Penn State football players Christopher Baker and Navorro Bowman were arraigned this morning on matching charges of aggravated assault, harassment and stalking, simple assault and disorderly conduct in connection to an Oct. 7 fight at the HUB-Robeson Center.
Additionally, defensive back Knowledge Timmons was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and defiant trespass.
Both linebacker Bowman and defensive tackle Baker were released without bail.
None of the players will travel with the team this weekend to East Lansing, Mich., according to a statement released by the athletic department.
"In early October, several players had been demoted and/or lost playing time based upon our initial understanding of the facts regarding the HUB incident," the statement read. "Based upon today's information, Chris Baker, Navorro Bowman and Knowledge Timmons will not travel with the team to East Lansing."
Baker currently faces additional assault charges in connection to an April 1 brawl at a Meridian Apartments residence.
According to Baker's criminal complaint, police arrived at the HUB to find a large group huddled around a group of men. Police said they heard yelling and sounds of fighting coming from within the group. Baker later told police the altercation stemmed from an incident earlier that night when Bowman was hit by Varney Capehart, an out-of-town fraternity brother, while the fraternity was "party walking."
Members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. have confirmed they were holding an event at the HUB that evening and had issues with the players' conduct during the evening's party walking.
Baker told police that he, Bowman and Capehart then went outside Heritage Hall, where he said Capehart charged at Bowman. According to the complaint, Baker told police this is when the fight began.
Witnesses told police Bowman punched and kicked Capehart, and later identified Bowman as the "main actor and aggressor" in the fight.
Baker told police both Bowman and Capehart ended up on the floor, and at this point, the rest of the team "jumped in." Baker said he saw defensive tackle Phil Taylor attempt to punch Capehart when he was on the ground, according to the complaint.
Police said three eyewitnesses positively identify Baker as "brutally kicking the victim while he was on the ground, attempting to hide under a table while being pummeled by approximately 15 people."
According to the complaint, Baker said he saw football players Taylor, Abe Koroma, Thom McEowen, Chris Bell, Willie Harriott, Devon Fentress, Toriano Moody and Johnnie Troutman kicking Capehart while he was on the floor.
Timmons said that in attempting to break up the fight, he lost his iPhone and "may have flipped some furniture" while trying to find it.
Capehart used his shirt to contain bleeding from his face, lips and nose, police said. He told the responding officer he had been kicked and punched by numerous people. He described his attackers as members of the Penn State football team.
"It took fifteen football players to attack me," Capehart reportedly said.
Later, looking over a 2007 Penn State football program, Capehart pointed to Baker and linebacker Bani Gbadyu as two of the primary attackers.
Centre County Assistant District Attorney Steve Sloane would not rule out the possibility that Baker's bail for his previous assault case, contingent on his remaining felony-free, would be revoked.
"Risk to the community is a concern," he said.
Collegian Staff Writer Mark Viera contributed to this report.
