A University of California at Berkeley football player who was suspended indefinitely after he punched a fellow student at a fundraising party last year hopes to be reinstated after a judge today reduced his felony assault conviction to a misdemeanor, his attorney said. Damaria Drew, 21, "now recognizes his role in the incident and that he should have handled it a lot differently," attorney Darryl Stallworth said.

Drew's first goal is to be readmitted to the university and his second goal is to be allowed back on the football team, for which he played all 12 games in the fall of 2013 and started three games, Stallworth said. Berkeley police Officer Peter Hong said in a probable cause statement that Drew got into a confrontation with another student over the other student's dog at a fundraising event at Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house at 2722 Bancroft Way sometime between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on May 4, 2014. The victim said Drew, who graduated from Livermore High School, kicked his dog but Drew told police that the dog had bitten him, according to Hong. The victim said Drew threatened him and then punched him at least three times, Hong said. Two witnesses identified Drew as the suspect and independently confirmed the victim's account of the incident, according to Hong. Drew, who had been free on bail, pleaded no contest to felony assault in May and he was sentenced to felony probation in June, Stallworth said.

However, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Paul Delucchi agreed today to reduce Drew's conviction to a misdemeanor because Drew has been doing community service work, taking anger management classes and attending Butte College in Oroville, Stallworth said. UC Berkeley officials also required Drew to complete those tasks if he wants to be considered for readmission, Stallworth said. The reduction of Drew's conviction from a felony to a misdemeanor "gives him a better chance to transition back to UC Berkeley and to the football team. Drew "is hoping to be back where he was before" and would be a redshirt junior if he's readmitted, Stallworth said.

The defense attorney said the incident "was an argument that escalated into a confrontation" and Drew knows he should have responded in a more level-headed manner. Stallworth said Drew "is hoping he will get a second chance and get a college education so he can become the first person in his family to do so." Stallworth, who was a starting defensive back for Cal for three years in the mid-1980s, said he's encouraging Drew to consider going to law school after he graduates from college.

By Bay City News