USC’s Emanuel Charged on Two Battery Counts

USC tailback Aaron Emanuel, accused of striking two female USC students in separate incidents, was charged Friday with battery by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

Emanuel, 20, was charged with one count of misdemeanor battery with serious bodily injury inflicted, and one count of misdemeanor battery, Deputy Dist. Atty. Barbara Campbell said.

Emanuel is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Pasadena Municipal Court.

Campbell said the charge of misdemeanor battery with serious bodily injury inflicted carries with it a maximum penalty of one year in county jail. The count of misdemeanor battery carries a maximum penalty of six months in county jail, a $2,000 fine, or both.

The more serious charge stems from an alleged incident at a party last Sunday in an unincorporated area between Arcadia and San Marino known as Chapman Woods.

Sharon Hatfield, a member of the USC women’s track team, alleges that Emanuel punched her in the face and knocked her unconscious, Campbell said.

Hatfield, 23, told investigators that the incident was prompted when Emanuel pinched her on the buttocks. She said she asked him to stop pinching her, but he persisted. She said she then threw beer in his face, Campbell said.

Hatfield said that Emanuel then punched her in the face, knocking her unconscious for a few moments, Campbell said.

Campbell said that Hatfield’s left eye was blackened and her left cheek swollen, and that her face was bruised.

The other alleged incident occurred last Dec. 18 at the 502 Club on West Jefferson Boulevard.

Tammy Baird, 23, told authorities that Emanuel tried to get her attention, but that she ignored him, Campbell said. Baird said that Emanuel then slapped her in the face, Campbell said.

Baird went outside but returned a short time later to a different part of the bar and was drinking from a beer bottle when Emanuel came up to her and hit the bottle, forcing it into her mouth, Campbell said.

Baird was not seriously injured, Campbell said.

In his statement to the police, Emanuel said he had not slapped Baird. He said she threw beer in his face, and that he pushed her away, Lt. Dan Cooke of the Los Angeles Police Dept. said Thursday.

The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office rejected the case on Jan. 23 because Baird did not want to prosecute, but Campbell said that Baird is now willing to testify.

Campbell said her office has witnesses in both incidents.

Emanuel, a sophomore from Palmdale, has hired attorney Lawrence Elkins of Los Angeles. Elkins said Friday that neither he nor Emanuel would comment before Monday’s arraignment.

Hatfield’s allegations have prompted an investigation by the USC Office of Student Affairs and led to Emanuel’s indefinite suspension from the football team.

Coach Larry Smith said in a statement released Tuesday that Emanuel would miss part of the 1987 season “and could miss all of the season depending on the outcome of an investigation.”