Two East Lansing police investigations involving MSU football players were foiled last semester after witnesses refused to cooperate with authorities.

Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said he was unable to process the reports filed during the 2001 football season because witnesses wouldn’t discuss incidents involving players.

Dunnings’ comments came a day after sophomore defensive end Clifford Dukes was arraigned in the 54-B District Court on four charges of assault and battery and two charges of aggravated assault.

“It boggles my mind actually,” Dunnings said. “What’s strange to me is that people didn’t want to testify when police came back. I don’t know why that was.

“Is the success of the football team so important to students that they didn’t want to talk?”

MSU athletics department spokesman John Lewandowski refused to comment.

East Lansing police Sgt. William Mitchell said he recalls one incident involving football players in which the victims failed to cooperate.

“I don’t know why someone who is a victim would not want to follow through just because it has to do with a school athlete,” Mitchell said. “Does that mean they’re true to their school?”

The two incidents are in addition to junior center DeMarco Monroe’s assault of a former member of the women’s crew team in August. The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to the assault, which took place outside an East Lansing pizzeria.

Dukes’ alleged assault occurred at Delta Sigma Phi, 1218 E. Grand River Ave., at an Oct. 25 party.

Dunnings said he’ll review Dukes’ case to determine if fraternity members or other football players will be charged.

“A number of football players received injuries due to this altercation,” Dunnings said. “It might be an effect of criminal action, or they may have been acting in lawful self-defense.”

A witness at the party saw Dukes fight several people there.

“He was laying people out left and right,” he said. “It was a mess, there were 100 witnesses around.”

Mitchell said there were two other suspects in the case in addition to Dukes. After the police conducted multiple interviews and lineups, the case was sent to the prosecutor’s office, he said.

“These matters certainly take time,” Mitchell said. “There were many suspects - many victims. It was a lengthy report.”

Dunnings said his office first received the report last year, but it didn’t contain enough information to pursue it further. Dunnings said the report was sent back to police for further investigation.

“I determined there was additional info needed before I could make any determination,” Dunnings said. “The police did that and brought it back in while I was out with surgery.”

A warrant for Dukes’ arrest was signed Tuesday, and he turned himself in Wednesday before being arraigned.