SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL PLAYER PLEADS GUILTY TO MARIJUANA POSSESSION

JACKSON, Mo. -- A Southeast Missouri State University basketball player was released from jail Tuesday after pleading guilty to misdemeanor drug possession, but his status with the university as both student and athlete is still undetermined.

Terry J. Rogers, 21, pleaded guilty to possessing a little less than a gram of marijuana. The original felony charge was lessened after investigators determined that Rogers did not have more than five grams of marijuana as police first believed, said Angel Woodruff, Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecutor.

Instead of facing a class B felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, Rogers received 30 days in jail from Associate Circuit Judge Gary Kamp. Since Rogers had been in custody since March 9, he was released Tuesday.

Rogers, a 6-foot-10, 280-pound center, is a junior who has played a backup role since transferring from Mineral Area Community College last year. He was arrested after his wife called police to report an assault, and officers found marijuana in their apartment.

Another felony charge of domestic assault against his wife was left hanging, since she did not respond to a subpoena to appear in court for her husband's preliminary hearing Tuesday. It may be filed again against Rogers anytime within the next three years, until the statute of limitations expires, Woodruff said.

However, pursuing the assault charge would serve little purpose if the victim was unwilling to cooperate, he said.

Future at SEMO uncertain

Rogers' status with the basketball team will be discussed with coaches and others before a decision is made, said Don Kaverman, athletic director for Southeast Missouri State University.

Coaches had been in contact with Rogers since his arrest, Kaverman said, but it is unclear what Rogers himself wants to do.

"I don't know whether he wants to continue with the basketball program," he said.

But any desires of Rogers' are subordinate to those of university officials.

"He may be out of jail, but this is still very serious," Kaverman said. "Whenever there's a drug offense, collegiate basketball is less concerned about the offense itself than the message it sends."

Although he declined to comment on Rogers' student status, spokesman Art Wallhausen said his actions would be judged separately by the school.

"When a violation occurs, we base our decision on whether it is more likely than not that a violation happened rather than proof beyond a reasonable doubt," said Wallhausen, assistant to the president.

A final university decision, which could not be reached until Rogers criminal charges were settled, could involve a short suspension up to expulsion, Wallhausen said.

Violations of the student code of conduct that occur off campus do not involve sanctions unless the student pleads guilty to a crime or declines to contest a charge in court.

Another Southeast basketball player, Bobby L. Smith, will appear in court May 7. He faces charges of felony forgery and a misdemeanor attempt of credit fraud.