Another update on the charges against Peter Taglianetti and John Welday.
According to several newspapers, Judge Donald Machen has reduced the
charges for all three, saying that a barroom brawl doesn't merit felony
charges.  He convicted Barrasso of harrassment and gave him a $300 fine.
He has reduced the charges against Taglianetti and strength coach Welday
to simple assault and will set their trial date later.
 
Aggravated assault charges could have resulted in a maximum sentence of 5
years in prison, while the misdemeanor simple assault charges carry a
maximum penalty of 1 year.  The judge said he would have cut
Taglianetti's charge to harrassment except that Taglianetti had hit the
art student, David Ninness, twice.  The harrassment charge is similar in
seriousness to a traffic ticket.
 
Barrasso's attorney said that Barrasso hadn't committee any crime, but
might pay the fine just to get the whole thing over.  Welday's attorney
said, "This was a barroom confrontation that does not deserve the
publicity or the exitement it has generated."
 
Both Barrasso and Taglianetti have ties to Providence College.  (I feel
guilty about having to say this because Providence has no responsibility
for what these two did).