Michigan State defensive back Khary Crump was sentenced Tuesday to 12 months' probation and 80 hours of community service in 15th District Court in Ann Arbor, Mich., on two misdemeanor charges stemming from the postgame altercation in the tunnel at Michigan Stadium in October.
Crump was seen on video swinging his helmet at Michigan's Gemon Green and was later charged with felonious assault by the Washtenaw County prosecutor. A plea deal was reached in late December and on Jan. 5, Crump pleaded guilty to assault/battery and disorderly conduct person-jostling.
His sentencing on Tuesday was done by Judge Miriam A. Perry under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, and if Crump meets all of the terms of his sentencing, the charges will be dismissed and cleared from his record.
"First off, I'd like to say after deep thought and reflection on the night of Oct. 29 and the actions that occurred that night in terms of me and what I did with my helmet," Crump said while addressing the court, "I keep thinking of ... remorse and disgust at the actions that occurred. I'd like to issue another apology to Gemon Green, the University of Michigan and my own university, Michigan State, for how I represented them.
"I would love to regain the respect from the Spartan community and also the UM community."
Added Mike Nichols, Crump's attorney: "We're really happy. I thought KJ did a great job expressing the appropriate level of remorse, and it's time to move on and worry about the world's real problems, in my opinion.
"This was really tough. He had some dark times, but I think this will be the start of trying to turn the corner."
The incident occurred after Michigan's 29-7 victory and happened as Michigan State's players were heading up the tunnel to the locker room.
Six other Michigan State players were charged with misdemeanor assault and battery, and four of those players — Angelo Grose, Itayvion Brown, Brandon Wright and Justin White — each entered a diversionary program during a hearing last week at 15th District Court, a move that, after each player works with the probation office, should lead to charges being dismissed. Two other players — Jacoby Windmon and Zion Young — are still awaiting their next hearings. Windmon is scheduled to appear on Wednesday while Young will appear on Feb. 6.
Those six players were suspended for the final four games of the season but have been reinstated to Michigan State's program by coach Mel Tucker.
Crump, who was also suspended for the final four games of the season, faces another eight games of suspension handed down by the Big Ten. He is still enrolled at Michigan State, though Tucker has not officially announced whether Crump will be reinstated when he has finished serving his suspension.
"He's gonna continue to work out; he's going to continue to work on his grades," Nichols said of Crump's plans. "He finished the semester with a 3.5 (grade-point average), and I think in terms of what the university wants to do with him, I think you'd just have to ask Mel that question. KJ is not planning on going anywhere."
Judge Perry, who said she received numerous letters supporting Crump, praised him for accepting responsibility and urged Crump to turn the incident into a positive.
"We all fall down in life but what really matters is how do we get up?" Perry said during the sentencing. "How do we take responsibility? What do we do going forward? Many people fall down but not with the cameras glaring at them, and you've had to kind of re-evaluate everything right now. When I look at your circumstances, you're been suspended and you're not able to practice so you, on your own, have to just focus in on yourself, focus in on the things you can. You've accepted responsibility, and that is good."
