From the CUSA board...
Southern Miss president Shelby Thames (Shelby.F.Thames@usm.edu) sat down with the man who plead guilty to his role in the beating death of a high school student. The talk went so well, Southern Miss will offer the convict a football scholarship and a "second chance".
Linebacker Marcus Raines (6'-3" 230), plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter for his role in the fatal beating of Christopher O'Leary at a May 19, 2000, party in Palmdale, CA. After a confrontation, Littlerock QB Richard Newton hit O'Leary, knocking him to the pavement. Future Golden Eagle Raines kicked him in the head "like a football" as O'Leary's girlfriend tried to revive him. O'Leary would die from the wounds days later.
Raines served one year in a juvenile institution and two years in a boot camp before enrolling at Pasadena City College, where he was an all-conference first-team defender. Raines had committed to Kansas State in December, but the scholarship offer was rescinded after booster backlash resulting from Raines' criminal record.
Following the meeting with Southern Miss, Raines announced that USM had extended the scholarship offer: "They believed in my character and decided to scholarship me," Raines said of Southern Miss by phone Monday from Pasadena, where he is still attending junior college. "They asked me a lot of questions, but they believed in me."
Southern Miss athletic director Richard Giannini (Richard.Giannini@usm.edu) confirmed as much. "He didn't hide anything from us," said athletic director Giannini. "He deserves a second opportunity. He's dedicated his life to being a positive mentor, helping people like him."