4 Wheaton College Football Players Plead Not Guilty In Hazing Case
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Four of the five Wheaton College football players who have been charge with felonies in connection with hazing allegations pleaded not guilty on Monday.
Kyler Kregal, 21, of Michigan; Ben Pettway, 21, of Georgia; Noah Spielman, 21, of Ohio; and Sameul TeBos, 22, of Michigan, appeared for their arraignment Monday morning on charges of felony aggravated battery, mob action, and unlawful restraint.
Flanked by their attorneys, the young men and their families did not speak as they left court after the players pleaded not guilty. The judge has issued a gag order in the case.
The fifth player charged in the case, James Cooksey, 22, of Florida, was scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 13.
The victim told police the players abducted him from his dorm room, restrained him with duct tape, put a pillowcase over his head, attempted to sodomize him with an object, and left him half-naked in a baseball field.
One of the accused players' attorneys asked a DuPage County judge on Monday to set aside the gag order, so he could respond to media reports about possible sexual misconduct that he says did not occur. The court will take up that issue on Oct. 31.
The victim suffered muscle tears in both shoulders, and needed surgery for his injuries.
That young man withdrew from Wheaton College shortly after the incident.
Wheaton College has said the five players were disciplined for the incident, but has declined to specify their punishment, citing privacy rules. The victim's lawyer, Terry Ekl, has said he is only aware of an NCAA punishment against the accused, which amounted to community service and writing an essay.
Spielman's agent, Bret Adams, has said the boys believed they had served their punishment a year ago, after Wheaton College conducted its investigation.