Judge dismisses charges against Temple football players

A MUNICIPAL COURT judge yesterday dismissed all assault charges against one Temple University football player and most charges against another after an alleged victim testified about an off-campus fight at a North Philly nightclub earlier this year.

Judge Joyce Eubanks ruled that there was insufficient evidence to hold Haason Reddick, 20, of Camden, for trial on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and conspiracy.

She dismissed three of those charges against Dion Dawkins, 21, of Rahway, N.J., but held his case for trial on simple assault.

"I'm just happy," Reddick said after the preliminary hearing as he thanked his supporters, his attorney and God.

Reddick, a defensive end, and Dawkins, an offensive lineman, were arrested in March and had posted bail. The two, both juniors, had been suspended from the football team, but yesterday their suspensions were lifted.

Temple senior Benjamin Wood, 21, testified that he was at a party at Club 1800, at 5th and Berks streets, about 1:30 a.m. Jan. 18 when he saw his friend Delonte Stancil, a Temple junior, being stomped on by Reddick.

Wood said he tried without success to pull Stancil away, then "jumped on Delonte to try to protect him." He said he then got stomped, but didn't know who was kicking him. When he "felt the coast was clear," Wood said, he pulled Stancil away, but that's when someone kicked Wood in his face, just below his right eye.

Wood said he then "observed Dion Dawkins charge at me," and the two then began to fight. Wood said he stopped fighting when his then-girlfriend, Yasmeen Wicks, a Temple freshman, pulled him away and got him out of the club.

Wood said he went to a hospital and was treated for a fractured right orbital bone.

Under cross-examination by Dawkins' attorney, James Funt, Wood said he didn't suffer any injuries while being stomped on his back. And he said he didn't know who kicked him under his eye.

In his argument, Reddick's attorney, Max Kramer, said there was "no evidence my client caused any injury to Mr. Wood." He noted that only Wood, not Stancil, is a complainant in the case.

Assistant District Attorney Jason Grenell argued that from Wood's testimony, it would be logical that Reddick - who Wood said was stomping Stancil - was then the one who stomped on Wood and who then kicked Wood in the face when Wood got up.

He said Dawkins charged Wood after Wood got up.

"This is a beatdown," Grenell told the judge.

"I don't know what it is," Eubanks replied.

The judge dismissed all charges against Reddick, but said Dawkins would face trial in Municipal Court on simple assault.

Wood's mother and stepfather, who did not want to give their names, told the Daily News that the ruling was unfair.

"I think it's unfortunate that at this point, it doesn't seem justice has been served," the stepfather said. The mother said Wood will not be able to graduate this year because of his injury.

Grenell said he is seeking to refile all the dismissed charges against both defendants.