LSU running back Jeremy Hill pleads guilty to punching man in head
LSU running back Jeremy Hill has pleaded guilty to simple battery, and when you see the video, you'll understand why.
The assault occurred on April 17 outside of Reggie's Bar in Baton Rouge, when Hill and Robert Bayardo (not a member of the Tigers football team) punched 20-year-old Connor Baldridge in a parking lot. Hill, who rushed for 755 yards and 12 touchdowns as a freshman last season, was indefinitely suspended by head coach Les Miles following the incident.
The Baton Rouge District Attorney's office released the video, but warning there is some graphic language. (If the video isn't showing up in your browser, watch it here.)
Slug a guy in the back of the head and then high five in celebration? Charming. The cell phone video made it a relatively easy case for the prosecution.
Hill currently doesn't face any jail time, but that could change. From Diana Samuels at NOLA.com:
He is already on probation from another misdemeanor, having pleaded guilty in January 2012 to carnal knowledge of a juvenile. He and another student at Redemptorist High School, Avery Tate, were arrested for engaging in a sexual act with a 14-year-old girl in the school's locker room in December 2010.
Assistant District Attorney Sue Bernie said that Hill could face up to six months in jail. As of now, Hill is sentenced to two years of probation and will be forced to pay $375 in restitution to the victim for his medical bills.
The 2010 charges delayed Hill's enrollment at LSU one year, but when he joined the team in 2012, he discussed how much he had learned from the experience:
“It showed me some valuable life lessons,” Hill said. “It showed me patience. It helped me build my personality — I found out who I was as a person. It made me a lot stronger. I can get through a lot more things than a lot of guys would be able to get through.”
There is no word yet on what Hill's punishment will be from the Tigers football team, but we will update you with any statements from Miles or LSU.
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