Tigers' Clemons pleads guilty, receives one-year suspension

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri guard Ricky Clemons, accused of choking a woman and holding her against her will at his apartment in January, pleaded guilty Monday to a pair of lesser counts and was suspended from competition for one year.

Boone County's prosecutor wants Clemons, 20, to spend at least three months behind bars.

Clemons, who faced an April 29 trial on an original charge of felony second-degree domestic assault, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of third-degree assault and false imprisonment.

At a June 23 sentencing hearing, Prosecutor Kevin Crane plans to recommend Clemons receive two years of probation and a suspended one-year jail term on the assault charge, and 90 days behind bars on the false-imprisonment count.

Clemons' pleas Monday were "open," Crane said, meaning the judge "is free to exceed or go under what I recommend." Each misdemeanor count carries up to a year in jail.

In discussions with Clemons' defense attorneys, Crane said, "I made it clear that if Clemons is going to plead to a misdemeanor, I wanted the jail time." The prosecutor said he offered the reduced charge partly because "it's anybody's guess what a jury will do."

"I feel like we've served justice and met the interest of the victim," who ultimately wants the sentence to bar Clemons from having future contact with her, Crane said. Monday's development, Crane said, "is something I discussed with her. She approved of it. She's happy with it."

Clemons' attorney Wally Bley, reached Monday night at his home in Columbia, declined comment.

"We're just not saying anything beyond what we're saying in court," Bley said.

Missouri suspends guard

Late Monday, Missouri suspended Clemons from competition for one year, including the 2003-04 season. Mike Alden, Missouri's athletics director, said in a statement the school would honor Clemons scholarship, "provided he continues to progress toward his degree and meets his academic and social responsibilities."

In the statement, Tigers' coach Quin Snyder said, "As we have maintained all along, we would await the outcome of the judicial process until taking further action in this situation."

Sam Fleury, a spokesman for Missouri's men's basketball program, said Monday's suspension would not end Clemons' association with the team, since he would still have a year of eligibility remaining after sitting out next season.

"There's still time on his clock," Fleury said.

Jessica Bunge, 20, of St. Clair, alleged Clemons pushed her down, bloodied her nose and choked her the night of Jan. 16 after she refused to watch the movie "Roots" with him. Clemons was arrested the next day and was suspended from the basketball team for one game.

In 32 starts last season, Clemons averaged 14.2 points -- third on the team -- and a team-best 3.8 assists. He shot 38 percent from the field, including 34 percent from 3-point range. Clemons led the Tigers with 49 steals.

Clemons, a junior college transfer, was supposed to be the point guard Missouri sorely lacked. But he struggled down the stretch with turnovers and shot just 10-of-47 (21.3 percent) from the floor in his last five games, including a 2-of-15 showing in a loss to Marquette in the NCAA tournament.