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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Darling Faces Class B Felony Prosecutor Files Charges Following Linebacker’s Latest Arrest

From Staff And Wire Reports

Former Washington State University football star James Darling was charged with second-degree burglary and fourth-degree assault Wednesday in Whitman County Superior Court.

A hearing - Darling’s first appearance after formal charges - is May 16. He could be arraigned then.

Prosecutors had considered filing more serious residential burglary, assault and malicious mischief charges. Residential burglary is a felony with a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. They opted for the lesser charge of second-degree burglary, a Class B felony with no definite sentencing range, a spokesman with the Whitman County prosecutors office said.

A second-round draft choice of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, Darling was arrested and jailed early Tuesday by Pullman police following a report of a commotion in the Sigma Nu fraternity house on the campus of WSU.

An all-conference and second-team all-America middle linebacker, the 6-3, 247-pound Darling was released with the stipulation that he stay out of Whitman County. He is to return only to appear in court, Whitman County senior deputy prosecuting attorney Toby Krauel said.

The linebacker was on an unsuccessful hunt for a Sigma Nu fraternity member who had moved out of the house. Darling planned to beat up the man in a dispute over a woman, Krauel said.

A fraternity member said Wednesday that to his knowledge no property was damaged in the Sigma Nu house. Pullman police said in a press release that a fraternity member was “quite shaken but not significantly hurt.”

Police said Darling, 22, from Kettle Falls, Wash., also broke into the man’s apartment and waited for him to return. A neighbor reported he was assaulted when he could not say when the intended victim would return. Darling broke a phone at the apartment, Krauel said.

The football player was released after promising to pay a $20,000 bond if he violated terms of the release, Krauel said. Darling told Superior Court Judge Wallace Friel on Tuesday that he would receive a $750,000 signing bonus from the Eagles that could cover the $20,000 fine if he violated terms of his release.

Darling was on probation two years ago for reckless driving.

He also received a 30-day suspended sentence, probation and a $225 fine for an incident last year in Oroville, Wash., where he removed a $6,000 gumball machine from a store and placed it on the hood of a friend’s car. He pleaded guilty to malicious mischief.

Darling was jailed Tuesday because the incident violated his probation from the gumball incident, and he intended to leave the area “almost immediately,” police said. Among conditions of his release is that he not leave Eastern Washington or North Idaho until the case is resolved, Krauel said.

Training camp begins in July.

Krauel said he expects a speedy resolution. “We’re not going to allow it to get on a slow track,” he said.

Eagles coach Ray Rhodes said he was disappointed to learn that Darling is again in trouble with the law.

“A number of us here in the organization spoke to James and made it clear what will be expected of him,” Rhodes said in Philadelphia. “We also let it be known that when he next comes in here, he and I will sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk.”

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