Michigan State fell short of its goal of a national title with a 55-53 loss to Syracuse in Detroit on Sunday, March 18 in the second round of the 2018 NCAA tournament.
Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press
Brock Washington, a freshman walk-on basketball player at Michigan State University, has been charged with misdemeanor assault.(Photo: File photo)
EAST LANSING — Brock Washington, a Michigan State freshman walk-on basketball player, has been charged with misdemeanor assault.
Washington, 19, was arrested March 8 and charged the same day in Ingham County with assault or assault and battery, according to Michigan State Police records.
Washington’s charge generally carries a sentence of up to 93 days in jail, although it is not clear whether Washington has been convicted of that or any other charge.
Washington’s case is not listed in court records, and officials with the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office declined to comment, saying the case is nonpublic.
In Michigan, offenders younger than 24 who have pleaded to some criminal offenses can have their court records closed to public view under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act. Under the law, such records keep nonpublic status unless the trainee commits another offense.
The prosecutor’s office rejected a Lansing State Journal Freedom of Information Act request for documents related to the case on Friday, indicating that the case is not closed and disclosure could “interfere with law enforcement proceedings.”
A similar request filed with MSU was previously rejected; a follow-up request awaits a response.
More: Michigan State’s John Engler blasts ESPN’s sexual assault history
An attorney for Washington could not be reached because his case is not listed in court records.
Matt Larson, a spokesman for MSU basketball, did not immediately respond to a message left seeking comment.
Washington dressed for all of MSU’s 35 games this season but did not play while taking a redshirt. The Spartans had the week off between the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments when Washington’s arrest took place, but he was in uniform and on the bench for their two NCAA tournament games, March 16 and 18, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Southfield Christian’s sophomore guard Brock Washington, who averages 14 points per game, is not afraid to attack the basket. (Photo: John Stormzand | Staff Photographer)
Washington played high school basketball for Southfield Christian, where he helped lead the Eagles to the Class D state semifinals and set their single-game scoring mark with 40 points against Plymouth Christian. When he announced plans to join MSU as a preferred walk-on, he reportedly had interest from Oakland and a number of Mid-American Conference schools.
The incident comes on the heels of increased scrutiny for MSU athletics. Athletic director Mark Hollis resigned in January, just days after university president Lou Anna Simon resigned in the wake of former MSU doctor Larry Nassar’s sentencing and continued issues surrounding the university’s handling of sexual assault claims on campus.
On Wednesday, three former MSU football players pleaded to seduction, a felony charge related to a sex assault investigation. The former players – Donnie Corley Jr., Josh King and Demetric Vance – had been charged with criminal sexual conduct but will likely avoid jail time after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors.
Auston Robertson, another former football player, currently awaits trial on two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Check back for updates.