawyers representing the players. "They're all model student-athletes. They've been successful on and off the field."

Kendrick said the players turned themselves in to authorities after university police contacted them with the warrant. "They want to face these charges," Kendrick said.

Both lawyers would not talk about the case any further. The players also said they did not want to talk about the charges.

The three laptop computers and two video projectors taken have been returned, and most if not all of the 12 framed pictures that were missing are back, the school said.

"I regret very much that these incidents occurred, and they certainly cast a negative light on the University of South Carolina," university president Andrew Sorensen said in a statement. "However, I believe that they are in no way indicative of the overall character and behavior of the hundreds of student athletes who represent Carolina in a positive way."

Under South Carolina law, the six players would be eligible for the pretrial intervention program as long as they are first-time offenders. A prosecutor must agree to allow someone to enter the program, which usually requires community service, and other steps, like counseling or paying restitution, in exchange for clearing the offender's record.

New coach Steve Spurrier said he will support the decisions of campus police and prosecutors as the case moves forward. "Hopefully we'll never have a situation like this happen again," Spurrier said.

Kenneth Moton, Assignment Editor/Reporter


Updated: 1/21/2005 322 PM

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