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HARTFORD - State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has demanded that a Pennsylvania-based T-shirt seller stop selling merchandise that memorializes slain UConn football player Jasper Howard.

Gamedaytease.com says on its website that proceeds from sales of the merchandise will benefit Howard's unborn child. The website is also soliciting donations to benefit Howard's child.

Blumenthal said gamedaytease.com is violating state and copyright laws and has failed to show it has permission to collect money on behalf of Howard's family or UConn. "Any attempt to exploit Howard's tragic death is despicable and unconscionable," Blumenthal said.

Mike Margittai said no one is trying to do any such thing. Margittai, 25, of St. Petersburg, Fla., said he's a huge college football fan who followed Howard when he was still in high school. Upon learning of Howard's death, Margittai said he wanted to try to do something positive for Howard's family, and contacted his friend, Braden Byler, who owns gamedaytease.com.

"We're just a bunch of kids that were affected by the situation and have friends that were close friends with him," Margittai said. "We're just trying to do something to benefit the family and memorialize him." All profits will go to Howard's family, he said.

UConn has licensed production of a limited edition T-shirt that will be sale at the UConn Co-op and elsewhere. Money raised from the shirts will be split between a scholarship fund and a fund for Howard's family, said UConn's Tim Tolokan.

-- David Owens