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Notre Dame gridder charged

Irish cornerback facing felony counts

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — A Notre Dame cornerback accused of tackling a police officer and punching him in the side and stomach during an altercation outside a bar was charged Tuesday with felony counts of resisting law enforcement and battery against a public safety official.

Devin Butler was arrested Saturday and released on a $1,000 bond, but St. Joseph County Prosecutor Kenneth P. Cotter requested more time to investigate the case and determine what charges were appropriate.

Butler is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday. He couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday because he has an unlisted phone number. Court records don’t indicate he has hired an attorney.

Butler’s arrest came hours after five other teammates were arrested in Fulton County, about 40 miles south of South Bend. Indiana State Police said a trooper stopped a car for speeding and detected the odor of marijuana and with the help of a drug-sniffing dog, he found the marijuana and a handgun in the car.

Starting safety Max Redfield, running back Dexter Williams, linebacker Te’Von Coney, receiver Kevin Stepherson and cornerback Ashton White were charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession. Redfield, Stepherson and Williams face an additional misdemeanor charge of possession of an unlicensed handgun.

Football coach Brian Kelly announced Sunday that Redfield had been dismissed from the team and Butler, who already was out until October with a broken foot, had been suspended indefinitely.

All six remain enrolled in school. University spokesman Paul Browne issued a statement Tuesday saying: “Students charged criminally are subject to additional sanctions by the university, separately from any imposed by athletic teams or other extracurricular activities.” He previously had said any student arrested on a felony charge also faces dismissal from the university.

A probable cause affidavit states that police were at the bar near campus for another altercation and were walking back to their cars when they saw a woman kick another woman sitting on a curb in the head. Police approached the woman to arrest her for battery when Butler shoved the woman.

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