Lawyer: Michigan Player Threw First Punch in Tunnel Brawl

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A lawyer for a suspended Michigan State football player alleges that it was a Michigan player that started the postgame brawl that ensued in the tunnel following the Oct. 29 game. 

David Diamond, a California-based attorney, told MLive Tuesday that the Michigan player put his helmet on and his head down as if he was going to "charge" Michigan State players in the tunnel after the Wolverine won 29-7. 

ā€œItā€™s our claim that he tried to throw the first punch,ā€ Diamond said. ā€œWhether it connected or not, weā€™re not there yet.ā€

Diamond didn't identify the player he is representing nor the player he believes threw the first punch. 

The University of Michigan hopes to have an investigation into the matter completed by the end of the week. 

ā€œRight now, Iā€™m not going to name the (Michigan) player but we will in due time,ā€ Diamond said. ā€œWeā€™ll release our independent investigative report.ā€

Ultimately eight Michigan State players were suspended indefinitely for their part in the incident. Diamond said his firm's investigation is based on video evidence of the incident and reports from people who witnessed what happened in the tunnel. 

ā€œRight now weā€™re trying to ascertain if thereā€™s any video evidence before the altercation started,ā€ he said, ā€œwhich is often difficult because, as you know, people usually donā€™t turn their cameras on until somethingā€™s already started.ā€

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh believes criminal charges should be filed against Michigan State players, but Diamond believe the public perception is slanted to favor the Wolverines players. 

ā€œEveryoneā€™s been hearing from one side,ā€ Diamond said, ā€œand our goal is to help law enforcement, prosecutors and the public understand that this clearly has two sides to the story.ā€

Diamond doesn't believe criminal charges should be filed. 

ā€œThis is a football game and whether it happens on the field or in the tunnel, that should be the end of it,ā€ Diamond said. ā€œWeā€™ve seen much worse on a lot of other football games with both teams participating, benches clearing, fists thrown and thereā€™s never been criminal filings. For something of this nature, which is much more minor in comparison to what anybody can Google when they search out a football fight, certainly if there was no charges in those incidents, there should be no criminal charges in this case.ā€

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