By JONATHAN BAGLEY
Judge David L. Mower placed a suspended sentence on former BYU football player Derik Stevenson Wednesday for carrying a firearm on school property and discharging it.
The sentence will be suspended until June 18. The judge will keep Stevenson out of prison if he obeys the stipulations ordered at sentencing. If not, Stevenson will spend one year in jail. Mower ordered Stevenson to do 240 hours community service, to pay a $4,000 fine and to attend anger counseling.
Mower urged Stevenson to re-apply to BYU, requiring him to bring a copy of his application to the hearing June 18.
“It’s a way to motivate the defendant to do exactly what the judge wants him to do,” defense attorney Brian Harrison said. “He imposes the statutory maximum, then eliminates the fine and jail to what the sentence is going to be.”
Stevenson acknowledged in front of the court that he made a mistake and promised it will never happen again. He said he will meet the conditions of the court and ensure they are completed.
He said BYU football coach Lavell Edwards recommended anger counseling to him after he was arrested.
Prosecutor Ross Blackham originally recommended five weekends in prison for Stevenson, but recommended community service in lieu of prison. He said the initial reports hurt Derik’s case and were in error. He said a person with Derik’s background should not be sitting in a courtroom.
“You don’t see too many Eagle Scouts in this position,” Mower said.
Stevenson’s father Dan related Derik’s services in the LDS church to the court. He said Derik will be the keynote speaker at the California Arcadia Mission conference and is sought after to speak at youth firesides.
Harrison said before his arrest Stevenson was a volunteer at the Orem Family Support Center and the Best Buddy program for troubled youth.
Blackham said he wanted to clarify the case for the court before recommending sentence.
Stevenson was arrested Jan. 17 while attending a beauty pageant at Snow College in Manti.
Blackham said Stevenson’s friends were exchanging words with Snow football players as they walked to their cars at the end of the pageant. Stevenson arrived late and could not have had anything to do with provoking the incident.
Blackham said Patrick Laifua, a Snow College student, was the chief instigator along with nine to 14 others. Laifua pleaded guilty to starting the fight, Blackham said.
The Snow football players would not let Stevenson’s friends alone and started to throw punches, knocking one friend unconscious, Blackham said.
He said Stevenson was a bystander until that point. Stevenson, standing 20 feet away from his friend grabbed a gun and waved it in the air. He discharged several rounds into the air trying to disburse the crowd.
The Snow players didn’t heed Stevenson’s warning, tackled him to the ground and beat him. Harrison said Stevenson suffered 40-50 blows to the head, torso and groin.
Stevenson fell unconscious under the blows, woke up, staggered away, was caught again by the Snow players and kicked while sprawling on the ground.
The friend Stevenson saved declared Derik a hero, and claimed Stevenson saved him from severe injury or death.
Harrison and Dan Stevenson agreed Stevenson is a hero.
Stevenson is working full time and is engaged to be married at the end of May. He plans to attend BYU when the sentence ends. If BYU rejects him, Stevenson has offers from UCLA, USC and Miami to play football.
Dan Stevenson said the Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers of the NFL are keeping an eye on Stevenson.
