Rutherford formally charged
September 8, 2003
Pitt quarterback Rod Rutherford was formally charged on Friday with two misdemeanors… Pitt quarterback Rod Rutherford was formally charged on Friday with two misdemeanors stemming from an incident in the parking lot behind a Station Square bar.
Rutherford was charged with simple assault and indecent assault, along with summary criminal mischief, after a 19-year-old woman accused the football player of trying to drag her out of a car by the arm, and of kicking in the car’s window, outside of Philthy McNasty’s Bar ‘ Grill early in the morning of Sept. 1.
James Wymard, Rutherford’s attorney, has denied the charges and was upset with the indecent assault charge, because there was nothing in the original police report about Rutherford inappropriately touching the woman, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Wymard also said that the woman was intoxicated at the time and threw a glass at Rutherford, missing him and hitting his car. Rutherford then hit her window in response.
Rutherford did not start Saturday’s game against Kent State, and Pitt head coach Walt Harris said that “some team discipline” had begun, but he would not say what it was.
Manslaughter charge dropped against priest
An involuntary manslaughter charge was dismissed on Monday against the Rev. Henry Krawczyk.
According to Deputy Coroner Timothy Uhrich, prosecutors had not proven that the priest could have known the actions taken by Billy Gaines would lead to the Pitt football player’s fatal accident on June 18.
Despite the dismissal of the charge, Krawczyk was still held to stand trial for reckless endangerment and six counts of furnishing alcohol to minors.