EPD Charge Man for Reportedly Assaulting Gannon Student

Erie Police and Gannon Police have investigated since April 9th; BRUTAL & VISCOUS beating of a Gannon wrestler ! Jermaine Easter doesn't remember it all but is certain he didn't deserve to have his jaw broken in two places. Easter said he was beaten up by Gannon football players at a party. An Erie native, Easter is a Cathedral Prep graduate."I don't think we need people like that in Erie," Easter said while wearing a neck pad. "They're here to play football." "Supposed to bring something positive through football. It's just ridiculous." A redshirt freshman wrestler at Gannon, Easter has been released from UPMC Hamot. He said his jaw was broken in two places, six teeth were knocked loose and he suffered neck injuries." Jermaine told me he told them, "Come on guys,' '' said Easter's mother, Tracey Easter. " 'I know you guys. We've got class together. I'll see you Monday.' Pretty much pleading with them to stop."Jermaine Easter, 20, said he had plastic surgery on his lip, which he described as hanging off his face and split after the attack. He has stitches inside his mouth and believes he suffered a concussion. Easter said he found out his neck wasn't fractured just badly sprained."I don't even know what to say," Easter said. "I was left in the middle of the street to die." Gannon sports information director Dan Teliski said the Erie Bureau of Police and the university Police Department are investigating the incident. "They are just trying to figure out what happened, who was involved," he said. Teliski said players were initially suspended but declined to name them, citing Gannon's student privacy rules. However, Teliski said there are conflicting reports about who was at the party." At this point, the people that were initially suspended, now there are conflicting reports that they weren't even at the place," Teliski said. Teliski said if football players are found to be involved, they could end up being suspended or otherwise penalized." Because of the conflicting stories, we're just waiting for the investigation to play out," he said. Easter's mother said she has talked to Gannon coaches as well as campus security about the matter." I've been on the rampage," she said. "They're moving quick. I get the impression they care. I think they're handling it." Easter's mother said she believes her son was the victim of "CURB STOMPING !" which according to urbandictionary.com is "to place someone's mouth on a cement curb, and then stomp on their head from behind to break out their teeth." "They are supposed to be there to get educated," she said. "I know kids are going to fight, but this wasn't a fight. It was an attack. It was not a fight. He's never been in a fight." Jermaine Easter said he doesn't know the names of the people who beat him up, but is certain they were Gannon football players. Easter said five to six individuals were involved." If they don't do anything to those kids, I know I'm not going to be at Gannon anymore," said Easter, a redshirt freshman who is majoring in political science. Easter said the fight started when he saw his 17-year-old brother getting grabbed at the house party. "I don't know what led up to him being grabbed," Easter said. "I just saw him being grabbed. I said, 'Look, he's my little brother. You guys want him to leave, that's cool. I'll take him out of here.' " Easter said he was told he could leave, too, and was shoved out the door." Right as I got out the door, he looked at me and 'Bam,' " said Easter, demonstrating the punch he took to the face. Instead of fighting back, Easter said, he tried to explain he was getting his younger brother out of the party." It just got worse from there," he said. Easter said he remembers being pushed to the ground and his body going numb." I was thinking at that point I better get back up before I get stomped and killed," Easter said. "I hurried and got back up and I started to run out the driveway, run toward my friend's house." The last thing Easter remembers is hearing someone say "is this him?" while chasing him." Then I woke up at Hamot," Easter said. Easter's mother said her son was hit in the back of head, where he has a knot." By this time, he was in the middle of the street on Sixth Street and Chestnut Street and they left him unconscious there," she said. "A female pulled him out of the street." Cars were swerving to avoid hitting him. The female pulled him out of the street and onto the grassy area on the sidewalk and called 911." Tracey Easter said Gannon security told her about her son being found.