Bernard Jackson

Lionel Harris

A pair of former University of Colorado football players jailed over the weekend for their suspected roles in an armed robbery were separated for their first court appearance today so they couldn’t communicate with each other, according to jail officials.

Former safety Lionel Harris sat in an isolated room in the Boulder County Jail’s courtroom during today's hearing, while CU’s 2006 starting quarterback, Bernard Jackson, sat with the rest of the inmates.

Both men, who wore orange jumpsuits, are being held on a $250,000 bond.

Jackson and Harris, both 23, were arrested on suspicion of first-degree burglary, aggravated robbery and felony menacing in connection with a June 5 incident on University Hill.

They’re scheduled to be charged Wednesday in connection with that incident, and officers are investigating whether Jackson and Harris are connected with any other recent crimes that have occurred on the Hill, police said.

Harris’ attorney, Alex Garlin, today told the judge that he had planned to ask for a reduction of his client’s bond. But, because prosecutors must first notify the alleged victims, Garlin has to wait until Wednesday’s hearing to make the request.

Harris’ brother and father flew to Colorado from Texas on Sunday and attended Monday’s hearing with Harris’ girlfriend, who lives in Boulder. Jackson’s girlfriend also was at the hearing, and the group of supporters sat together.

In a statement Richard Harris, Harris’ father, made through Garlin, he said his “son has never been prone to getting into trouble, and this is extremely distressing to the entire family.”

Garlin said the family came out to “stand behind Lionel 100 percent.”

No one in Harris’ family has spoken with him since the former safety was arrested by Westminster police early Saturday on a warrant out of Boulder. Jackson was arrested hours earlier, at about 6:20 p.m. Friday, in his apartment in the 2200 block of Pearl Street, according to police.

The men are accused of breaking into an apartment in the 1000 block of University Avenue, confronting the home’s residents with guns, and fleeing the scene with money, according to police spokeswoman Sarah Huntley.

Huntley today said police are still investigating whether other reports of criminal activity on University Hill in the past several weeks are related to the June 5 home invasion. She said additional arrests are possible.

Jackson, from Corona, Calif., redshirted and practiced as quarterback in the 2003 season, and he was moved to wide receiver and kick returner the following year. He was starting quarterback in the Buffs’ 2006 season, which ended in a 2-10 record.

His CU career ended when he was ruled academically ineligible just before the 2007 season began.

In 2005, Jackson became a father, and, in 2006, he learned his son had cancer of the eye. According to court records, Jackson until recently was in a custody battle over his son.

Harris, of Manvel, Texas, was a senior safety last season. He was enrolled at CU for the recent spring semester, university officials said.