Former MSU football player tells cops Draymond Green hit him

EAST LANSING - The man whom NBA star Draymond Green is accused of assaulting early Sunday was Michigan State University football player Jermaine Edmondson, according to a report from the East Lansing Police Department.

Edmondson, a fifth-year senior who played defensive back for the Spartans, has asked for and received a release to play for a different school in his last season, the athletic program announced  Wednesday night.

"In discussions with Jermaine Edmondson following spring practice and in the weeks thereafter, it became clear that Jermaine wanted to play a larger role on the team," said MSU head football coach Mark Dantonio. "After consulting with him in the summer, he felt it was in his best interest to finish his playing career elsewhere. We have granted his immediate release to transfer to another institution to have that opportunity.”

The case report, released in response to a public records request, indicates officers heard "a loud slap sound" as they stood near Conrad's Grill about 2:28 a.m. Sunday.

"I could immediately see the crowd disperse into two sides as Green went one way and Edmonson (sic) went the other way," an officer wrote in the report.

Attempts to reach Edmondson Wednesday were not successful.

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The report indicates Green, a former MSU All-American and current member of the U.S. Men's Olympic Team, made some "excited utterances" after he was placed into handcuffs by officers, and indicated that he was "sorry for slapping (Edmondson) and wanted to speak with him to make things right."

The report also indicates that Edmondson told police Green punched him, but he was not injured.

Later on Sunday, he sent police a statement indicating he was still in pain and describing the incident.

"As far as today, I'm not feeling the best," he wrote. "My neck and my jaw still (hurt) along with the headache that I've had since I was hit. I would like to take further action on this situation and I am willing to fully cooperate."

He also wrote that he and Green had been in an altercation Friday night with a group that included Green at Rick's American Cafe, an East Lansing nightclub.

In that incident, Edmondson wrote, two men with Green choked him. Another man with Green also choked Edmondson's girlfriend, he wrote. He wasn't able to identify who had choked him or his girlfriend. The police report indicates the girlfriend also could not identify the men.

On Saturday night, Edmondson wrote, he went out again and after the bar closed went to Conrad's Grill. Green was also there, and the men exchanged words outside, where the incident occurred early Sunday morning.

Green was charged on Monday with misdemeanor assault or assault and battery. He waived arraignment in 54B District Court and pre-trial conference is set for Aug. 4.

Green was in Aspen. Colo., for a conference on Tuesday and made his first public comment on the incident, saying:

“When things happen, you meet them head on,” Green said. “My legal team is handling it. It will be resolved really quickly, As a public figure I can't put myself in certain situations. It's something that I'll learn from and move on.”

Green's schedule for the Olympic basketball team includes training sessions and exhibition games from July 18 through Aug. 1. The Olympics begin in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Aug. 5, with basketball competition set for Aug. 6-21.

Last year, Green signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the Golden State Warriors. Last September, Green, who played basketball at MSU from 2008 through 2012, donated $3.1 million to MSU athletics in support of the men's basketball program.

Edmondson, from Canton, Ohio, played 38 games for the Spartans according to the Spartan Athletics website. He was listed on the spring roster, although the participation report from the Green and White game held on April 23 shows he did not play in that game.

Contact Christopher Haxel at 517-377-1261 or chaxel@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisHaxel.