Penn State punishes 10 players

Four players were temporarily expelled for their role in an April 1 fight.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Ten Penn State football players have been disciplined by the university for their roles in an off-campus fight in which at least two people were hurt.

The university confirmed Monday that four players were temporarily expelled from July 1 through the end of the summer semester in mid-August for their roles in the April 1 fight.

Players’ names were not released due to federal confidentiality laws, Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said.

Defense attorneys, however, have identified the four as safety Anthony Scirrotto, defensive lineman Chris Baker, linebacker Jerome Hayes and cornerback Lydell Sargeant. The attorneys said last week that their clients had been expelled for Penn State’s second summer session.

The sanctions from Penn State’s judicial affairs office did not cover football practice, Mahon said, so the players will be permitted to participate when preseason drills begin around Aug. 6.

Lawyers for the four players said their clients would be eligible to play when the regular season begins Sept. 1 against Florida International.

Further punishment possible

It’s unclear, however, if coach Joe Paterno might choose to bench them anyway or dole out additional punishment. Paterno has already ordered the entire squad to perform community service this summer and clean out Beaver Stadium after each home game this fall.

The four students temporarily expelled would be eligible to return for the fall semester as long as they completed counseling and community service, the school said. They will be on permanent probation until they graduate.

Of the remaining six players, two were put on permanent probation and ordered to take counseling, while the other four were put on probation for a year. Each must complete community service.

The fates of Scirrotto and Baker might be decided by the time the season begins. Their trial on charges including burglary, criminal trespass, simple assault and harassment in connection with the fight is scheduled to start in August.

In a court filing last week, Scirrotto’s attorney, Ronald McGlaughlin, asked a judge to dismiss the case against the safety because of a lack of evidence.

A judge dismissed charges against Hayes, Sargeant and linebacker Tyrell Sales during a preliminary hearing in May, and a prosecutor dropped charges against cornerback Justin King just before that same hearing.

Two other men, neither of whom is an athlete, were given by police citations for less serious offenses stemming from an initial argument with Scirrotto and his girlfriend late on March 31, about an hour before the apartment altercation, authorities said.