NIU LB Jamaal Bass Indicted for Assault on Toledo Band Member

Submitted by justingoblue on

NIU LB Jamaal Bass was indicted on two counts of assault in Lucas County, Ohio. Bass faces up to eight years for the felonious assault count, and was also indicted on a misdemeanor charge.

Eight years seems like a lot (although if the band member was seriously injured it's certainly appropriate), but if the video here is the whole picture, he obviously seems like a thug who doesn't deserve an NCAA scholarship on any level. NIU claims he remains in school and that his status with the football team "has not changed".

Video below. Bass is number six on the far right.

Brhino

March 21st, 2012 at 12:38 PM ^

Was that even a deliberate hit?  It looks awkward more than malicious to me.  I'm trying to recreate the motion here and it just seems clumsy.  If I watched that video without reading the context with it I would chalked it up to "unfortunate incident wherein football player is not watching where he is going".

Jon06

March 21st, 2012 at 12:39 PM ^

prosecute more criminal acts on the field. i'm all for it.

also i don't know what the hell the people who "don't see it" or think he was trying to chest bump the kid are possibly talking about. watch 0:11 to 0:15 or so. the guy launches his shoulder pad into the band member's chin. the band member's head goes back and he falls. that's a criminal act perpetrated against an unsuspecting and defenseless person. an indictment is exactly what should happen at this stage.

aaamichfan

March 21st, 2012 at 12:57 PM ^

It's not like he squared up his shoulders and leveled the kid. He moved his legs off to the side, and there's definitely an argument that he attempted to avoid what could have been a much worse situation.

Hardware Sushi

March 21st, 2012 at 1:02 PM ^

You and I must view 'criminal acts' very differently. If this is a criminal act, do we need to start arresting high schoolers that 'shoulder' other kids in the hallway now?

Bass already sat 3 (THREE!) games for this. I can't even tell if it is on purpose but c'mon, even if it was intentional he's already served a fair punishment for the 'crime'.

justingoblue

March 21st, 2012 at 1:06 PM ^

Let's go with that for a minute. If what he did was intentional, he maliciously caused a concussion to someone far smaller and weaker than himself well outside the field of play of a normal sporting event. For that, sitting three football games is appropriate?

Hardware Sushi

March 21st, 2012 at 1:29 PM ^

I'm not a lawyer, but I don't think outcome should matter (that the guy fell with or without a concussion is irrelevant - same with the smaller and weaker parts). The parts that matter, in my opinion, are intent and maliciousness.

The first isn't clear and the second isn't bad.

Maybe that's not the law; I just don't think it's assault based on watching that video. Since it's not assault, he should either a.) not get punished because it's determined it was an accident or b.) be suspended for behavior unbecoming a student-athlete at his school.

justingoblue

March 21st, 2012 at 1:35 PM ^

I can see what you're saying, but I disagree. Since we've disagreed throughout on two or three things throughout the entire thread and both have seen the information available, there probably isn't much more to say...

Other than asking where you were when the thread about Brandon's blog turned into a mini-discussion on price elasticity of demand for tickets at blue blood football programs. I was expecting to see some impressive price point elasticity calculations and whatnot. Gotta put that degree to work on MGoBlog, HardwareSushi.

Hardware Sushi

March 21st, 2012 at 1:46 PM ^

Haha I know, I missed that thread and by the time I saw it, discussion was over. Believe it or not based on today's posting frequency but I've been busy at work. Maybe one rainy weekend I'll actually be constructive and make a diary about something along those lines.

I do like these legal ones because they get into fundamental viewpoints where both people can be right based on their views. I think you're right about this topic - we just disagree.

 

Brayden09

March 21st, 2012 at 12:44 PM ^

Let alone a crime or crimes that constitute an 8 yr prison sentence for a 20 yr old college kid. Was it poor judgement? Certainly but not a crime. I didnt see a shank or even an elbow to the face. He just bumped him. This is something most of us have done accidentally before.

Oaktown Wolverine

March 21st, 2012 at 1:21 PM ^

1: Big brown guy bumps small white guy.

2: Take him out of 4 Year College and put him in prison for 8 years.

3: ?

4: Profit.

 

Our wonderful criminal justice system at work. 

SamirCM

March 21st, 2012 at 1:19 PM ^

Is that they were both punching a football player with a helmet, pads, and having a D-1 football player's heft. This was a paddless, defenseless, BAND member who likely is not all that hefty. If he were a trombone player, I could see hefty. That said, big difference to being charged and being convicted. I don't know why everyone is jumping on the 8 years part, its so early in the prosecutorial process.

BigBlue02

March 21st, 2012 at 2:59 PM ^

So if you punch a bigger, stronger person, you shouldn't have as harsh a penalty? There are pretty big people that have serious concussion problems. By your argument, if Keith Primeau was the band member and got a concussion from it, the penalty should be somehow less.

Also, I don't know why you mentioned pads and helmets. Both punches he was talking about hit neither a pad or a helmet. That they were wearing them at the time has nothing to do with the punch thrown.

chris1709

March 21st, 2012 at 2:00 PM ^

what a joke this is. He barely brushed the band player. Im shocked it evn knocked the band player over. I have no idea how this is criminal in any way. The apprpriate punishment would be for him to miss a game or two and have to put in a lot of extra running after practice. 

74polSKA

March 21st, 2012 at 2:04 PM ^

I have never understood why running after practice is the solution to anything.  We used to run poles after baseball games for every mental error the team made during the game.  All we ever learned was who was out of shape.

chris1709

March 21st, 2012 at 2:08 PM ^

Running is a good solution for two reasons:

1. If you push said player hard enough it will be a rough time for him.

2. Running will benefit the player's cardio

 

So you can punish him and improve your team; kill two birds with one stone.

74polSKA

March 21st, 2012 at 2:41 PM ^

I should have been clearer.  We all ran for mistakes that anyone on the team made.  I think that type of punishment assumes that the players aren't already trying as hard as they can and they will try harder in order to avoid doing extra work.  I don't really remember it being motivational for anyone involved.  I also ran cross country so it wasn't a big deal for me.

PatrickBateman

March 21st, 2012 at 2:33 PM ^

Ha, how far America has come... Remember "THE BAND IS ON THE FIELD THE BAND IS ON THE FIELD!!!!!!" to 8 years felonious assault for elbowing two in the head causing concussions in a completely irrelevant Bowl Game. 

HollywoodHokeHogan

March 21st, 2012 at 4:23 PM ^

evincing an ability to "see" a felony.  It's amazing that some people have to actually read laws and stuff to know what is and is not a felony, while you guys have the ability to just perceive it directly.