ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 20, 1997 TAG: 9702200059
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
Mattera suffered a broken nose and a battered face at the hands of teammates, according to testimony, which was backed up by two pictures of Mattera taken at Franklin Memorial Hospital shortly after the incident.
General District Judge George Jones found David Cooper of of Hollywood, Fla., and Al Anderson of Frostproof, Fla., guilty. Jones sentenced each of the men to jail time and fined them $100.
The judge dismissed charges against Maurice Clark, a freshman running back from Madison Heights, and Mike Bryant, a freshman running back from Belle Glade, Fla.
The lawyers for Cooper and Anderson said that the men were dismissed from school after an on-campus investigation of the incident and have returned to Florida. Cooper was a freshman fullback last year, and Anderson was a freshman quarterback.
Mattera testified that he and Clark exchanged words while guarding one another during the basketball game. Mattera's team won the game, and three football players who were later charged - Clark, Anderson and Bryant - were on the losing team.
Bryant said he and Anderson rode back to their dorm rooms with Clark after the basketball game.
Bryant said that Clark was agitated about something Mattera had said, and said he would go back and confront Mattera if Cooper was with him.
Later, Clark and several of his teammates, including Cooper, returned to the gym and walked onto the court, interrupting a game involving Mattera's team.
As Clark and Mattera stood face to face arguing, Cooper hit Mattera in the head, witnesses said.
A melee then broke out, and Mattera was pushed up against a wall in the gym. Witnesses also said Anderson hit Mattera.
Mattera said he punched Clark in an attempt to defend himself. Clark filed a countercharge against Mattera, which was dismissed Wednesday.
Clark didn't become physically involved in the fight until Mattera fought back, witnesses said.
Anderson and Cooper contended they were only bystanders.
Ferrum College officials haven't commented on the eligibility status of Mattera, Clark and Bryant. But two of their teammates at the court hearing Wednesday said Ferrum coach Dave Davis hasn't made a decision yet.
The players said the incident hasn't affected the team's camaraderie.
"This didn't have anything to do with the football team," Prosecutor Cliff Hapgood said. "This is about what happened on that basketball court."
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