BY MARTY O'BRIEN, Daily Press
The Pirates have signed five I-A transfers since spring
Hampton University added yet another FBS (I-A) transfer to the roster this week. The latest is Derrick McPhearson, a wide receiver who spent two seasons at Illinois.
McPhearson, 6-feet, 195 pounds, started several games in two seasons (2005-06) for the Illini. He caught 24 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown. He returned eight kicks for an average of 18.4 yards.
Pirates coach Joe Taylor said that McPhearson will begin practicing on Wednesday. McPhearson has two years of eligibility remaining.
"He runs a consistent 4.4 (second) 40, catches with his hands and is a real good route-runner," Taylor said. "He'll be a real contributor, but how quickly he contributes depends on where he is at physically and how quickly he picks up our system."
McPhearson is the fifth FBS player to transfer to Hampton since the spring. The others are cornerback Jackie Bates (Oregon), defensive tackle Kevin Burke (from West Virginia), safety Ben Greene (Tennessee) and cornerback Sam Pope (South Carolina). First team quarterback T.J. Mitchell (West Virginia) and starting tailback Kevin Beverly (Kent State) are also FBS transfers.
The Pirates open their season on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Howard in Washington, D.C.
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And now the rest of the story regarding this HU transfer...
On August 19, 2007, the Washington Post published the following story regarding former local star Derrick McPhearson from Hyattsville, Maryland, who is facing felony residential burglary and theft charges stemming from a March 11 arrest.
The Chicago Tribune reported on August 21, that McPhearson trial has been delayed until Oct.22, 2007, at the Champaign County Circuit Court, after a defense motion.
His attorney complained that a newspaper ("Washington Post")mentioned key evidence he'd never seen. A story in the Washington Post said the evidence against 21-year-old Derrick McPhearson is a videotape showing him and fellow player and defendant Jody Ellis carrying computers out of a fraternity house.
Head Coach Ron Zook, kicked both McPhearson and fellow receiver Jody Ellis off the Illinois team after their arrest with the stolen goods in Ellis car.
McPhearson's Trial Set to Begin
The Pirates have signed five I-A transfers since spring
Hampton University added yet another FBS (I-A) transfer to the roster this week. The latest is Derrick McPhearson, a wide receiver who spent two seasons at Illinois.
McPhearson, 6-feet, 195 pounds, started several games in two seasons (2005-06) for the Illini. He caught 24 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown. He returned eight kicks for an average of 18.4 yards.
Pirates coach Joe Taylor said that McPhearson will begin practicing on Wednesday. McPhearson has two years of eligibility remaining.
"He runs a consistent 4.4 (second) 40, catches with his hands and is a real good route-runner," Taylor said. "He'll be a real contributor, but how quickly he contributes depends on where he is at physically and how quickly he picks up our system."
McPhearson is the fifth FBS player to transfer to Hampton since the spring. The others are cornerback Jackie Bates (Oregon), defensive tackle Kevin Burke (from West Virginia), safety Ben Greene (Tennessee) and cornerback Sam Pope (South Carolina). First team quarterback T.J. Mitchell (West Virginia) and starting tailback Kevin Beverly (Kent State) are also FBS transfers.
The Pirates open their season on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Howard in Washington, D.C.
-------------------------
And now the rest of the story regarding this HU transfer...
On August 19, 2007, the Washington Post published the following story regarding former local star Derrick McPhearson from Hyattsville, Maryland, who is facing felony residential burglary and theft charges stemming from a March 11 arrest.
The Chicago Tribune reported on August 21, that McPhearson trial has been delayed until Oct.22, 2007, at the Champaign County Circuit Court, after a defense motion.
His attorney complained that a newspaper ("Washington Post")mentioned key evidence he'd never seen. A story in the Washington Post said the evidence against 21-year-old Derrick McPhearson is a videotape showing him and fellow player and defendant Jody Ellis carrying computers out of a fraternity house.
Head Coach Ron Zook, kicked both McPhearson and fellow receiver Jody Ellis off the Illinois team after their arrest with the stolen goods in Ellis car.
McPhearson's Trial Set to Begin
DeMatha All-Met Faces Burglary and Theft Charges in Illinois
By Josh Barr, Washington Post Staff Writer
August 19, 2007
Former All-Met football player Derrick McPhearson, a two-sport star at DeMatha who played football the past two seasons at the University of Illinois, will stand trial tomorrow in Champaign County (Ill.) Circuit Court after being charged with burglary and theft.
McPhearson, who turned down a plea bargain that would have allowed him to avoid prison time, is charged with three counts of felony burglary and two counts of theft under $300. If found guilty of burglary, McPhearson would face a minimum sentence of four years in prison. The theft charge is punishable by two to five years in prison.
McPhearson and former teammate Jody Ellis were arrested March 2. According to a Champaign police spokesman, McPhearson and Ellis were pulled over after Ellis drove away from a minor accident in his 1995 Honda Accord.
"Further investigation led to alleged stolen items being located in the vehicle," police investigations Sgt. Jim Rien said. "Further investigation led to actual victims of burglaries and charges were filed."
Champaign Chief of Police R.T. Finney told reporters that computers, electronic equipment, stolen wallets and identification cards were recovered from the vehicle. In all, 40 stolen items were found, Rien said.
"Both [McPhearson and Ellis] are responsible," Rien said. "We have video evidence that supports both are responsible and both are involved."
Illinois Coach Ron Zook immediately dismissed McPhearson and Ellis from the team following their arrest. An Illinois athletic department spokesman said the coach and his staff would not comment further until the case was resolved.
Court motions for McPhearson are set to be heard tomorrow before Judge Thomas Difanis, with jury selection in the afternoon followed by the start of what is expected to be a five-day trial.
The key evidence in the case is expected to be a videotape showing both players entering an unlocked door of a fraternity house and leaving with computer equipment, according to a source with detailed knowledge of the case who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.
The key witness against McPhearson is expected to be Ellis, who has been issued a subpoena to testify in the case. Prosecutors offered both players the chance to plead guilty to burglary and go to impact incarceration -- better known as boot camp -- in lieu of a prison sentence, but McPhearson rejected the deal, according to Ellis's attorney, Ed Piraino. With McPhearson set for trial, prosecutors withdrew the offer to Ellis, though Piraino hopes it will be extended again once McPhearson's case is resolved.
"That's not promised, but that's what I hope for, that they'll put an offer back on the table after" McPhearson's trial, Piraino said. The players are being tried separately.
Ellis "has been subpoenaed to testify and they want him to testify truthfully before they extend an offer. Otherwise he could get up there and lie.
"I asked Jody why [the alleged crimes occurred] and he just said because it was there," Piraino said. "Who knows why people do things to ruin their lives?"
Piraino said the terms of the plea agreement offered by prosecutors were rejected by McPhearson's father, Gerrick. Repeated attempts to reach Derrick McPhearson, his father and his lawyer, Robert Kirchner, were unsuccessful.
"His father would not have anything to do with [a plea] because he did not want his son to have a felony on his record," Piraino said, relating his discussions with McPhearson's first attorney, Mark Lipton, who recommended taking the deal, Piraino said. Lipton declined to comment. "So they fired Lipton and hired a new attorney. If you pay them, there is always someone out there who will tell you what you want to hear. Some people told my client he should [get a new attorney]. I told Jody the same thing and he listened to me.
"It's a horribly risky play. Bear in mind, what is he gambling? He is gambling probably the difference between boot camp and years in the department of corrections. If you [go to] boot camp, you're going to get four months. If you get four years [in prison], you probably have to serve 1 1/2 to two years. He is risking the difference. Boot camp is a dorm-style setup with kids your own age in barracks. The risk is huge."
By Josh Barr, Washington Post Staff Writer
August 19, 2007
Former All-Met football player Derrick McPhearson, a two-sport star at DeMatha who played football the past two seasons at the University of Illinois, will stand trial tomorrow in Champaign County (Ill.) Circuit Court after being charged with burglary and theft.McPhearson, who turned down a plea bargain that would have allowed him to avoid prison time, is charged with three counts of felony burglary and two counts of theft under $300. If found guilty of burglary, McPhearson would face a minimum sentence of four years in prison. The theft charge is punishable by two to five years in prison.
McPhearson and former teammate Jody Ellis were arrested March 2. According to a Champaign police spokesman, McPhearson and Ellis were pulled over after Ellis drove away from a minor accident in his 1995 Honda Accord.
"Further investigation led to alleged stolen items being located in the vehicle," police investigations Sgt. Jim Rien said. "Further investigation led to actual victims of burglaries and charges were filed."
Champaign Chief of Police R.T. Finney told reporters that computers, electronic equipment, stolen wallets and identification cards were recovered from the vehicle. In all, 40 stolen items were found, Rien said.
"Both [McPhearson and Ellis] are responsible," Rien said. "We have video evidence that supports both are responsible and both are involved."
Illinois Coach Ron Zook immediately dismissed McPhearson and Ellis from the team following their arrest. An Illinois athletic department spokesman said the coach and his staff would not comment further until the case was resolved.
Court motions for McPhearson are set to be heard tomorrow before Judge Thomas Difanis, with jury selection in the afternoon followed by the start of what is expected to be a five-day trial.
The key evidence in the case is expected to be a videotape showing both players entering an unlocked door of a fraternity house and leaving with computer equipment, according to a source with detailed knowledge of the case who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.
The key witness against McPhearson is expected to be Ellis, who has been issued a subpoena to testify in the case. Prosecutors offered both players the chance to plead guilty to burglary and go to impact incarceration -- better known as boot camp -- in lieu of a prison sentence, but McPhearson rejected the deal, according to Ellis's attorney, Ed Piraino. With McPhearson set for trial, prosecutors withdrew the offer to Ellis, though Piraino hopes it will be extended again once McPhearson's case is resolved.
"That's not promised, but that's what I hope for, that they'll put an offer back on the table after" McPhearson's trial, Piraino said. The players are being tried separately.
Ellis "has been subpoenaed to testify and they want him to testify truthfully before they extend an offer. Otherwise he could get up there and lie.
"I asked Jody why [the alleged crimes occurred] and he just said because it was there," Piraino said. "Who knows why people do things to ruin their lives?"
Piraino said the terms of the plea agreement offered by prosecutors were rejected by McPhearson's father, Gerrick. Repeated attempts to reach Derrick McPhearson, his father and his lawyer, Robert Kirchner, were unsuccessful.
"His father would not have anything to do with [a plea] because he did not want his son to have a felony on his record," Piraino said, relating his discussions with McPhearson's first attorney, Mark Lipton, who recommended taking the deal, Piraino said. Lipton declined to comment. "So they fired Lipton and hired a new attorney. If you pay them, there is always someone out there who will tell you what you want to hear. Some people told my client he should [get a new attorney]. I told Jody the same thing and he listened to me.
"It's a horribly risky play. Bear in mind, what is he gambling? He is gambling probably the difference between boot camp and years in the department of corrections. If you [go to] boot camp, you're going to get four months. If you get four years [in prison], you probably have to serve 1 1/2 to two years. He is risking the difference. Boot camp is a dorm-style setup with kids your own age in barracks. The risk is huge."
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