UPDATE: Pitt has issued a statement on the players situation, it is below the fold.
Really not much that can say about the assault charges that are filed against Devin Street, Ray Graham and Lafayette Pitts. I won’t outright call them a load of bull, but let’s just say there doesn’t seem to be much meat to the charges.
Pittsburgh police wrote in a criminal complaint that they were working an overtime detail early on Oct. 21 when they tried to disperse a crowd from the intersection of Oakland Avenue and Bates Street and three people remained in the roadway.
One those people, Karl Olsheski, told police he had just been assaulted. He refused medical treatment and said he did not want to file a report, he just wanted officers to stop the man who had punched him, according to the criminal complaint.
In an interview with police, Mr. Olsheski said he was walking in Oakland with two women when Mr. Graham stopped him, said, “What’s up?” and uttered a racial slur. Mr. Olsheski said that he replied “nothing” and tried to leave but Mr. Graham, Mr. Street and Mr. Pitts surrounded him and then Mr. Street slugged him on the left side of the head, according to the criminal complaint.
The players are being mailed their summons to appear. It is simple assault and conspiracy. The stories do not make clear how the three were identified or whether they were detained at the incident. They were not and will not be arrested in connection to the charges. They haven’t even received notice that they are being charged, since the summons are being mailed to them.
