USC has suspended wide receiver Joseph Lewis after the former U.S. Army All-American after Lewis was arrested and charged in a domestic violence-related incident on Monday.
According to a report from USCFootball.com, Lewis was charged with “corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant” due to visible injury to an alleged victim. The charge is a felony offense and Lewis could face up to four years behind bars if convicted.
“USC takes all reports of domestic abuse seriously and is cooperating fully with the law enforcement investigation,” a university spokesperson said in a statement shared by USCFootball.com. “While this student code of conduct issue is being investigated, the student has been suspended from all football-related activities. Student disciplinary records and student conduct proceedings are confidential at USC and protected by law.”
Lewis, a five-star recruit in USC’s Class of 2017, appeared in three games for the Pac-12 champion Trojans last season. He caught four passes for a total of 39 yards in his spare playing time, but three of those receptions were good for a first down. This incident and news obviously puts Lewis’s availability for spring football practices and workouts on the backburner for now, until the legal process plays out. For now, Lewis is still a part of the USC football program despite being suspended.