The final three students allegedly involved in disturbances during the March 28-30 weekend were arraigned Wednesday in 54-B District Court.
Tyler Barrett, an interdisciplinary studies in social science junior, Kevin Byer, a finance senior, and Jon Pearsall, a merchandise management junior, were all arraigned Wednesday.
A total of 22 people, including 17 students, have now pleaded innocent to charges including inciting a riot, indecent exposure, public intoxication and minor in possession.
Some of the cases - mostly those involving inciting a riot and property damage - will go to the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office, while others will stay within East Lansing officials' jurisdiction.
Five students arraigned in the charges have contacted ASMSU for legal help, said Brian Jeffries, one of the attorneys for MSU's undergraduate student government's legal services.
Four students have already been suspended by university officials for their alleged involvement in the incident.
"If you had to wait for two or three weeks' time to solve it, you could, in theory, have a problem on your hands," said Rick Shafer, assistant director of the Department of Student Life.
Under the MSU Board of Trustees policy which came as a result of the March 27-28, 1999 riots, students can be punished by the university for off-campus activity.
Suspended students cannot seek council from ASMSU because they no longer have student status.
"It puts the students in a tight bind - a Catch-22," Jeffries said, adding these cases have received much more publicity than others.
Defense lawyers for those charged with riot-related offenses will attack video and photos and try to argue the tapes don't demonstrate illegal behavior. They might say the videos don't provide concrete evidence that the people in them are the accused.
There also is an outside chance the cases might have to be moved out of East Lansing for the lack of unbiased jurors in the area, Jeffries said.
"All this will come down to a factual base," he said.
The first pretrial will take place at 3 p.m. today in 54-B District Court when James Stephen Mathews, a 20-year-old Livonia resident, will enter court.
Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said up to three more warrants for arrest could be issued this morning. The prosecutor's office has been working with the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety to build cases against those who might have been involved in the riot.
Police officials are offering up to $2,500 for information leading up to a conviction related to the riot and celebration. About 70 tips have been delivered to the department through its Web site, MSU police Inspector William Wardwell said.
The woman who fell 15 feet during the early-morning disturbances of March 29 is improving, a friend said.
Sara Bouwman, 21 of Wyoming, Mich., suffered a head injury when she fell near the Marriot Hotel at University Place, 300 M.A.C. Ave., as more than 1,000 celebrated downtown after MSU's Sweet 16 victory.
Bouwman was immediately listed in critical condition at Lansing's Sparrow Hospital, but she was transported to Mary Free Bed Hospital & Rehabilitation Center in Grand Rapids within the past week, said Sara Dekmar, a psychology senior and friend of Bouwman since they were in junior high.
"I was shocked. I really didn't believe it was true until I actually saw her in the hospital," Dekmar said of her initial visit with Bouwman, a week after the fall. "It looks like she'll be back to normal. It will take some time."
Dekmar said Bouwman's condition is stable and she is undergoing rehabilitation. Bouwman had been in a drug-induced coma after the fall, but is able to talk.
Police and hospital officials have declined to disclose information on Bouman's condition in compliance with a request from her family.
East Lansing Detective's Bureau ruled the incident an accident after reviewing the fall on video, East Lansing police Deputy Chief Tom Wibert said.
Police have said incidents such as Bouwman's are what they tried to prevent during the March postgame reactions. Law officials say they will prosecute to full extent those responsible for the more than $40,000 damage to campus and city - most of which occurred March 30.
Staff writer Kendra Snyder contributed to this report.
Chad Previch can be reached at previchc@msu.edu.
