BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- A judge dismissed five of seven charges against Penn State safety Anthony Scirrotto for an April off-campus fight.
Centre County Judge Charles Brown Jr. dismissed felony charges of burglary and criminal solicitation; two misdemeanor counts of criminal solicitation; and one misdemeanor count of simple assault.
Brown ruled Monday there was no evidence indicating Scirrotto instigated the fight.
Brown let stand a felony count of criminal trespass. Scirrotto still faces one count of harassment, a summary offense, which Brown did not address in his written order, defense attorney Ron McGlaughlin said Tuesday.
"Part of the weight has been lifted off Scirrotto's shoulders," McGlaughlin said Tuesday.
A phone message was left Tuesday for Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira.
Authorities said Scirrotto and several friends or acquaintances, including football players, went to an apartment party about 45 minutes after the safety and his girlfriend got into an argument on a street April 1 with two other students, who were not players.
A melee ensued at the party, police said. Some of the victims were punched, one was hit in the head with a beer bottle and knocked unconscious, and another was punched and kicked in the face, authorities said.
At least five students were struck during the fight and at least two needed treatment at a hospital, police said.
Another player, defensive tackle Chris Baker, still faces charges of burglary and criminal trespass, both felonies; simple assault, a misdemeanor; and harassment, a summary offense.
Trials in both cases are scheduled to start in October.
Charges against four other players were either withdrawn or dismissed during a preliminary hearing in May.
Scirrotto, a 6-foot, 195-pound junior from West Deptford, N.J., led the Big Ten with six interceptions last year. Baker was a backup last year.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Source: ESPN.com
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