Minnesota football players to miss game vs. Rutgers due to restraining order
University of Minnesota football players Tamarion Johnson and Carlton Djam both will miss Saturday's contest against Rutgers.
The athletes each were issued restraining orders in connection with sexual assault allegations coming from a student who works at TCF Bank Stadium, home of the Golden Gophers.
Lee Hutton, an attorney representing Johnson and Djam, sought an emergency hearing to have the restraining order amended to allow them to play Saturday, but efforts were unsuccessful.
Instead, an evidentiary hearing will be held Tuesday, Hutton told Paste BN Sports in a text message Friday, where it will be requested that the stipulation that includes the stadium be removed. Judge Mel I. Dickstein will preside at Hennepin County District Court in Minneapolis.
"This misuse of judicial resources needs to be reviewed on record and under oath," Hutton said. "We hope that the school officials, administrators, directors and board of regents stand beside these scholarship players as the order interferes with their contractual relationship.
"We should not hide behind generic statements that this is a 'confidential' matter when more is happening behind the scenes. The institution academically teaches how to manage corporate problems but hides from them during the fire drill."
The alleged incident occurred Sept. 2, and both Johnson and Djam were suspended days later, according to the Pioneer-Press. The players were reinstated after the Hennepin County attorney's office declined to press charges on Oct. 4. Hutton said the accusations were found to be untrue.
“It would not be appropriate for the university to comment on this matter to the extent it relates to university students,” University of Minnesota spokesperson Evan Lapinska said in a statement to the Pioneer-Press. “The university reaffirms, however, that it will honor and comply with court orders.”
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