USC's Shareece Wright pleads not guilty to felony charge

USC cornerback Shareece Wright entered a not-guilty plea through his attorney this morning to one felony count of resisting a police officer during a party he attended in his hometown of Colton over Labor Day weekend.

Wright, 21, was released from custody without posting $15,000 in bail as was required from each of his three co-defendants, and San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge John N. Martin scheduled the four men to return for a settlement conference Oct. 29.

Judge Martin, noting 2-year-old court records that showed Wright had a "failure to appear" on his record for a traffic violation, told Wright he would "slap you in jail so fast it'll make your head spin," if the player failed to appear for the next hearing.

Wright's attorney, Carlos L. Juarez, said he would work in the interim to gather witness statements that he hoped would convince the San Bernardino County district attorney to drop the count that exposes Wright to a maximum three-year prison sentence if he were to be convicted.

"He's real concerned and worried it'll disrupt what he's doing, but I've assured him everything will be OK," Juarez said of Wright, who was dressed in a dark blue shirt and dark dress slacks at the arraignment and said afterward he planned to participate in practice with USC's top-ranked football team later in the afternoon.

USC Coach Pete Carroll has said he will determine what action, if any, he will take regarding Wright later this week. Wright, a junior, started Saturday in the Trojans' 35-3 rout over Ohio State.

Juarez said Wright had returned to Colton for a goodbye party for his "best friend," Luis Alvarado, who, according to a mutual friend, was deployed by the Marines to Iraq today.

Neighbors had complained to Colton police about the party being loud, Juarez said, and officers arrived with a police dog, ultimately using a Taser on at least one of the partygoers.

Although three individuals were arrested at the scene for resisting a police officer, Wright wasn't, but he was ultimately briefly detained by Colton police last week and was charged by the district attorney.

Wright's attorney said the player was charged for not leaving his friend's home. The player told police he had a suspended driver's license -- which was confirmed at today's hearing -- and had been drinking. Ruben Morales, a friend of Wright's, said Alvarado's mother told police she wanted Wright to spend the night at the party home, informing the officer, "He stays here."

Juarez said he was disappointed that Wright was named by Colton police because the player and USC running back Allen Bradford, also from Colton, have associated in the past with high-ranking members of the department, including former police Chief Kenneth Rulon. Wright once received a laptop computer from police, with funds raised by the community.

"He's a good kid, who grew up in south Colton," Juarez said. "That's why we're surprised by this."

lance.pugmire@latimes.com