| | Associated Press
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- A Penn State student suspended for his
role in a meleé thinks it's unfair that Nittany Lions quarterback
Rashard Casey hasn't been disciplined by the school after being
charged in the beating of an off-duty police officer.
"It's a double standard," senior Michael Byrne said. "It's
just because Casey brings in millions of dollars. This whole school
is about money. It's ridiculous."
Byrne, who is appealing a one-semester suspension, was one of 28
people -- including 18 Penn State students -- arrested last month
when a crowd gathered in a street, blocked traffic and damaged
lights and barricades. Police used pepper spray after the people
ignored repeated orders to disperse.
"I didn't think anything would happen to Casey anyway, him
being a football player," said Robert Belkowski, a student charged
with failure to disperse.
The 18 students, whose criminal cases haven't gone to court,
face school penalties ranging from probation to expulsion.
The school hasn't started disciplinary procedures against Casey.
Police say Casey and another man, with no provocation, kicked
Patrick Fitzsimmons until he was unconscious outside a bar in
Hoboken, N.J., in May. Casey denies the charges.
"It's much ado about nothing," said Casey's lawyer, Dennis
McAlvey. "My best guess is that Rashard won't be indicted."
Penn State football coach Joe Paterno said Casey will be the
starting quarterback for the Nittany Lions.
"I'm very aware of the perception of the university sitting on
an athlete's case," said Joseph Puzycki, director of Penn State's
office of judicial affairs.
Puzycki said he couldn't discuss any individual cases because of
privacy rules. "But I can tell you the university has followed the
exact same procedure in all cases," he said.
Jeff Nelson, spokesman for Penn State's athletic department,
said Hoboken police haven't given the university the police report
in Casey's case.
Edward DeFazio, deputy first assistant prosecutor with the
Hudson County prosecutor's staff in Hoboken, said no one from Penn
State asked for a report or for information about Casey's case.
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