“I think he’s an upstanding young man, he has no criminal history whatsoever,” Chartier said. “I think that anyone you spoke with in the community would tell you he is just a really polite and courteous young man and I think he’s been falsely accused.”

Standing silent and dressed in all black next to Chartier during the hearing, Vance was arraigned on the charges while members of his family and a clergy member of his church looked on.

Vance, at just 20 years old, is one of the three former MSU football players charged alongside Donnie Corley and Josh King. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Judge Richard Ball set bond at 10 percent of $10,000 after Chartier argued the $50,000 bond sought by the prosecution was unsuitable because Vance had no intentions of fleeing or contacting the alleged victim.

Chartier seemed poised to quash any thoughts of a pre-trial guilty verdict in the court of public opinion, saying the charges handed down earlier were merely that and were not evidence. 

“You really didn’t hear anything in court today to make that determination,” Chartier said. 

Further, Chartier revealed Vance had been removed from the university and is seeking a new university to attend, a decision they plan to appeal.

The arraignment for the two other ex-MSU football players will be held Wednesday at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the 54B District Court in East Lansing, though it is unclear which player would be arraigned at each time.

Corley is also charged with one count of criminal sexual conduct of the third degree while King has been charged with one count of criminal sexual conduct of the third degree, one count of criminal sexual conduct of the first degree and one count of criminal sexual conduct of capturing and/or distributing an image of an unclothed person.