Royce Swayze

The Clarion-Ledger

Mississippi State freshman defensive end Jeffery Simmons was found guilty Tuesday of malicious mischief and pleaded no contest to a simple assault charge related to a March 24 fight in Macon where he was caught on video standing over a woman and repeatedly punching her.

The woman, Sophia Taylor, was found guilty of disturbing the peace and fined $225.

Simmons, a five-star prospect, also had been charged with disturbing the peace, but it was dismissed.

Simmons will pay, in restitution, $711 for medical bills and $175 for the alleged damage to Taylor’s car, as well as $475 in fines for the malicious mischief and simple assault charges.

Mississippi State drew widespread criticism when it decided to allow Simmons to enroll and join the football team, but would suspend him for the season’s first game against South Alabama.

“You have to have a great investigation into what happened into getting as many details from as many people as you possibly can to make good decisions,” coach Dan Mullen said at SEC Media Days earlier this month. “You are responsible in a very high profile position. You want to make sure that everybody in the university is involved. It’s not a football decision. It’s a university decision.”

KELLENBERGER: MSU's Simmons decision is all that mattered

The acceptance of Simmons also opened the door of university liability if any future incidents occurred on campus that involved Simmons.

“We're all responsible,” Mullen added. “If that happens, all of us, to be honest with you. I'm responsible for all of the actions for every one of my players. I'm responsible as a head coach. I can't be with them all of the time. All I can do is be a parent. My wife and I try to be parents to every one of the kids in our program.”

Mullen also had said the decision to suspend Simmons one game wasn’t one he was heavily involved in. Last month, MSU athletic director Scott Stricklin said he consulted with the school’s president, Mark Keenum, and Title IX director during the investigation process.

“I wasn’t involved as much. It was a university decision,” Mullen said. “I was just thrilled that we’re having Jeffery as part of our family coming in. I take a lot of pride as a coach on developing young men to be champions not just on the field, off the field.”

The Clarion-Ledger reporter Michael Bonner contributed to this report.