Crime & Safety

Football Player Pleads Not Guilty In Stabbing

Jamie Smith, 19, is accused of stabbing a College of the Desert teammate.

A football player pleaded not guilty today to felony charges stemming the stabbing of a teammate.

Jamie Smith, 19, faces charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, along with sentence enhancing allegations of causing great bodily injury.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Thomas N. Douglass set bail at $1 million and ordered Smith to return to court on Sept. 16 for a felony settlement conference.

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Smith, who is a Palm Desert resident, was arrested Sept. 1 on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to jail records.

He allegedly got into an argument with the 19-year-old victim and stabbed him multiple times, said Deputy Angel Ramos of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

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"The suspect (allegedly) stole from the victim's apartment," Ramos said.

The attack took place about 9:15 p.m. Thursday at an apartment complex in the 77-700 block of Country Club Drive, Ramos said.

The student was taken to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, he said.

A football player roster indicated Smith transferred from North Carolina A&T and is a red-shirt freshman Free Safety.

Dean Dowty, COD's head football coach and athletic coordinator at, told City News Service Smith will be expelled from the team.

Smith was being held at the Indio Jail.

If you witnessed the fight that occurred that night, we want to hear from you. Please e-mail us at jessica.davis@patch.com.


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