USC football: Former defensive end Everson Griffen arrested near campus

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Former USC defensive end Everson Griffen was arrested on Monday near campus after Los Angeles Police Dept. officers used a Taser to subdue him.

The Times’ Andrew Blankstein reports that Griffen, who plays for the Minnesota Vikings, was booked on suspicion of felony battery after the incident. Bail was set at $50,000, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. website.

Blankstein wrote:

Officers asked Griffen for his license, which turned out not to be valid, according to sources familiar with the investigation. Griffen then told them ‘he did not want to go back to jail’ and sprinted away from the officers, who caught up with him after a short distance.

When one of the officers tried to subdue Griffen, he allegedly grabbed the officer in the groin area, the source said. Moments later, officers used a Taser to subdue him, the source said.

Griffen was arrested in 2009 in Massachusetts on suspicion of breach of the peace.

The Daily Trojan, which broke the news of Monday’s arrest, reported that Griffen had been on campus earlier in the day to visit players and coaches.

--Gary Klein