Six Notre Dame football players were arrested between Friday night and Saturday morning in two separate incidents. Stephanie Sokol/The Pit
News broke Saturday morning that a total of six Notre Dame football players were arrested between Friday night and Saturday morning in two separate incidents.
Five players were arrested Friday night after a routine traffic stop after the officer said he smelled marijuana and discovered a loaded handgun. A sixth player was arrested Saturday morning after resisting arrest and abusing an officer.
Safety Max Redfield, defensive back Ashton White, running back Dexter Williams, linebacker Tevon Coney and freshman receiver Kevin Stepherson were all taken into custody and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Redfield, Stepherson and Williams were given an additional misdemeanor charge of possession of a handgun without a license.
The officer pulled the five over for speeding and smelled marijuana, prompting a search of the vehicle, a 2007 Ford Focus. A police dog confirmed the possession of the plant, while the officer discovered the gun. The five were held in Fulton County Jail overnight and released Saturday afternoon.
Senior cornerback Devin Butler was arrested early Saturday morning on preliminary felony battery charges against a police officer and misdemeanor charges for resisting arrest. The arrest was made at the Linebacker Lounge, just down the road from the university.
According to the St. Joseph County Police booking desk, official charges are expected to be brought against Butler Saturday afternoon.
Irish Head Coach Brian Kelly was not available for comment, but the university vice president for public affairs and communications Paul Browne did release a statement of his own:
“Any student arrested on a felony charge also faces dismissal from the university. The university will determine if additional sanctions should apply to any or all of the students charged.”
UPDATE: Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly has handed down punishment to Max Redfield and Devin Butler. Redfield has been dismissed from the team while Butler has been place on indefinite suspension.
“During the past 24 hours, I have met with each of the members of our team involved in the two incidents that occurred over the weekend, reviewed the evidence available to me, and consulted with others involved in the leadership of our team and the university,” Kelly said in a statement. “That process has only served to deepen my disappointment in the poor decisions made by these young men. Their conduct fell far short of what we expect from those who represent our football team and this great university.
Kelly added that the other players involved in the incidents will be subject to disciplinary actions internally.
“At Notre Dame, where we place so much importance on the integration of students who are athletes into the broader university, the primary responsibility for discipline lies, as it should, with the University’s Office of Community Standards,” Kelly said. “But even within that system, there are times when a player’s conduct so clearly fails to meet the standards I have set for our football team that it is appropriate to take action independent of any decision that might be made by the Office of Community Standards. This is such an instance.”
