Justice, Former Trojan Fletcher Are Arraigned

Two members of USC’s 2003 national championship football team, offensive lineman Winston Justice and receiver Sandy Fletcher, were arraigned Monday in the same division of Los Angeles Superior Court on misdemeanor charges stemming from separate gun-related incidents.

Justice, the starting right tackle his freshman and sophomore seasons, was not present, but his attorney entered a plea of not guilty to three misdemeanor counts of exhibition of a replica firearm.

Justice, 19, was arrested March 3 in connection with an incident that occurred near campus on Feb. 24.

Commissioner Donald S. Kennedy set a pre-trial hearing date of May 7. He ordered that Justice appear in person for the hearing so that prosecutors from the city attorney’s office can serve him with a protective order, which would bar him from contacting three alleged victims.

Justice, who was suspended from school after his latest arrest, is expected to miss the 2004 season.

Justice is on probation after pleading no contest in July 2003 to a charge of solicitation of prostitution in Long Beach. If convicted of charges from his latest arrest, Justice could face 30 to 180 days in jail.

After Monday’s arraignment hearing, Larry Clough, Justice’s attorney, questioned the decision by the city attorney’s office to file charges.

“It’s people playing with toys -- and they made a mistake,” Clough said. “And it was perhaps bad judgment. To file these kinds of charges is perhaps understandable, but it’s not appropriate, I don’t think, to do any further damage to this young man. He’s already been damaged enough.”

Fletcher, who completed his eligibility last fall, was arrested March 28 and has been charged with three counts relating to possession of a loaded firearm in his car, said Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the city attorney’s office. Mateljan said Fletcher was stopped by police at the intersection of Vermont Avenue and Imperial Highway in Los Angeles for failing to make a traffic stop. Police noticed a handgun case in Fletcher’s car and then searched the vehicle, Mateljan said.

Fletcher, 23, was arrested and later released on his own recognizance. He entered a plea of not guilty at Monday’s arraignment, and Kennedy set a pre-trial hearing date of May 10.

If convicted, Fletcher faces a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, Mateljan said.

After Monday’s hearing, Fletcher said the police searched his car illegally. He said he was the registered owner of a nine-millimeter Beretta handgun and had a membership at a shooting range.

“I do it for sport,” he said. “I’ve got earmuffs in my car. Targets.”

Fletcher said “a couple” of USC teammates had the same type of gun and target shoot with him.

USC Coach Pete Carroll said he was unaware of Fletcher’s arrest. When informed of the former player’s comments regarding other players’ use of guns, Carroll said the Trojans have a policy that forbids their possession.

“We have zero tolerance for anything having to do with firearms and have since the day we got here,” Carroll said. “We don’t want them anywhere near us.”

Later, Carroll said he had contacted Fletcher, and that Fletcher told him his comments at the courthouse were in regard to only one former USC player.

“He was not referring to anyone that is part of this team right now,” Carroll said.

Carroll said he intended to review his policy on firearms with current team members.