The Los Angeles city attorney has filed misdemeanor charges
against UCLA linebacker Xavier Burgess, city attorney spokesman
Frank Mateljan said Thursday afternoon.
Burgess, who was arrested Monday night after allegedly
threatening a UCLA parking enforcement officer outside Sproul Hall,
faces two counts of criminal threats, one count of battery, and two
counts of disturbing the peace. If convicted, the 19-year-old
freshman could serve a maximum of three years in prison.
“We fully intend to proceed with the charges,”
Mateljan said. “We believe they represent a full account of
what took place.”
Mateljan said the charges stem from two separate incidents
““ not one, as previous reports indicated.
On Oct. 23 Burgess allegedly engaged in an argument with a male
parking enforcement officer, who apparently informed him that his
1988 Acura Integra was parked illegally in the Sproul turnaround.
Burgess allegedly confronted the same officer again four days
later. Mateljan said the second altercation involved “some
physical contact.”
Burgess was taken into custody and spent Monday and Tuesday
nights in a West Hollywood jail before being released late
Wednesday afternoon.
His arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 17 at the LAX municipal
courthouse.
UCLA coach Karl Dorrell said he will not determine any penalties
for Burgess until he looks into the situation more closely.
“There were charges filed but it’s nothing I’m
willing to comment on until I go through our facts and do our own
investigation,” Dorrell said. “We’ll determine
any disciplinary action at a later time.”
Sophomores John Sciarra and Marcus Cassel each received one-game
suspensions after separate arrests earlier this season.
A highly touted recruit out of Sacramento’s Grant Union
High School, Burgess redshirted last season, and has not seen much
playing time in 2003. He has played mainly on special teams this
season, and has yet to register a tackle.
Dorrell said Wednesday that Burgess, who has been slowed by a
hip injury, will not travel to Palo Alto for Saturday’s game
against Stanford.
Attempts to reach Burgess by phone were unsuccessful.