LSU's Jefferson, and Johns released

Quarterback Jordan Jefferson and linebacker Josh Jones were released from the East Baton Rouge Parish prison earlier today after warrants for their arrests on a second-degree battery charge were issued Friday morning. Accompanied their attorney, the players were booked into the prison at around noon local time and released a short time later after posting $5,000 bonds.

Additionally, the police chief of the Baton Rouge Police Department conducted a press conference just a short time ago. And by “conducted a press conference” we mean “read from a prepared statement and took no questions from the assembled media afterwards”.

“It’s a sad day for the citizens of Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University, LSU alumni and for fans who follow LSU football,” White said in the opening of the statement. Perhaps the only pertinent information revealed that wasn’t known prior to the “press conference” is the fact that the information his BRPD detectives have on the case will be forwarded to the district attorney in “several days.”

D.A. Hillar Moore III told the Baton Rouge Advocate that he will likely send the case before a grand jury instead of his office charging the players themselves, a process that could take weeks and further extend the indefinite suspensions of the two players. A local attorney explained to the Advocate that the DA would take that tack “in a high-profile case… to remove any appearance of bias from the D.A.”

The attorney for Jefferson and Johns, Nathan Fisher, blasted the decision to charge his clients.

“They’ve ruined the kids’ careers,” Fisher said. “We’ll see what we can do to, you can’t rectify it, but to help the situation.”