Police want LSU players' side of story

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Four LSU football players hired a defense attorney and put off a meeting with police about a bar fight that started when a patron honked at a crowd blocking his exit from a parking lot, Baton Rouge police said Sunday.

Quarterback Jordan Jefferson, offensive lineman Chris Davenport, defensive lineman Josh Johns and receiver Jarvis Landry had been asked to give their side of the story at police headquarters Monday, but attorney Nathan Fisher asked for a delay, Sgt. Donald Stone said.

Attorney Nathan Fisher requested "a 24 hour postponement so that he can meet with the players and get a better understanding of the incident," Stone wrote in a news release.

He said police would speak with Fisher on Monday to arrange the interviews, which had previously been set for Monday morning.

"We just got the case at 8 a.m. today," Fisher told the Times Picayune of New Orleans. "I just met with the kids this morning."

Earlier, Stone said the fight began when a driver honked his horn at a crowd blocking his way out of the bar's parking lot. The driver was one of four people injured in the fight outside Shady's Bar, according to a news release.

"They weren't asked to turn themselves in. They were asked to come in so they can be interviewed and tell their side of the story," Stone said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. The investigation will continue after that, and police may interview other players, he said.

Stone said police interviewed four people who were treated and released -- three for minor injuries and a fourth for a more serious injury that could bring a felony charge of second-degree battery. Some witnesses also have talked to police, he said.

Stone confirmed that one of the players kicked one of the victims in the head, but could not identify whom it was, the Times Picayune reported.

On Saturday, coach Les Miles apologized for the fight, saying a "relatively large group" was involved, and that the entire team had checked in at Thursday's 10:30 p.m. curfew. He said he won't punish specific players until details are collected and revealed.

"We've started disciplining our team because this was a team violation," Miles said. "This was not just a guy. This was the team. "

As many as 50 LSU players went out to celebrate the end of two-a-days Thursday night, the Times Picayune reported, citing a source close to the team.

The fourth-ranked Tigers start the season playing No. 3 Oregon on Sept. 3 at Cowboys Stadium.