The misdemeanor assault charge against MSU senior running back Jason Teague was dismissed two weeks ago, and the woman who filed the report said she's "quite satisfied" with the result.
"I have moved on since then and I assume my assailant has too," Julie Burtch, the alleged victim and an MSU alumna, said. "Not that what he did was excusable, but it's almost like it seems too late. What I wanted was not necessarily for my assailant to serve time in jail, but for him to learn it's not acceptable to hit a woman, under any circumstances."
The dismissal was not without its conditions - Teague must attend anger management classes, undergo a substance abuse assessment and counseling and write a letter of apology to the victim by Sept. 30.
Teague's attorney, James Newton from ASMSU's Student Legal Services, advised him against commenting on the case, said John Lewandowski, associate athletic director for communications.
According to an East Lansing Police Department incident report, Teague struck Burtch three times in the face on Oct. 31, 2004 after she asked him to leave her home.
Teague pleaded not guilty to the assault and battery charge on July 12.
Newton said he was pleased with the result of the case.
"Jason's ready to focus on school and football," Newton said.
The prosecution took Burtch's wishes into account when deciding to dismiss the charge, Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said.
"Considering what the victim wanted in this case and my feeling that Mr. Teague needed to learn some kind of lesson out of this, this seemed to be the best way to go," Dunnings said. "This seemed to be the best way to go to accommodate the victim's wishes and my goal to teach Mr. Teague that this type of behavior is unacceptable."
If the case had gone to trial, the result would probably have been the same and this way, the victim's wishes were accommodated, Dunnings said.
"We're getting where we would have been anyway without a trial," Dunnings said. "There's more than one way to skin a cat, I guess."
Teague will have the arrest on his record, but he can eventually petition to have that expunged, Dunnings said. However, if he fails to comply with the conditions, charges could be reissued.
Officials with the athletics department, along with Teague's attorney, will make sure Teague fulfills the obligations.
"It's important that there be someone on the athletic side making sure that we monitor him meeting those conditions," Lewandowski said. "We have the day-to-day contact with the young man. It's better to be monitored at both angles."
Lewandowski would not disclose any additional disciplinary action, saying only MSU football head coach John L. Smith "took whatever action he deemed appropriate."
At this point, Burtch said all she wants is the running back to take an important lesson away from the experience.
"Hopefully, with counseling, this person - I can't use the term gentleman - this person learns that it's not right to take aggression out on people, especially a woman," Burtch said.
Margaret Harding can be reached at hardin42@msu.edu
