Police close to second arrest in player's death

STORRS, Conn. - A Bloomfield man will be arrested in the stabbing death of University of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard, his lawyer said Monday night, as police continued to sort out what happened during a fight outside a school-sponsored dance over the weekend.

Attorney Deron Freeman declined to identify his client, but says the man and several others got into a fight "with about six" UConn football players early Sunday.

Freeman says his client did not stab Howard, but was present when Howard was mortally wounded.

Freeman said police searched his client's home in Bloomfield and removed some items. Freeman said police told him that his client and others will be arrested.

"(Police) have indicated to me that they expect to get a warrant for his arrest," he said. "I'm not sure if I would say that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I could say that he was not involved in the actual stabbing of Mr. Howard."

It would be the second arrest connected to the stabbing, which occurred hours after Howard starred in UConn's homecoming victory over Louisville.

Johnny Hood, 21, of Hartford, was arraigned Monday on charges of interfering with an officer and breach of peace, but he has not been charged in Howard's death.

Authorities said Hood gave a false name when he was questioned.

His bond initially was set at $100,000, but that was reduced Monday to $10,000.

Hood's attorney, Justin Freeman, said at the arraignment his client is a full-time dental assistant and a part-time student at Capitol Community College, who was "at the wrong place at the wrong time," and did not even know a homicide had occurred.

Deron Freeman, who is Justin Freeman's brother, declined to say whether his client knows Hood, but he said there were at least a half-dozen UConn football players with Howard at the time of the stabbing.