After more than 20 total hours of deliberation, the Office of Judicial Affairs found former Penn State football player Chris Baker innocent on all charges, he said last night.
"I just ... jumped up and down and was screaming. That felt real good," Baker said of his reaction to the verdict. "It's just one obstacle down, two more to go." Baker is still currently facing criminal charges stemming from a fight at the HUB-Robeson Center on Oct. 7 and a fight at the Meridian II apartment building, 646 E. College Ave., on April 1.
Baker said the university will not be recommending any disciplinary action be taken against him. They had recommended a one-year expulsion in his case, Baker told The Daily Collegian last week.
Judicial Affairs was evaluating Baker's academic future at Penn State because of his alleged role in two altercations in the past year, one on campus and the other in a downtown apartment.
Baker's marathon Judicial Affairs hearings began last Thursday and lasted for 15-and-a-half hours before being continued to yesterday evening. It concluded yesterday at about 10 p.m.
In a text message to a Daily Collegian reporter on Saturday, Baker wrote he was to give his closing arguments at 5:30 p.m. yesterday and also find out the verdict. He left the Judicial Affairs office shortly after 7 p.m. last night, although deliberations did not end until about 9:30 p.m.
Despite the length of the hearings, Baker, a former defensive tackle, said he thought it went well.
"I just explained how no one actually identified me as a participant in the fight. I just proved how people misidentified me, and there was no evidence to say I actually touched anyone," he said.
Baker's status with the football team is still in question after he was "excused" in January. Baker said he still has to discuss the ruling with head coach Joe Paterno, though he called defensive line coach Larry Johnson last night to tell him the news.
"I guess Joe's going to find out what happened tomorrow," he said. "I'm pretty sure the coaches will talk to him tomorrow, so if he wants to talk to me, that's fine."
Baker, a sophomore, said about 13 witnesses testified for him at the hearing, although he said he could not talk about who those witnesses were.
Baker still faces criminal charges stemming from two incidents in the past year.
The defensive tackle was charged last April with misdemeanor criminal trespass, simple assault, harassment and a felony charge of burglary in connection with the fight at the Meridian Apartment complex. Police said several football players were involved in the apartment invasion and following altercation.
Baker also faces charges of aggravated assault, a first-degree felony; harassment and stalking, a summary offense; and misdemeanor charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct stemming from the Oct. 7 fight at the HUB. The victim in the fight, an out-of-town fraternity brother, was punched and kicked while on the floor, according to court documents. Three other football players have been charged for their alleged roles in the fight.
A fourth former football player, defensive tackle Phil Taylor, was charged this week with the same charges Baker faces in connection with the HUB fight. Taylor was temporarily suspended from the team in February along with former wide receiver Chris Bell, who has been mentioned as a participant in the HUB fight in court documents but has not been charged.
Seven players have been suspended from the football team since August, including tight end Andrew Quarless, running back Austin Scott, defensive lineman Phil Taylor, wideout Chris Bell, linebacker Navorro Bowman, cornerback Knowledge Timmons and Baker.
Collegian Staff Writer Mark Viera contributed to this report.
