Prosecutor: 3 Michigan State football players to face sex assault charges

Show Caption Hide Caption MSU officials give Hollis and Dantonio their full support Chairman of MSU Board of Trustees Brian S. Breslin and President Lou Anna K. Simon speak to media after budget meeting, Monday, June 5, 2017 at the Hannah Administration Building in East Lansing.

EAST LANSING – Three Michigan State football players will face sexual assault charges in connection with a January on-campus incident involving a female student, officials said.

The decision was announced in a release from Ingham County Prosecuting Attorney Carol Siemon's office late Monday, which said charges have been authorized.

The authorization means police can now obtain arrest warrants from a judge or magistrate. A clerk in 54B District Court in East Lansing said that will not happen Monday.

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Siemon's office did not release the names of those who will be charged.

"I have decided to authorize sexual assault charges against the three persons whose warrants were requested by the MSU Police," Siemon said in a statement. "We are alleging that on the night of January 16, those three persons sexually assaulted a woman in an East Lansing apartment on campus."

Siemon's decision came nearly four months after the university announced that its police department was investigating three players for a reported sexual assault.

"(We) wanted to make sure were took the time to make the right decision," Siemon told the Lansing State Journal, adding that her office wanted to review all the evidence available.

Siemon said there was no coordination between her office and MSU regarding the timing of her decision. On Monday afternoon, the university's board met with football coach Mark Dantonio and athletic director Mark Hollis. The board issued a statement of support for Dantonio and Hollis. Also Monday, after the board meeting and prior to Siemon's statement, MSU also released an external investigation of the football program's handling of two reported sexual assault cases involving football players.

Michigan State football's legal issues since last fall A look at Michigan State football's off-the-field legal trouble since last fall.

MSU has not released the players' names.

Jason Cody, a university spokesman, declined to comment on the authorization of charges, but said the university and the athletics department will address the situation once charges are issued.

He also confirmed the staff member involved was Curtis Blackwell.

An attorney for the alleged victim and three attorneys representing players declined to comment.

MSU announced Feb. 9 that three football players and a staffer "associated with the football program" had been suspended while the university's police department investigated sexual assault allegations.

On Feb. 10, Ingham County Probate Judge Richard Garcia granted a woman’s request for personal protection orders against the three players.

Protective orders use a standard form, and on all three orders a box is checked that reads: "The petitioner has a reasonable apprehension of sexual assault because the respondent has sexually assaulted the petitioner or threatened the petitioner with sexual assault."

The orders remain in effect for one year and prevent the players from following or approaching the woman or communicating with her, among other restrictions.

The woman’s petitions for the protection orders, which likely detail her reasons for seeking them, were sealed by Garcia "given the high profile nature of the respondents."

Blackwell, the director of college advancement and performance, was suspended on Feb. 9, the same day as the players.

Last month, Dantonio decided not to renew Blackwell’s contract, which was set to expire May 31 after twice being extended a month at a time.

Siemon said no charges were warranted against the staff member, whom the university identified as Blackwell.

"Our office also reviewed charges against an individual who previously worked for the Michigan State University football program," Siemon said in the statement. "This did not concern any allegation of criminal sexual conduct. After review, I have declined to issue charges and no warrant will be issued. It is our practice not to release names of suspects in denied cases."

Contact Christopher Haxel at 517-377-1261 or chaxel@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisHaxel. Contact Matt Mencarini at (517) 267-1347 or mmencarini@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattMencarini. Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari.

