The pretrial hearing for Syracuse lacrosse player Sean McGonigle – originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at the Syracuse City Court – was adjourned to 2 p.m. on May 22 by Judge Karen Uplinger.

McGonigle, sophomore midfielder, was arrested Feb. 15 and charged with assaulting a male SU student in an off-campus incident Jan. 20. According to the police report, the victim needed surgery to repair damage he suffered to his face.

McGonigle showed up at the courtroom Tuesday, but his attorney, Emil Rossi, was not present. Instead, McGonigle was represented by Mike Vavonese of the Vavonese Law Office.

Vavonese conferred briefly with Judge Uplinger and Assistant District Attorney Lauren LaPaglia while McGonigle sat at the back of the courtroom. All parties quickly agreed to the adjournment. The purpose of the hearing is to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial.

‘Things rarely get resolved right away,’ LaPaglia said after the hearing. ‘It’s always hard to piece everything together when you have different stories.’

LaPaglia said she still does not have a clear idea of what happened on the night of Jan. 20. She said she will speak to McGonigle and his attorneys to get his version of the incident. She will also seek out eyewitnesses to determine what happened. LaPaglia said such adjournments are common.

‘We’re not out to get him,’ LaPaglia said. ‘We want to be fair. We don’t want to convict someone who’s innocent.’

Vavonese instructed McGonigle not to speak as they left the courtroom. ‘Sean’s not allowed to comment,’ he said. ‘I’m really not allowed to comment on anything.’

The team suspended McGonigle for the first two games of the season, although he continued to practice with the team. McGonigle returned for SU’s game against Virginia on March 3.

The defensive midfielder has played in eight games and has not recorded a point. He has scooped up five ground balls.

McGonigle’s arrest was the first of two incidents involving Syracuse lacrosse players and police. Midfielders Pat Perritt and John Carrozza were arrested in downtown Syracuse on March 11 and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Carrozza was also charged with the criminal possession of forged New York state driver’s licenses. The police report stated both players were intoxicated.

The pretrial hearing for Perritt and Carrozza, originally scheduled for April 12, was adjourned to 2 p.m. on May 24. Perritt has since left SU, issuing a statement Saturday that he is suffering from an ‘ongoing medical condition which has recently worsened.’

Published on April 17, 2007 at 12:00 pm