Penn State football players Jeremy Kapinos and E.Z. Smith both had their cases decided this week.

Kapinos, a punter for the Nittany Lions, was found not guilty on the charge of disorderly conduct and entered a provisional guilty plea to the charge of underage drinking.

"[The prosecution] did not prove the element of the crime and that [Kapinos] did it," District Justice Ronald Horner said in reference to the disorderly conduct charge.

The underage drinking charge was Kapinos' second in as many years. He was charged in an earlier incident on Aug. 25, 2002.

Kapinos was referred to the Youthful Offenders' Program for the alcohol violation.

"There was no hearing, he just uses the Youthful Offenders' Program," Horner said. "It's a summary offense. He pays the fees, and then it is dismissed."

The program is an alternative to the standard fine and permanent police record for youths cited for underage drinking or drug use in Centre County.

Kapinos is required to pay a program fee of $175 and complete a total of 15 course hours of class.

Both charges stemmed from events involving a fight outside of Nittany Apartments on September 7.

Smith, an offensive lineman, was cited twice for underage drinking, once on July 27 and once on Aug. 2, outside his residence at Nittany Apartments.

Smith was found not guilty on the second underage drinking charge, but he pleaded a pre-adjudication disposition in regard to the first charge.

As with Kapinos, Smith was referred to the Youthful Offenders' Program. Upon completion of the course, the underage drinking charge will be dropped.

Smith was suspended from the football team by the Office of Judicial Affairs and has not played in any games this year.