Temple is sentenced for disturbing peace
Published Dec. 8, 2006
After pleading guilty to disturbing the peace, MU football running back Tony Temple was sentenced to 18 months of unsupervised probation and 20 hours of community service.
Temple, who was arrested in June on suspicion of assault, was also ordered not to contact the victim.
Prior to his sentencing, Temple's trial was delayed three times.
Temple was arrested on suspicion of assaulting Jeffery Jones, an employee of Bennigan's Grill and Tavern in Columbia. The altercation involved a disagreement with Temple's girlfriend, Kendra Power, a former MU softball player.
Following the altercation, Temple left the crime scene but surrendered himself to Columbia police when contacted, according to court documents. He was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor offense and was released after posting $500 bond.
Temple initially pled not guilty and waived a formal arraignment in June but now said he accepts responsibility for his actions.
"I'm happy it's behind me," Temple said. "I hope people can learn from it and use me as an example."
On Aug. 15, Temple's attorney requested that the case be continued at a later date, and the trial was rescheduled for Sept. 26. On Sept. 26, the trial was rescheduled again at Temple's request for Nov. 14. On Nov. 14, Temple's representation again requested that the trial be rescheduled for Dec. 5.
Meanwhile, a plea hearing was scheduled for Nov. 21. Temple appeared and withdrew his initial not guilty plea and pled guilty. The court declined Temple's plea bargain, and his plea of not guilty was reinstated. He appeared before the court Dec. 5.
In 2003, the MU Faculty Council passed a resolution on the role of college athletics in an academic environment, which states that students are expected to participate fully in the student community. Faculty Council Chairman Rex Campbell said the council had not specifically discussed Temple's altercation.
"Personally speaking as a professor, every student has a right to a fair trial," Campbell said. "The fact that he is an athlete should not make a difference one way or another. It is not an acceptable way of behaving, but I do not want to differentiate on him because he is an athlete."
The MU football coaching staff suspended Temple from summer training following his arrest, but he did not receive any additional disciplinary action during the regular season.
MU athletic department spokesman Chad Moller could not be reached for comment.
Temple, a Kansas City native, is the football team's leading rusher, with 869 yards this season. Temple said he will receive no further disciplinary action from the coaching staff as a result of his sentencing on Tuesday.
The team will next play Oregon State on Dec. 29 in the Brut Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.