8 years in jail for this!?!? what a joke

[NIUhuskies]

what is going on with the world right now?? this is straight from bizzaro world. lets ruin the kids life over this, great idea! i was curious to your guys thoughts on this. Watch the video below: #6 is taking the field and bumps into a band member and now got indited on felony assault! wtf!?!?!



Northern Illinois athletics director Jeff Compher said freshman linebacker Jamaal Bass' status on the football team has not changed after criminal charges were filed Friday for hitting Toledo band members exiting the field before a November football game.

"As the legal proceedings in Toledo involving NIU football player Jamaal Bass are ongoing, we will reserve any comment until that process is complete," Compher said in a news statement released by NIU on Monday night. "Jamaal is currently enrolled at Northern Illinois and his status with the football program has not changed."

Bass was indicted by a Lucas County grand jury Friday on one count of felonious assault and one count of misdemeanor assault, according to a report Monday in the Toledo Blade. The felonious assault charge carries a maximum sentence of up to eight years in prison.

Bass can be seen on a recording of the incident jumping shoulder-first into the face of a band member and knocking over another as his team ran onto the field as the band exited.

The incident prompted NIU coach Dave Doeren to issue a statement apologizing to the Rocket marching band and the University of Toledo. In that statement, the university said Bass was to be suspended from the following game, but the expension was extended to three games after NIU learned the band members received concussions.

The case has been assigned to Judge James Jensen although an arraignment date has not yet been set, according to the Blade report.

http://www.huskiewire.com/articles/2...2699/index.xml

[WV]

Originally Posted by listopencil

Hopefully he learns that he isn't allowed to assault people.

You have a point, I don't think he should get off scott free. However I hate how everything like this is blown so out of proportion now.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by KS Smitty

Because it sounds like he was already tried and convicted.

Exactly. 8 years is the MAXIMUM sentence for felonious assault. Unless this guy is a career criminal the charge gets reduced and put on probation.

[Fairplay]

When i read the title, I thought this thread was going to be about MTG.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Band members aren't athletes. That makes it completely different in my eyes. Felony? Get the **** out of here. Charges? Abso****inglutely.

[loochy]

who cares!

[|Zach|]

Original poster is misleading.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by bricks

Completely anal imo.

Another Anal Vid.

[ElGringo]

Originally Posted by NIUhuskies

concussion they claim, but the day after article says very minor injuries...

Rocket marching band trampled by NIU players
Posted: Nov 02, 2011 9:13 PM CDT Updated: Nov 16, 2011 10:50 PM CST
13abc.com Amy Montgomery - bio | email

The University of Toledo marching band had a rough encounter with the Northern Illinois University football team Tuesday night. Several players were knocked to the ground, and left the field with some bumps and bruises.

Dylan Johnson is a freshman at UT. He plays the trumpet in the Rocket marching band. He said, "we always march off from pre-game and then have to run around the sidelines and the other team ran onto the field before we were off."

The whole incident was caught on tape. At least one band member falls to the ground and another looks like they were hit in the face. "Some people got knocked around," Johnson said. "There was one girl who had an ice pack on her ankle but was fine later that night." But the big issue was when NIU linebacker, Jamaal Bass, appears to intentionally throw his shoulder into a band member.

After the administration at Northern Illinois saw the video, Bass was suspended from the Huskie's next game against Bowling Green State University.

In a letter of apology, the Huskie's head coach, Dave Doerer wrote, "I know that a public apology cannot undo what happened Tuesday night, but know that we are very embarrassed and take full responsibility for the situation. I will do whatever is necessary to ensure that something like this never occurs again."

As far as the University of Toledo, officials have not made a comment, except to say they are gathering more information about the incident.

All of the band members were at practice Wednesday afternoon. We're told their injuries were very minor. In the meantime, the band has changed up their pre-game routine, so something like this doesn't happen again.

http://www.13abc.com/story/15941007/...type=printable

The bold part interests me in that, if someone gets nailed for criminal charges in this, the school itself is really open for civil damages as well...or at least the charges could be filed and with the way America is right now, they will get some money.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by |Zoccer|

Original poster is misleading.

Misleading thread title is misleading.

[Trevo_410]

****ing band pussies

Looks pretty malicious to me, as has already been mentioned. It's not random jumping around gone awry. He ran straight into the kid, jumped, and popped him with a shoulder pad intentionally - that's why he got 3 games.

As far as charges - I'm not sure about that. A three game suspension seems like justice served. Let the university handle it in-house.

[CanadaKC]

this will only land you 2 YEARS in Canada...

http://www.canada.com/news/Blatchfor...589/story.html

[WV]

Originally Posted by Phobia

Looks pretty malicious to me, as has already been mentioned. It's not random jumping around gone awry. He ran straight into the kid, jumped, and popped him with a shoulder pad intentionally - that's why he got 3 games.

As far as charges - I'm not sure about that. A three game suspension seems like justice served. Let the university handle it in-house.

Good solution, unfortunately in today's society all people see is $$$$$$.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by NIUhuskies

i just dont feel like he had intent to injury and had no record. if the kid had a history for being a "bully" thats one thing, but a felony charge is bullshit. the part of this story that pisses me off the most is that they are just using this to set up a civil lawsuit and try and pull the university in with large pockets to try and get a big payout. all for getting knocked over. i just think its been blown way out of proportion.

Very true. He just got caught up in the hype of the 'mob mentality' and thought it would be cool to rough up the opposing teams band geeks. In my perfect world, karma would have his ass beat by the band geeks cage-fighting older brother and that be that. Maybe make him think twice about bullying the next guy.. But in America, its more likely to become a big pay day for the victim than some simple street justice.

[WoodDraw]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Very true. He just got caught up in the hype of the 'mob mentality' and thought it would be cool to rough up the opposing teams band geeks. In my perfect world, karma would have his ass beat by the band geeks cage-fighting older brother and that be that. Maybe make him think twice about bullying the next guy.. But in America, its more likely to become a big pay day for the victim than some simple street justice.

A three game suspension isn't acceptable for hitting an unprotected band member. Especially for a scholarship player that really loses nothing from that.

I could understand the three game punishment being acceptable if it was towards an opposition football player. Then you can chalk it up to idiocy in a football game, and justify it as horrible sporting behavior, but not assault. But what if he had done this to a camera man? Or a photographer? And they got concussions? Being on a football field doesn't give you immunity to hurt people. Assault should be treated the same on or off the field.

Most of the controversy in this thread comes from the dumb title. He won't get eight years in jail, or any jail time - as long as he doesn't have any history I guess. He'll get probation, community service, and hopefully some lessons in anger management. And that's probably exactly what he needs and deserves.