Police Want LSU Player's Side Of Story

Updated: August 21, 2011, 6:22 PM ET

Police want LSU players' side of story
ESPN.com news services

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Baton Rouge police say four LSU football players have hired a defense attorney and put off a meeting with police about a bar fight.

The meeting was originally scheduled for Monday.

Sgt. Donald Stone confirmed in an email to The Associated Press that attorney Nathan Fisher arranged the postponement. Stone did not say if a new date has been scheduled.

"We just got the case at 8 a.m. today," Fisher told The Times Picayune of New Orleans on Sunday. "I just met with the kids this morning."

An earlier news release said the fight started when a driver honked his horn at a crowd blocking his way out of the parking lot outside Shady's Bar, and the driver was one of four people injured.

Police have said that LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson, offensive lineman Chris Davenport, defensive lineman Josh Johns and receiver Jarvis Landry were asked to come to police headquarters to tell their side of the story.

"They weren't asked to turn themselves in. They were asked to come in so they can be interviewed and tell their side of the story," Stone said in a telephone interview. The investigation will continue after that, and police may interview other players, he said.

Stone said police interviewed four people who were treated and released -- three for minor injuries and a fourth for a more serious injury that could bring a felony charge of second-degree battery. Some witnesses also have talked to police, he said.

Stone confirmed that one of the players kicked one of the victims in the head, but could not identify whom it was, the Times Picayune reported.

On Saturday, coach Les Miles apologized for the fight, saying a "relatively large group" was involved, and that the entire team had checked in at Thursday's 10:30 p.m. curfew. He said he won't punish specific players until details are collected and revealed.

"We've started disciplining our team because this was a team violation," Miles said. "This was not just a guy. This was the team. "

As many as 50 LSU players went out to celebrate the end of two-a-days Thursday night, The Times Picayune reported, citing a source close to the team.

The fourth-ranked Tigers start the season playing No. 3 Oregon on Sept. 3 at Cowboys Stadium.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report