Deshawn Stevenson charged with Misdemeanor

This happened earlier in the summer, but he was charged today. I hope more such pleasant things happen to the Jazz. The Maloneless and Stocktonless years will be thin it seems. Oh wait... they were pretty thin when they were there, too.

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Jazz Rookie Charged With Misdemeanor

By BRIAN MELLEY
Associated Press Writer

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Utah Jazz rookie DeShawn Stevenson was charged Tuesday with a misdemeanor count of fighting for his part on a high school brawl on the night of the NBA draft.

Stevenson, 19, and Fresno State football recruit Christopher Lee Sims, 18, were charged with fighting in a public place, according to a complaint filed by the Fresno County District Attorney's office.

Sims also was charged with misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and possessing a deadly weapon, a razor knife, on school property.

The fight broke out June 28 after Stevenson, who was selected in the first round by Utah, attended a high school all-star basketball game as a spectator and signed autographs at Buchanan High School in nearby Clovis.

``I guess there were some dudes there who didn't like me,'' Stevenson said later. ``I got done signing autographs and five guys jumped me.''

As many as 20 people were involved in the melee, and Sims and another man were arrested and cited. Stevenson was listed in police reports as a suspect but was not charged until Tuesday.

No charges were filed Tuesday against Calvin John Howell, 20, the other man arrested and previously cited.

Stevenson frustrated investigators in the case when he did not return telephone calls, according to Greg Bass, director of police services for the Clovis Unified School District.

He has kept a low profile since the incident and has refused comment on the fight, saying only that he hired a lawyer to handle the matter.

Sims, who played in the all-star game, told police that Stevenson and his friends started the fight.

Stevenson, who fled after police broke up the fight, blamed Sims and his friends at a news conference in Salt Lake City the day after the fight.

Witnesses told investigators the fight stemmed from jealousy and an argument over a woman both men had dated, the police report said.

An unidentified witness called investigators and named Stevenson as the instigator. But a school janitor who also witnessed the brawl said Stevenson was attacked, but later recanted his story.

The unidentified caller said Stevenson went to the game to fight Sims and Sims' ex-girlfriend said Stevenson had lingered in the gym after the game ended because she believed ``the guys were going to fight,'' the police report said.

An arraignment was scheduled Monday in Fresno Superior Court.

Stevenson, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who averaged 30.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists as a senior last season at Washington Union High School in Easton, was the 23rd pick in the NBA draft.

Jazz owner Larry Miller has said the fight wouldn't affect Stevenson's standing with the team.

Stevenson originally committed to play college basketball at Kansas, where coach Roy Williams had called him the most gifted recruit he had ever pursued.

However, Stevenson entered the NBA draft in May when his SAT score was questioned after a dramatic improvement. He reportedly scored 450 on the test as a sophomore and 1,150 as a senior.


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