ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 13, 1995 TAG: 9512130065
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ALLISON BLAKE STAFF WRITER
MEMO: Ran on C-1 in Metro edition.
NOTE: Below
Two Virginia Tech football players, one of whom recently became the subject of campus debate after allegations that he sexually assaulted a student became public, have been suspended from the Sugar Bowl-bound team for unspecified reasons.
In a brief statement released late Tuesday afternoon, Tech football coach Frank Beamer said he had suspended Tony Morrison on Saturday and James Crawford on Nov. 28 "for failure to live up to the standards set for Virginia Tech football players." He said the suspensions were "a result of separate incidents."
Morrison, who was charged by Blacksburg police this past weekend with being drunk in public and petty larceny, is a sophomore linebacker from Chesapeake who was highly recruited.
Crawford, who was charged Nov. 27 by Blacksburg police with defrauding an innkeeper and felony hit and run with injury, is a redshirt freshman receiver from Deerfield Beach, Fla.
The Tech sports information department would not comment on the reasons for Morrison's suspension. Spokesman Ed Moore said it was not related to Christy Brzonkala's allegation that he sexually assaulted her last year.
"Neither player will make the trip to New Orleans with the team nor participate in the Sugar Bowl game," Beamer said in a statement, adding that he will have no further comment on the suspensions.
Morrison was arrested on charges of being drunk in public and petty larceny early Saturday at Arnold's, a popular Blacksburg nightspot, according to Blacksburg Police Chief Bill Brown. Morrison is accused of damaging the hinges on a door and "pick[ing] up" a tip jar, Brown said.
Police say the incident that led to Crawford's arrest began when his car was towed to a service station at the request of campus police because of unpaid parking tickets. Crawford demanded his car back without paying his towing bill, and is accused of striking a service-station employee twice with the vehicle, according to police reports.
Both players are free on bond, according to the Associated Press.
Last week, Tech provost Peggy Meszaros presided over an emotional campus meeting called so she could explain why she had reduced the sanctions imposed on Morrison by a campus judicial board after the sex-assault complaint. After an initial hearing and an appeal of a sexual misconduct charge brought by Brzonkala, Morrison was suspended for two semesters and found guilty of using offensive language. Meszaros put Morrison on probation.
Critics said Meszaros went easy on Morrison because he was a football player.
Criminal charges never were brought against Morrison.
Tech spokesman Larry Hincker said late Tuesday that he did not know if the weekend incident would come before the school's judicial board.
"We're just going to wait and see what the courts do," he said.
The 13th-ranked Hokies meet the 9th-ranked University of Texas on New Year's Eve in New Orleans.
Staff writer Randy King and The Associated Press contributed information to this story.
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Tony Morrison/No Sugar Bowl game.by CNB