EMU Players Accused Of Attacking Relative Of Teammate's Murderer

Three Eastern Michigan football players have been charged with assault after allegedly attacking a cousin of the man who pleaded guilty to shooting and killing an EMU player last October.

EMU wide receiver Demarius Reed was murdered on Oct. 19 of last year in a botched robbery, shot in the side and the face for his wallet and his iPhone. One suspect was acquitted of the charges against him; a second, Kristopher Pratt, admitted to pulling the trigger and copped a deal that has him in prison for a minimum of 18 years.

Pratt's cousin, Demarko Taylor, testified against Pratt at a preliminary hearing in January. Taylor said he had been hanging out with Pratt on the night of Reed's murder, but the two separated, and Taylor said he didn't find out about the killing until later.

Last week, according to police records, EMU DB Darius Scott and WRs Quincy Jones and Jairockeis Jones sent Taylor to the hospital with a broken bone in his face, an assault that also required stitches.

Taylor gave his account of his beating to the

He said he was walking back home after a trip to the store Kampus Korner, 819 Huron River Drive, and he saw the trio drive by him.

He said he was with two friends and told them, "Watch, they're going to turn around and jump me." Not long after, he said the Dodge sedan the three players were in turned back around. Taylor said he tried to talk to them, saying he had nothing to do with Reed's murder, but the players didn't listen.

"They're not trying to hear it," he said. "They want revenge or something."

Taylor said one person charged him and took a swing at him. He swung back and then they all charged him and he couldnt defend himself.

None of the three played in last week's season opener, though on Wednesday EMU said all of them are still on the team.

All three players had connections to Demarius Reed before his murder. Scott and Jairockeis Jones were in the same year as Reed, while Quincy Jones and Jairockeis Jones played the same position. Scott was especially close: he and Reed were friends going back to high school, and Scott was in the courtroom when Demarko Taylor testified in January.

The three players have each been charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault, and bonded out of jail. They're due back in court on Monday.

Records: EMU football players accused of beating cousin of man who shot and killed Demarius Reed [MLive]