Gophers Facing Restraining Order Will Get Ruling Before Purdue Game
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Five Minnesota players barred by a restraining order from the team's stadium will soon learn whether they'll be cleared for the next home game.
Hennepin County Judge Mel Dickstein will decide prior to Minnesota's Nov. 5 game against Purdue whether to continue or lift bans that kept Ray Buford, Carlton Djam, KiAnte Hardin, Dior Johnson and Tamarion Johnson from playing Saturday against Rutgers. Court spokeswoman Nancy Peters said Tuesday that Dickstein set a Nov. 2 harassment hearing.
The order against a sixth Gophers player, Kiondre Thomas, was overturned.
Only Hardin, a starting cornerback, and Buford, a reserve cornerback, have significant roles for the Gophers this season.
None of the players were arrested or charged in a Sept. 2 incident that was investigated by police. An alleged victim later petitioned the court to bar them from both her apartment and TCF Bank Stadium, where she works on game days.
For now, the players can travel to Illinois for the game Saturday. Buford, Hardin, Johnson and Johnson were suspended by the university for an unspecified violation of team rules for three games and reinstated three weeks ago after the Hennepin County attorney's office declined to pursue the case.
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