Police veil Rather details
By Kate Jacobson (Last updated: 11/30/09 10:51pm)The university and police have refused to release details from the police report regarding the events of a Nov. 22 assault in Rather Hall.
Jenrette
Winston
The assault occurred in the lobby of Rather Hall and involved Iota Phi Theta members and reportedly members of the MSU football team.
Two members of the team, sophomore Glenn Winston and junior Roderick Jenrette, were removed from the team Tuesday, according to a statement by MSU head coach Mark Dantonio. University officials have not identified MSU players as being involved in the Rather Hall incident, but victims and witnesses have said football players took part.
After telling The State News on Sunday he would attempt to retrieve the police report, university spokesman Terry Denbow said Monday he did not have the police report for the incident and MSU police would be able to read the report to The State News.
When contacted by The State News, however, MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said she was unable to give details of the report because the case remained open.
Typically, MSU police read reports of open investigations to The State News, but do not issue hard copies of the reports for viewing. The State News has regular meetings with the MSU police in which the contents of what happened in police reports are discussed.
Denbow said he spoke with Taylor about making the report available on Monday.
After being denied access to the report, The State News filed a Freedom of Information Act request Monday afternoon seeking a copy of it and potential footage from security cameras placed in the lobby of Rather Hall.
There are several cameras in the lobby and adjacent areas that might have caught footage of the altercation.
In a statement, university spokesman Kent Cassella said the fight involved multiple victims and suspects and police still are investigating the altercation.
The statement said no details are available as police still need to identify and interview a number of witnesses and suspects.
Originally Published: 11/30/09 10:51pm















student
11/30/09 11:04pmhow is this information going to benefit the greater good? really?
Dix Steele
11/30/09 11:24pmThis is all very disquieting.
Not surprised
11/30/09 11:32pmGood question student. It doesn’t at this point because all of the facts aren’t known. It’s just another in a long chain of examples of the SN trying anything and everything to try and make any University Official or entity look bad.
Billy
12/01/09 1:30amTo the author Kate Jacobson,
...This is a comment for most of your recent articles: Is it your life goal to publish every possible article that makes the university look bad? Or is it just a fun hobby for you? Most of the articles that you publish are strictly based on unproven allegations. No, I do not support the actions of the students that were involved in this altercation, or any of the incidents that you report on, however wouldn’t it be a little smarter to wait until the investigation has been completed and all the facts are known before you immediately jump on top of the incident and publish names and photos of students allegedly involved?
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annoyed
12/01/09 9:04amIs it just me or does this just not make sense? What purpose would the further information serve? You already know that there was a large fight at Rather Hall and that the Police are continuing their investigation.
Apparently the SN would prefer to violate the privacy of the potential subjects by asking for the Police to release their identities prior to arraignment. Hmmmm, I believe that would be illegal.
How about you just have some patience and allow the Police to complete their lengthy investigation instead of wasting their time responding to your senseless FOIA requests?
Tiger Woods and Mark Dantonio
12/01/09 11:59amHey, if we don’t say anything, hopefully this will ALL go away.
If we don’t tell you … eventually you’ll forget.
Tiger: “Mark, sorry to hear that some of your players wore ski masks and beat up some women at a potluck”.
Mark: “Tiger, sorry to hear that your wife took a divot out of your car.”
Tiger: “Women. Can’t live with them. Can’t live without them.”
Mark: “Speaking of beatings, at least we beat Michigan.”
Coach Dantonio
12/01/09 12:02pmI sure am glad that the Detroit papers continue to focus on UM and their extra practice hours.
What’s so bad about my players beating up some students, some women, and leaving blood on the floor?
Dantonio
12/01/09 12:24pmThank you MSU police, we need to keep those boys eligible for the bowl game!
Ed T
12/01/09 12:40pmIf you want to have a competitive div-I football program, you have to bring allowa few thugs into the university community. It’s a devil’s bargain, but it’s one the AD can live with, and so can most of us fans — as long as we have a good team, at least occassionally.
Don’t blame the SN for rubbing our faces in a little bit of unpleasant reality; that’s their job.
Getacluestatenews
12/01/09 12:48pmThe MSU Police are not required to release information in an ongoing investigation. Period. Why would they ruin an ongoing case for the State News? How would the victims feel? The State News will surely get all the facts when the investigation is over. In the meantime, why dont you just make things up to fill in the blanks. Thats what the State News usually does.
Mark Don't-tell-io
12/01/09 1:39pmCome on people. Move along. Move along. There’s nothing to see here.
“Why did that women hit my player in the fist with her nose? Listen … I just won 6 big games in my third year, I’ve got a lot of momentum here, and the local student media are trying to cause problems. Again, thank you to the Detroit Free Press for all of your support (especially on this story; i.e., lack of coverage).”
Scott Skiles
12/01/09 1:40pmDid they find out who planted the blood on the floor?
Al Davis and the MSU AD
12/01/09 1:42pmJust win baby! Go green!
Whatever
12/01/09 2:14pmMeh, whatever. Football players are basically animals anyway, can’t expect them to behave like normal humans. Maybe we should start keeping them in cages like greyhounds? It would also be prudent to neuter all of them.
thisisdumb
12/01/09 2:33pmAnybody who has spent THIS MUCH TIME trying to get this information out of the University is clearly REALLY bored and should focus on more hard-hitting journalistic endeavors. I know nosiness goes with the territory of being a writer (I am one myself and am INCREDIBLY nosy)…but this is just ridiculous. I want to read NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!
RCMB Sunshine Blower
12/01/09 3:43pmMD gets it. He is so much better than Brian Kelly. Winston needed a third chance and I’m disappointed MD caved to the media and kick his best and brightest thug recruit off the team. We all know
AJ Sturges and the frat boy got what they deserved.
Just give MD another couple years and another contract extension and he will deliver a winning season and Pizza Pizza bowl.
mark
12/02/09 11:32amAm I the only one that thinks the SN is doing the right thing in fighting for the details of what went on?
...If the SN is “typically” briefed on open cases, why is there now an exception with the case involving the football students? MSU was the last place I figured certain groups had more rights than others. And as for the school’s reputation, we’re preserving it through the SN exercising their right to make the process more transparent.
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