In response to the large number of letters regarding Eric Knott, I agree that none of us were there, so we don’t know exactly what happened. But the judicial system does not prosecute individuals unless it has just cause. That he plea-bargained for a lesser sentence instead of pleading not guilty and going to trial leads me to believe that there is more to him than innocence.

I do feel that a good education does have the ability to turn Knott’s life around, and I really hope that he does well here, in football as well as academics. The thing that bothers me the most is that students were suspended from MSU after the riot because of crimes they committed against property, yet Knott is convicted of a crime against a person, and he was not only admitted to MSU after the fact, but is given a full scholarship along with that.

I am not excusing the rioters, but which is worse?

As far as the killing outside of an M.A.C. Avenue bar is concerned (“Shame on those criticizing Knott,” SN 8/27), the individual who was killed died as a result of a fight. He was not randomly sought out by the individuals in question as a target. Fights happen all the time in East Lansing, so that incident is irrelevant to the topic at hand.

As a student I question the ethics and morals of some individuals who continue to stand by him stating that nothing happened. If nothing happened then why are we discussing this issue and why did he serve 30 days in jail? I hope he does do well at MSU and proves us all wrong, because everyone will be watching.

Andrea Olson
criminal justice and psychology freshman