For his involvement in a brawl at his high school basketball game, former Alton High School (Godfrey, llinois) basketball player Ahmad Sanders faced two to five years in prison on one charge of felonious aggravated battery and three counts of resisting a peace officer.
Instead, his prosecution was deferred, so long as he attends the community college to which he had been accepted, according to The Telegraph.
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Sanders would not have been able to attend the college if charges remained in place, according to an agreement approved Aug. 6 that was obtained by The Telegraph.
“It is in the best interests of the people of the state of Illinois and the citizens of Madison County that Ahmad Sanders attend college and obtain and education and lead a law-abiding life from this day forward,” the agreement said.
Sanders must prove he enrolled at community college and remain enrolled for at least two years. If he leaves or transfers, he must notify the State’s Attorney’s Office. He also is not allowed to break any other laws, according to The Telegraph.
Charges stem from a November basketball brawl that spilled into the stands at Alton. Sanders was one of five people were charged, according to BND.
Sanders, who was 18 at the time, was tried as an adult.
This ruling allows him to attend community college instead of face prison time.
But those charges wren’t the only laws he was accused of breaking.
In an incident unrelated to the basketball fight, Sanders took the stand at his brother’s trial, according to The Telegraph. Aryion Sanders was being tried for murder.
Sanders was accused of changing his story during the trial after initially telling police he had seen the shooting, according to The Telegraph.
Steven Griffin, a lawyer representing Sanders told The Telegraph the now-19-year-old was young and had made poor choices.
“Thank God all of us don’t have to answer for every foolish thing we did while were were young,” Griffin said.
