By John McCann

jmccann@heraldsun.com; 419-6601

DURHAM — Three former Duke University football players didn’t particularly stand out Monday among the others accused in Durham County District Court Judge Ann McKown’s courtroom, where their cases were pushed back toward the end of March.

The Duke freshmen were making their initial court appearances on charges of discharging a firearm on educational property.

Durham lawyer James “Butch” Williams represented John Galbraith Drew, 18, of Midland, Ga., and Brandon Riley Putnam, 19, of Peachtree City, Ga. Durham lawyer Edward Falcone stood up for Kyle Keyston Griswould, 18, of Midland, Ga.

Williams and Falcone requested 60-day continuances for the young men’s cases to allow more time for investigation. The former players were jailed as a result of the charges but posted bonds of $40,000 each and were released.

Drew, Putnam and Griswould have been dismissed from Duke’s football team, and can’t return to campus until their situations have been resolved in court, Duke spokesman Keith Lawrence said.

According to information from Duke University police, around 3 a.m. Sunday there was gunfire from a vehicle near Jarvis Residence Hall on East Campus. The vehicle later was located at Blackwell Residence Hall, also on East Campus. Campus police traced the vehicle to one of the three charged students.

The investigation determined a gun was fired into the air on Campus Drive. The students weren’t shooting at anybody or anything, and no one was hurt, police said.

Drew, a defensive tackle, played a key role on Duke’s defensive line last season, appearing in all 12 games and starting one. Griswould, a running back, and Putnam, a defensive end, each redshirted during the season and didn’t play in any games.

In terms of collegiate football eligibility, Drew would have had three years left and Griswould and Putnam four years each.