Hargrove strikes police officer

[RamWraith]

profootballtalk.com

OPENING OF CAMP DOESN'T MEAN CLOSING OF JAIL

Just as the "days without an arrest" counter made a rare return to the land of two digits, we can set it back to zero.

Thank you, Anthony Hargrove.

Hargrove, a Bills defensive end, is charged with striking a police officer early Sunday morning in Rochester.

Per R News, police responded to reports of fighting on St. Paul Street, and used pepper spray to disperse a crowd of 300 to 400 people. Hargrove was inadvertently struck with the strong gas cloud, and then intentionally (allegedly) struck a police officer in the face, busting his glasses.

Which, of course, eventually resulted in Hargrove getting sprayed again.

Hargrove is charged with harassment, criminal mischief, and resisting arrest. His brother, Terrence, also has been charged with obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest.

Hargrove is a fourth-year player from Georgia Tech. He spent his first two seasons with the Rams, starting in four games as a rookie and 15 in his second year. He started the first four games of the 2006 season with the Rams before going AWOL. In October, he was traded to the Bills for a fifth-round pick in the 2007 draft.

He currently is listed as the second string right defensive end, behind Aaron Schobel.

In the offseason, the Bills offered to Hargrove the low-level restricted free agent tender of $850,000. Since the payment is not guaranteed, the arrest could be enough to get Hargrove released.

[Nick]

Here's the local report...

Bills Defensive End Arrested
by R News Staff
file photo
Published Aug 05, 2007

A Buffalo Bills player is in jail, accused of striking a Rochester police officer during a confrontation on St. Paul St. early Sunday morning.

Police arrested Buffalo Bills defensive end Anthony Hargrove, who was acquired in a trade last season with the St. Louis Rams.

He's charged with harassment, criminal mischief and resisting arrest.

Rochester Police initially responded to reports of fighting on St. Paul St. just after 2 a.m. Sunday.

They arrived on scene to find 300 to 400 people on the sidewalk.

That's when police say they used pepper spray to disperse the crowd and Hargrove was unintentionally sprayed.

Officers say Hargrove then struck a police sergeant in the face, breaking his glasses.

When police tried to subdue the player, they say his brother Terrence jumped in.

Police say when Anthony Hargrove resisted arrest, he was pepper sprayed again.

Both were taken into custody.

Anthony Hargrove posted $1,100 cash bail around 1 p.m. Sunday.

Terrence Hargrove is charged with obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest.

Buffalo Bills players reported to training camp in the Rochester area on July 25.

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

What ever happened to the days of respecting police and other authority figures? Hargrove is done in the NFL...so glad we got a 5th for him while we could.

[UtterBlitz]

What were 300 to 400 people doing hanging out in the streets at 2am?

[Varg6]

good call Linehan

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

What were 300 to 400 people doing hanging out in the streets at 2am?

All the bars just closed...it's like a circus when all the drunkards are kicked out onto the streets...some people like to quietly go home or to the after party, some like to linger around and cause trouble...

[bigtiger737]

What ever happened to the days of respecting police and other authority figures? Hargrove is done in the NFL...so glad we got a 5th for him while we could.

There started being abuse of authority, racial issues, brutality and excessive force ( i.e. spraying a group of 3 or 400 hundred for a fight that was probably 2-5 people) I am very curious to learn what building they were outside of, and why there were 3 or 400 people. Maybe a club but I have been to the biggest club in the U.S. during spring break in panama city and that's the only time and only club I have ever seen that many people leaving the club. even in New York I can't imagine the situation escalating past security and domestic police to require Pepper gernades. And if it was a small fight and they sprayed everyone I can understand why Hargrove was upset.

[Drew]

if only we could have used pepper spray on him before each snap....

[bigtiger737]

if only we could have used pepper spray on him before each snap....

ha ha best thing i've read today

[HUbison]

There started being abuse of authority, racial issues, brutality and excessive force ( i.e. spraying a group of 3 or 400 hundred for a fight that was probably 2-5 people) I am very curious to learn what building they were outside of, and why there were 3 or 400 people. Maybe a club but I have been to the biggest club in the U.S. during spring break in panama city and that's the only time and only club I have ever seen that many people leaving the club. even in New York I can't imagine the situation escalating past security and domestic police to require Pepper gernades. And if it was a small fight and they sprayed everyone I can understand why Hargrove was upset.

As someone who uses pepper spray (and has been sprayed twice), rest assured, the police didn't "spray a group of 3 or 400". Pepper spray is a less-than-lethal single encounter intermediate weapon. That is to say, one officer sprays one bad guy........not a large group.

My guess, someone (either Hargrove or a buddy next to him) did something that required the officer to escalate from verbal command to the spray. Hargrove got a whiff of it, and did something stupid. And football player or not, you hit a cop, you go to jail.

Abuse of authority? racial issue? brutality? excessive force? I highly doubt it.

[39thebeast]

one word lol

[jkramsfan]

good call Linehan

I agree with that, thumbs up on that move Linehan.

[r8rh8rmike]

I agree with that, thumbs up on that move Linehan.

And a thumbs up to Hargrove for going MIA and facilitating the subsequent trade! Nice move Anthony.

[RamWraith]

Bills DE Hargrove pleads not guilty after confrontation, arrest
Monday, August 06, 2007



PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) Buffalo Bills backup defensive end Anthony Hargrove pleaded not guilty Monday to several misdemeanor charges stemming from a weekend confrontation with police outside a nightclub.

Hargrove was scheduled to appear in Rochester city court again on Thursday morning. It's not clear whether the hearing will prevent Hargrove from traveling with the Bills that day for their preseason opener at New Orleans on Friday.

Hargrove was charged with harassment, resisting arrest and criminal mischief after an altercation outside a Rochester nightclub early Sunday morning. According to police, Hargrove was arguing with a bouncer when police arrived. He is accused of shoving an officer in the face and breaking his glasses.

Coach Dick Jauron said he was disappointed with Hargrove's arrest, but added the team has not determined whether it will take disciplinary action against the fourth-year NFL player.

"At this time we are gathering all the available information so that we can make the most appropriate decision," Jauron said, after the team held a morning walkthrough at training camp in suburban Rochester. "Anthony is not guilty of anything at this point."

Hargrove missed the walkthrough because of his court appearance, but was expected to rejoin the Bills for their practice Monday night.

Jauron said he spoke to Hargrove and described the player as being "very disappointed." Jauron added the team has notified the NFL of the player's arrest, and noted that Hargrove could face league punishment for violating its code of conduct policy.

Police said Hargrove's brother, Terrence Hargrove, joined in the confrontation and was charged with obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest. Terrence Hargrove also pleaded not guilty Monday.

The player was released on $1,100 bail Sunday afternoon. The Bills were off Sunday, their first break since opening camp on July 26.

Hargrove is entering his second season with Buffalo after the Bills acquired him in a trade with St. Louis in October. He appeared in 10 games with Buffalo last season and was expected to continue his role this year as one of the team's two primary backups.

A restricted free agent this offseason, Hargrove was re-signed by the Bills to a one-year, $850,000 contract.

Before he was traded to the Bills, Hargrove lost his starting job with the Rams after skipping two days of practice and meetings. The third-round selection out of Georgia Tech in 2004 failed to show at Rams Park on consecutive days in September 2006 and was fined an undisclosed amount. He apologized for his absence but did not say why he took time off without notifying the team.

[bigtiger737]

As someone who uses pepper spray (and has been sprayed twice), rest assured, the police didn't "spray a group of 3 or 400". Pepper spray is a less-than-lethal single encounter intermediate weapon. That is to say, one officer sprays one bad guy........not a large group.

My guess, someone (either Hargrove or a buddy next to him) did something that required the officer to escalate from verbal command to the spray. Hargrove got a whiff of it, and did something stupid. And football player or not, you hit a cop, you go to jail.

Abuse of authority? racial issue? brutality? excessive force? I highly doubt it.

yes pepper spray is a hand to hand weapon, When they speak of using it to break up a group of 3 or 400 people it means they were using the grenades. Which I have seen in action, one of my room mates in the lafayette riot in Kalamazoo 2001, hit em in the chest and knocked him about 3 feet back plus he got sprayed really bad. as for the abuse of authority etc I don't necessarily mean in this incident I was just saying these issues are why a lot of people are not showering the police with love these days.