Syracuse, NY - Any efforts to resolve the criminal assault case against Syracuse University football player Delone Carter appear to be going nowhere. In City Court this afternoon, defense lawyer George Raus said he had told Carter not to come to court today because there was no resolution in hand. Chief Assistant District Attorney Joseph Coolican responded that the...
Syracuse running back Delone Carter. Syracuse, NY - Any efforts to resolve the criminal assault case against Syracuse University football player Delone Carter appear to be going nowhere.
In City Court this afternoon, defense lawyer George Raus said he had told Carter not to come to court today because there was no resolution in hand.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Joseph Coolican responded that the prosecution’s position is that Carter can plead guilty as charged or stand trial.
Raus said no to a guilty plea and Judge Langston McKinney then agreed to give the lawyers some more time to try and reach a resolution.
The judge adjourned the case to Aug. 2 for another pre-trial conference with the lawyers. But McKinney asked Raus to have his pre-trial motions ready to be argued that day if it becomes clear earlier that no resolution is likely that day either.
Carter, 22, is facing a misdemeanor count of third-degree assault in connection with a one-punch attack on another SU student Feb. 27 in the 300 block of Waverly Avenue on campus.
Authorities said Carter and teammate Ryan Gillum got out of Gillum’s vehicle after it was hit by a snowball. Police charged Carter with punching 20-year-old William S. Hotaling, although officials say Hotaling and the roommate he was walking with had nothing to do with the snowball-throwing incident.
Carter has been suspended from SU until at least the fall semester when he can seek to reapply as a student and to play football.
Raus said Carter is working out elsewhere in order to be ready to join the SU football team for the fall semester if he is allowed to re-enter school. The lawyer declined to say where Carter is spending the summer or whether there is any possibility he will be able to rejoin the team for practice before the fall semester begins.
“Delone is doing his part to get back into school,” Raus said. “Hopefully he will fill the stands come fall,” the lawyer added.
Raus said he would continue his efforts to try and work out a resolution of the criminal case with the prosecution. Coolican let court without any comment after the brief appearance before McKinney.