The Red and Black

Issue date: 7/3/08 Section: Sports

LEMON

Lemon Warrant

Lemon police incident report

ANDERSON

STURDIVANT

Three Georgia football players found themselves in trouble with the law after two were arrested for simple battery and another was arrested and faces felony charges in another battery incident, according to University and Athens-Clarke County police reports.

Michael Lemon, a sophomore defensive end from Lizella, was arrested and charged with a felony in an alcohol-related battery incident that occurred last Saturday night and sent a University student to the hospital with a severe eye injury, according to an ACC Police report.

Lemon punched student DeMarius Jackson "about five times before someone pulled him off," the report states. Warrants charging him with both misdemeanor battery and felony aggravated battery were issued Wednesday. Lemon was booked into the ACC jail Thursday morning at 10:24 a.m. No bond was set for the aggravated battery charge, but the misdemeanor battery charge had bond set at $2,500. He was released at 11:02 a.m.

A charge of aggravated battery is defined as malicious bodily harm resulting in loss of the use of a body part or serious disfigurement. If found guilty of the charge, Lemon could face up to 20 years in prison.

Because of the felony charge, Lemon is expected to be suspended indefinitely from the football team until the case is resolved.

Jackson was taken to St. Mary's Hospital and treated for a blowout fracture to the eye and was released early Sunday. According to allaboutvision.com, a blowout fracture occurs when the eye suffers significant blunt force trauma.

The incident happened during a barbecue in the pool area at The Exchange apartment complex, according to the report.

The report states Jackson was grilling food when Lemon approached him. Lemon allegedly inquired why Jackson was "talking to his girl."

Jackson told Lemon "he didn't know what he was talking about," but Lemon continued to question him, the report says.

Witnesses who spoke to The Red & Black said they saw Lemon turn as if walking away, but then turned back and headed toward Jackson.

"Mr. Lemon then punched Mr. Jackson several times, which knocked Mr. Jackson down," the report says. Witnesses told The Red & Black the echo from the punch could be heard from the other side of the pool.

Lemon, who is 6-foot-4, 274 pounds, "punched Mr. Jackson five times before someone pulled Mr. Lemon off. Several of the witnesses advised that several of Mr. Lemon's friends 'huddled' around Mr. Lemon as he was punching Mr. Jackson," the report states.

The report says Lemon and his friends left the area while Jackson called 911 from a friend's apartment.

"Mr. Jackson's left eye was noticeably swollen, and he also had a bump on his forehead from where Mr. Lemon hit him," the report said. Jackson told police his vision was blurry in his left eye. "It appeared as though Mr. Jackson also had a concussion from the altercation."

Lemon was in the news last year following the murder of his mother. Phaba Lemon, 39, was found dead in February 2007 after her mobile home was set on fire. Her boyfriend was charged with murder and arson. Last year the Athletic Association obtained NCAA approval to set up "The Lemon Support Fund," to help Lemon and his brother after their mother's death. Almost $70,000 was raised from almost 350 different donors.

Fellow teammates Georgia offensive linemen Trinton Sturdivant and Justin Anderson were arrested and charged with misdemeanor simple battery Monday night, according to the ACC Jail booking report.

The charges were a result of a female saying individuals unknown to her "touched her person without her consent" in the breezeway of East Campus Village on June 27, according to the University police report.

Two affidavits filed with the ACC Court stated the two "did intentionally make physical contact of an insulting nature with [the alleged victim], who he does not know, when he approached her and touched her stomach."

Sturdivant, 19, was booked at 9:56 p.m. and released at 10:56 p.m. Anderson, 20, was booked at 9:49 p.m. and released at 11:07 p.m. Both were released on a $1,500 bond.

Football head coach Mark Richt is out of town and unavailable to comment.

Their arrests bring the total to six for the team since the start of the offseason.

In early June, defensive end Jeremy Lomax was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed weapon and speeding. In May, offensive lineman Clint Boling was arrested and charged with DUI.

Fullback Fred Munzenmaier will miss the first game of the season and defensive back Donavon Baldwin will miss the first two due to arrests earlier in the year. Munzenmaier was arrested in January and charged with underage consumption of alcohol and pedestrian walking on the road. Baldwin was also arrested in January and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and improper driving.

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