The Wolverine

December 2022

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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20 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2022 BY JOHN BORTON T he ugly incidents at Michigan Stadium during and following the Michigan State-Michigan game are growing uglier. The University of Michigan Police Depart- ment's investigation, involving the video- captured beat-down of a pair of Wolver- ines by a host of Spartans, has gone to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office for review. The investigation involved working with additional law enforcement as well as Michigan State. The prosecutor's office has the discretion to bring charges against those involved in the Oct. 29 postgame attack in the Michigan Stadium tunnel. "We understand and appreciate your interest in this unfortunate and unusual incident," indicated a portion of a state- ment issued by Melissa Overton, deputy chief of police and public information of- ficer for the University of Michigan Po- lice. "Consistent to our commitment to transparency and due process, we will not share further information pending the prosecutor's office review." Author John Bacon — who has written several books on Michigan athletics — did share further information. It wasn't a pretty picture of what led up to the tun- nel incident, which put Michigan gradu- ate student starting cornerback Gemon Green into concussion protocol. On Nov. 13, Bacon tweeted out the fol- lowing: "Several witnesses have reached out, unsolicited, including two sideline workers who sent letters to the Big Ten describing what MSU players, staffers, and coaches said during the game. "Frustrated with the Big Ten's lack of a response, they sent copies to me this week. In the first, the witness writes, 'While working … on the Michigan State sideline I heard many of their coaches, players and staff yelling and encouraging [their] players to aim to tackle [Michigan running back] Blake Corum 'at the knees TUNNELGATE STILL AN ISSUE Developments Continue Following MSU Incident Following Michigan's 29-7 win over Michigan State Oct. 29, two U-M players were assaulted in the tunnel at Michigan Stadium by multiple Spartan players. MSU head coach Mel Tucker initially pleaded ignorance of the incident in the postgame press conference, then issued a statement the next day. By Sunday night Oct. 30, MSU had suspended four players, and four more were suspended on Tuesday, Nov. 1. PHOTO COURTESY PER KJELDSEN

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