ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 19, 1997 TAG: 9704210041
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA THE ROANOKE TIMES
He and James Crawford still face rape charges.
The fifth of eight former and current Virginia Tech football players being tried in connection with a brawl on College Avenue last summer entered a no-contest plea to disorderly conduct Friday.
Brian Edmonds, starting fullback for the Hokies last season, entered his plea in Montgomery County Circuit Court and is the second player be found guilty in the case. Circuit Judge Ray Grubbs sentenced Edmonds to serve two days in jail of a 30-day sentence.
It is the same punishment sophomore linebacker Tyron Edmond was given when he was found guilty of assault and battery March 24. Since inmates get one day knocked off their jail sentence for each "good day" they serve, the ultimate sentence is usually 24 hours behind bars.
The charge was amended to disorderly conduct from assault and battery at the request of Edmonds' attorney, Joe Painter. Both are misdemeanors that carry the same maximum punishment of 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Keith said he discussed the amended charge with the victim, Hilliard Sumner III. Sumner, a member of Tech's track team, told him he was pleased, Keith said.
Edmonds' attorney could not be reached Friday. A partner in the firm, however, said Painter had given explicit instructions that no comment about the case would be made to the public. The case had been scheduled for Tuesday but was moved to Friday with little notice - it wasn't even listed on the printed dockets for Friday's court sessions.
Edmonds left the courtroom Friday morning to begin serving his sentence. He should be out in time to watch the NFL draft, which begins at noon today. However, analysts say his stock has fallen, so he may not hear his name called in the seven rounds of selection. He has moved from a projected second-round pick to a possible sixth-round.
Tech athletic officials suspended Edmonds for one game after the Aug. 31 brawl that left Sumner with a broken collarbone and multiple bruises. Edmonds is no longer on the team - his eligibility ran out last season and he has graduated.
In a separate case, reserve wide receiver James Crawford and Edmonds still face rape and attempted sodomy charges, which will go before a Circuit Court grand jury Wednesday. Blacksburg police arrested the men after a student said the men raped her during a party at their apartment Dec. 14. Both men have maintained that they never had sex with the woman.
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