Organized Chaos

Florida State police released a probable-cause affidavit on Friday, which revealed details surround the Nov. 12 campus fight between FSU football players and members of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. And while it may not be a complete picture, it gives some semblance of the goings on that day.

Firstly, I’d like to thank Maj. Jim Russell of the FSU Police Department for taking the time during his Thanksgiving break to e-mail me the affidavit. He also gave some crucial notes which helped my story (read it here). I know he has a lot to do and he’s pretty busy, so thanks again.

My story covers the basic details from the document, which was six pages in PDF format. You can read the entire affidavit here, or you can read on for some of the more juicy details.

There’s one fellow throughout reading the affidavit who doesn’t sound like he’s telling the whole truth. I’ll get to that in a second.

The funny thing about this whole thing is it apparently started when Taiwain Easterling and one of the frat boys tried to make peace. Instead of seeing this, Cameron wade though the frat guy was going to slug Easterling so he took it upon himself to throw the first punch. And to think, that maybe if he kept his fists at his side then none of this would have happened.

Key point No. 1: Bert Reed and Cameron Wade were currently the only ones who were charged, but they are by no means the last. There’s a chance for up to 12 more arrests. And based on witness statements, there could be at least one frat guy charged. Oh, and Reed reportedly hit a woman. How nice.

Key point No. 2: Some light has been shed on who threw the chair. Several FSU players stated that Richard Greene hurled a chair into the crowd. However, Greene said the chair was thrown at him and he doesn’t know who threw it. A frat member stated he saw Corey Surrency throw a chair as well. The bottom line is someone threw a chair and it broke a girl’s face. That needs to be hashed out.

Key point No. 3: Greene to me doesn’t sound too credible. I don’t know the guy, but it’s kind of interesting how he acted like he was innocent. Also, he was identified as hitting Richard Goodman from behind, and if true, that’s a nice cowardly thing to do.

Now to some of the more interesting parts, some of which makes it look like a scene out of “The Warriors.” You know, but only switch FSU players as saying “Frat boys come out and play” as they clink bottles together on their fingers. OK, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, IMDB the movie.

There were many flying objects. A trophy hit Richard Goodman. And there was the chair, which wasn’t used how it should have been: in a swining manner to the back like in WWE.

Easterling said he was hit by “a large black woman” when he tried to help Goodman, who was cut on the nose. He also said Greene hurled the chair from atop a set of stairs. Perhaps he was trying to help someone who maybe needed a seat because all of it was becoming too much to avoid fainting. Sure.

Apparently there were many threatening text messages sent to Easterling. He had some run-ins with some boys and lord knows that the best way to get to someone is through their phone. We all check messages, even if they are forwards or whatever, so they knew Easterling would get them and be scared.

Or, maybe it was another immature thing to do. I’m guessing that’s the case.

Reed claimed to be helping everyone in the building. Only problem is none of the people he saved claimed to be involved in any fights. Hmmmm.

Someone was held and prevented from hitting Nigel Carr. I wonder if he was hogtied later on?

It was reported that several of the frat boys took off their jackets to avoid them being damaged. Yeah, let’s not worry about our faces or fists. But if our jackets are messed up there will be heck to pay.

Corey Surrency apparently was thinking he was an MMA fighter because Rod Owens stated he saw Surrency fighting under a table.

Greene’s statement was the best. He said at least 9 or 10 players were pounding one fist with the other in the open area, waiting for someone to test them. Yeesh. He said one his dudes was tackled and kicked by several players.

Greene also said he was taken down by a another football player and that guy attempted to slam his head into a newspaper box. Maybe he was trying to tell him he needed to read more, because young people these days don’t do enough of that. He had a small cut that took four stitches to close.

Reed’s apparent victim picked him out of a photo lineup that had 51 black males. She said she was 95 percent sure it was Reed who hit her.

Both Reed and Wade will have a court date of early January.

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