Mississippi State football player pleads guilty to animal cruelty

MSU offensive lineman Michael Story pleaded guilty to animal cruelty on Tuesday in the Oktibbeha County Justice Court.

He intentionally starved his ex-girlfriend’s Great Dane while he was watching the dog for her. His ex-girlfriend, Maryssa Edwards, rescued the dog. She immediately laid out some food and water for him.

According to a complaint filed last year, Story did not give the dog food or water for three days and left him alone for roughly a week’s time.

Janelle Edwards, Maryssa’s mother, said dog toys and trash were strewn throughout the room and a bag of dog food was in the kitchen, but out of reach to Kodak. The door frame was also chewed in what she described as an obvious attempt to escape.

Maryssa Edwards said during an interview with the Clarion Ledger, “It is such a sick and cruel act by humans and I want Kodak’s story to be known so people really know how out of control animal cruelty is getting to be.”

Starkville Animal Control came to pick up Kodak. Story was arrested for animal cruelty on site.

According to court documents, a judge sentenced Story to a six-month suspended jail sentence, two years’ probation, and a $1,000 fine.