2 Ex-USC Players Sentenced : Jurisprudence: McCowan and Brown accept plea-bargains in connection with robberies.

Two former USC football players and another man pleaded guilty to lesser charges Tuesday and were sentenced to 15 years in prison for a series of robberies and beatings last April.

Superior Court Judge David Perez accepted the plea-bargain offered by Danette Meyers, a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney.

The players, Howard McCowan, 19, of Carson and Marcel Brown, 20, of San Diego, were redshirt freshmen last year and expected to play pivotal roles in USC’s football program. Brown’s childhood friend, Garylan Coleman, 19, of San Diego, also was sentenced.

The plea-bargains were accepted shortly before the jury trial was to begin in Santa Monica Municipal Court. The compromise involved reducing a kidnapping charge, which carries a life sentence, to simple kidnapping, a felony with a 15-year maximum.

The defendants also were charged with assault and robbery for incidents April 23 in which Donald Christal, James Van Adler, Norm St. Landau and Lester Lawless were attacked and robbed in Westwood and Redondo Beach. In most of the attacks, the victims’ automatic teller machine cards were taken.

Brown and Coleman, who were charged with the kidnapping, are also being tried in San Diego on assault and robbery charges. McCowan had no other arrests.

If convicted by the jury, they might have received 20 years in state prison, said Michael Brush, McCowan’s lawyer.

In accepting the reduced sentence, Brown broke down in court, telling Perez, “We’re not murders or nothing. (We get) just a couple of minutes to decide on 15 years.”

Brown and Coleman, who was planning to play baseball at Southwestern College in Chula Vista before his arrest, were ready to accept the deal Monday. McCowan balked because the prosecution’s case against him was not as strong as those against the others.

But McCowan changed his mind after Perez ruled Monday that written confessions by Brown and Coleman could be used as evidence by the prosecution.

McCowan is a former standout at Carson High, walked over to his mother, Thelma, who was sitting nearby. He gave her his dark blue blazer, tie, dress shirt and dress shoes. He hugged her, his sister and a friend before returning to enter a guilty plea.

He and the others could be paroled within six or seven years, Brush said.

Thelma McCowan blamed USC officials for her son’s fate, saying that Howard had asked to move away from Brown, but was told he had to stay in the dormitory.

“I know the boys are 19 years old and are considered grown, but they’re not grown,” she said.

“They don’t need baby-sitters following them around, but they do need a little attention and advice once in a while.

“When they come and ask to move, someone should come and ask them why, what’s wrong. But they don’t do that.”

William E. Davis III, Brown’s lawyer, said USC offered no support for the players once they were arrested. Davis, the brother of Anthony Davis, a former USC star running back, said he represented athletes in the past. He said he took the case because Brown had no family support and the school was not willing to do anything.