Attorney Says Video Will Exonerate Former Don Bosco, Current Rutgers Football Player

An attorney for a suspended Rutgers football player says cell phone video of a fight outside the Hale Center on the Piscataway campus will prove his client is not guilty of simple assault.

Leonte Carroo, 21, of Edison and a former Don Bosco player, was in Family Court on Wednesday, because the 20-year-old woman he is accused of assaulting is seeking a final restraining order, but that hearing was adjourned until Oct. 6 because the young woman wanted to return with an attorney.

But William M. Fetky, the New Brunswick-based attorney who is representing Carroo in the Family Court matter, said cell phone video shows that the 20-year-old woman attacked Carroo’s current girlfriend, Maria Vega of Fort Lee. And, he said, he came to court Wednesday with a host of witnesses who would have refuted the accuser’s account of what occurred that night.

Vega was one of three people charged Tuesday with simple assault and disorderly conduct in connection with the case. Carroo’s mother was also charged, along with a man identified by NJ.com as Vega’s father.

Fetky said Carroo’s mother and girlfriend were outside of the center, waiting for him after a football game, when a group of Rutgers football hostesses attacked Vega. He said he does not believe the 20-year-old woman was involved in that assault, which was broken up by Rutgers police.

But a short time later, Carroo and his friend, Shane Turner, a student at Middlesex County College, came outside and saw another fight, said Fetky.

Young women were again attacking Vega, he said. This time, the 20-year-old woman was involved and can be seen swinging her purse at Carroo’ s girlfriend, Fetky said, noting that all of the Rutgers hostesses were wearing red shirts and black pants, while Vega wore white pants.

“All he did, was sweep in and pull Maria from the crowd and usher her away,’’ Fetky said of Carroo.

He said Vega was treated that night at a hospital for her injuries.

One of Carroo’s friends, Shane Turner was prepared to testify that he grabbed that 20-year-old woman’s arm and pushed her, and that’s when she fell, Fetky said. Turner already told police that is what occurred, the attorney said.

But the 20-year-old woman told both NJ.com and The Record that she was assaulted by Carroo.

“I know Shane,’’ the woman told The Record. “I know the difference in size. Shane could not have picked me up and thrown me like he did.”

Carroo has been suspended indefinitely from the football team.