Man jailed for cowbell assault

A man alleged to have assaulted a Mississippi State student with a cowbell in 2009 was sentenced to 45 days in jail and a $500 fine after pleading guilty to a reduced assault charge on Monday in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court.

Brent Vowell withdrew his original not guilty plea and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor simple assault, a reduced charge from felony aggravated assault. A six-month sentence was reduced to 45 days based on future good behaviour, according to a sentencing order signed by Circuit Judge Jim Kitchens. He will serve his sentence on weekends for the next two years starting on May 13.



Vowell was arrested and charged with aggravated assault after William Matthew Brasher suffered a head wound during an incident that occurred at the Egg Bowl on Nov. 28, 2009. Brasher and Vowell were students at the time of the incident. Brasher claims he suffered a 4-inch laceration when struck in the head with a steel cowbell, according to court documents related to a civil lawsuit. The separate civil suit is in the process of discovery.

Oxford attorney Doug Foster received approval from the court to add Mississippi State University and Event Operations Group to the suit as defendants last month. The lawsuit also lists the Southeastern Conference and Vowell as defendants. The suit seeks unspecified damages from the SEC and commissioner Mike Slive because the league had a "knowing refusal," the suit says, to enforce its own rule on artificial noisemakers.