Central MI football suspects in beating death

[hoosier]

----------------------------
Here's another example of the double standard. If my fraternity's guys had been at this bar, and they found blood in their cars, the dean would have put us off campus by noon the next day.
-----------------------------

Athletes’ cars seized for investigation
Homes also searched, but no arrests have been made

Mount Pleasant Police searched and seized three CMU football players’ vehicles Tuesday for evidence connected to the death of 26-year-old Damarcus Graham.

Two apartments and three vehicles were the focus of the search warrants. Investigators from the Michigan State Police crime lab in Grayling examined the vehicles for evidence concerning the June 25 beating and July 14 death of Graham.

Mike Covarrubias, public information officer for the Mount Pleasant Police Department, said Tuesday he can’t release the names or identify the roles of the three players who were originally part of the 11 CMU football players who are continuing to be sought out and interviewed by detectives.

“We’re not identifying their roles until we make sure all the facts are clear,” he said. “We’re just trying to be fair and consistent with the investigation.”

Graham was beaten outside of the Shaboom Pub Club, 106 Court St., on June 25. He was treated for head injuries and died July 14, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Saginaw, after being in a coma for three weeks.

The Morning Sun reported Wednesday the three vehicles seized were a “2001 Dodge Stratus currently registered to CMU linebacker Anthony Tyus Jr., 1401 E. Bellows St., Apt. E-12, Mt. Pleasant; a 1995 Pontiac Grand Am currently registered to CMU strong safety Michael Thomas, 1820 S. Crawford Road, Apt. H-12, Mt. Pleasant; and a 1998 Pontiac Bonneville currently registered to Leonard Williams, 3626 Buckingham Ave., Detroit.”

Williams has the same address as sophomore linebacker Leython Williams, according to the 2003-2004 CMU student directory.

Covarrubias said Wednesday the Morning Sun links between the vehicle registration and the players does not mean they’re suspects in the case.

“We’re not confirming they’re witnesses or suspects,” Covarrubias said.

He also said the vehicles were examined by state police and returned to their owners.

In the Graham case, detectives interviewed 50 people, Covarrubias said, and only one person has voluntarily come forward to talk about the incident to police. It is estimated that more than 100 people were outside the pub when the altercation occurred. Mount Pleasant resident Jonny Cook, 23, also was injured from the altercation and received treatment at Central Michigan Community Hospital for facial abrasions.

“The fact that only one person has come in and others have been sought out makes the investigation tougher because they don’t want to come in and give us information directly,” Covarrubias said.

He said CMU football staff as well as university officials are continuing to be cooperative with police regarding the homicide investigation that is now entering its second month. He couldn’t say if the 11 football players being questioned are cooperative with detectives or not.

Inspector Thomas Foresburg said he is pleased with the progress of the investigation even though no arrests have been made 61 days after the incident.

Football coach Brian Kelly said The Shaboom Pub Club still remains “off-limits” for his players.

“They are young men and clearly the investigation weighs heavy on them,” Kelly said. “Clearly we understand the gravity of the situation whenever somebody loses their life. Our players understand the need of being forthright in getting as much information to the Mount Pleasant Police as possible so they can get this investigation to a point of completion.”

Thomas and Tyus have both had run-ins with the law in the past year.

Tyus plead guilty in January to attempted resisting and obstructing a police officer at a fight in the Student Activity Center during Homecoming weekend last fall. Tyus was ordered by the court to pay $525 in fines.

Thomas was arrested March 13 for his alleged involvement in a shooting in Florida. He was never charged because of inconclusive evidence and a witness/victim failed to appear in court, according to the Florida State Attorney’s office.

Kelly said no matter what circumstances persist in the investigation, he still is expecting a good season overall.

“I think our players have done a good job balancing such an important event with preparing to perform at the highest level under tougher than normal circumstances,” he said.