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Doubting Thomas Syracuse suspect avoids trial on assault charge
Posted: Tuesday May 23, 2000 11:50 AM
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- A third suspect has admitted guilt in a Halloween brawl outside a bar that involved 75 people and left three Syracuse University football players and another person with stab wounds. Rather than stand trial, Cheiron Thomas, 22, of Syracuse, pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Thomas admitted he was armed with a knife and intended to use it against football player Duke Pettijohn outside Sadie's Place on Oct. 31. Thomas had been charged with assault. Police accused him of stabbing Pettijohn in the neck and arm. However, on Monday, Assistant District Attorney James Cecile said it appeared someone other than Thomas stabbed Pettijohn during the disturbance. Witnesses saw Thomas chase Pettijohn with a knife but no one saw him stab the football player, Cecile said. Pettijohn was not able to identify the person who stabbed him, the prosecutor said. "This was a pretty big fight, a pretty big melee," he said. Police said the fight started when a group of Syracuse football players bumped into alleged street gang members as they were leaving the bar. Also injured in the brawl were football players David Byrd and Giovanni DeLoatch. Another man, Myles Thomas, of Boston, a student at Syracuse who was with the players, was stabbed in the stomach. Byrd, a 21-year-old defensive back from Schenectady, N.Y., underwent several hours of surgery after being stabbed five times in the neck and back. Pettijohn, 22, of Boston, and DeLoatch, 20, of Teaneck, N.J., were treated for cuts. After pleading guilty, Thomas was sentenced to time served, which was about two months, and a one-year conditional discharge. Two other assailants were convicted of attacking the players. Trequaill Stackhouse, 22, was sentenced to seven years in prison for pleading guilty to first-degree assault. Stackhouse admitted stabbing Myles Thomas. Corey Edwards, 21, was convicted of stabbing Byrd and is awaiting sentencing.
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