Warrants sealed: More drunken, violent episodes emerge
Alcohol and violence were factors in George W. Huguely V's 2008 arrest in Lexington.ROCKBRIDGE REGIONAL JAIL
A red-stained UVA lacrosse t-shirt and a letter to Yeardley Love are among the items taken by Charlottesville police from accused killer George Huguely's apartment on May 3.
Police removed two white Apple laptop computers, a green spiral notebook, two white socks, a bathroom rug, a shower curtain, the apartment’s entryway rug, a pair of blue cargo shorts, and a Bobby Jones brand polo shirt, according to the Daily Progress.
The search warrant in the Charlottesville Circuit Court clerk's office is now sealed, as is the judge's order to seal that and subsequent search warrants.
"My recollection is that [Albemarle] Judge [Cheryl] Higgins signed it," says Paul Garrett, clerk of court. That now-secret order was requested by the commonwealth's attorney, adds Garrett.
Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Chapman did not return phone calls from the Hook.
And on May 7, the Daily Progress, Washington Post and Richmond Times-Dispatch filed a challenge that asks the court order be unsealed.
Huguely, 22, is charged with first degree murder in the death of former girlfriend Love. Both played on the University of Virginia's top-ranked lacrosse teams; both were slated to graduate May 23, before Love's battered body was discovered in her 14th Street apartment. Huguely lives next door on 14th Street NW.
According to the Progress, police also took DNA swabs from Huguely's kitchen, bathtub, and trashcan. The contents of the letter and the two laptops have not been released.
Huguely told police that he kicked in Love's locked bedroom door and repeatedly slammed her head into a wall, according to affidavits for search warrants. His lawyer has described Love's death as a tragic "accident" and noted that search warrants often contain errors.
That was not Huguely's first violent encounter with a woman. In 2008, he was arrested for public drunkenness and resisting arrest in Lexington. According to a statement released by Lexington Police Officer R. L. Moss, Huguely said, "I'll kill all you b*tches" and shouted other threatening, profane language.
Officer Moss, describing herself as a 5-foot 3-inches tall female, says she had a brief "tussle" with Huguely, in which he became more aggressive, and she had to use a Taser to restrain him. At his court hearing, Moss learned that Huguely was so intoxicated that he didn't realize a female officer had arrested him, nor that he'd been Tasered.
The Palm Beach Post reports a 2007 arrest for underage drinking in Palm Beach. His father and grandfather own property in the area.
And Fox News says that in 2008, Huguely had an argument so "heated" with his father and cousin on a 40-foot fishing boat that the incident caused the local police to write up a report after Huguely dove into the Atlantic to swim the quarter-mile to shore. However, no arrest was made in that incident.
–Updated May 11.
144 comments
Thanks Gas....
I don't know that the records should be public. Let the police conduct their investigation and build their case. It's probably easier for them to do so if the public isn't scrutinizing every aspect of every detail of the evidence, as we all know we would.
Just from what we do actually know there seems to be quite a bit of evidence for murder one and a compelling, tight case could be built.
If this man isn't put away for some long, hard time, there should be serious repercussions for the PD and Commonwealth Attorney's office.
Maybe she is trying to have a fair trial....
JaneKBurg--Thank you for the clarification on sentencing. That certainly makes more sense.
"However, previous posts to the contrary, under Va. law voluntary intoxication can negate the deliberation and premeditation required for first degree murder." That's worrisome.
Can GH be granted bail on June 10? If so will he be able to leave VA? Will a Grand Jury be convened? An indictment handed down? Are there any constraints on plea bargaining? Can the Medical Examiner's report be sealed? How does it all work from this point. (I know--exceedingly slowly. Jarndyce and Jarndyce.)
@Mary
Huguely was not a "star" on the lacrosse team. He had become more of a prcatice player. Please don't give this loser more credit than he deserves. He came to UVA as a star, got in a big pond, and realized he couldn't hang. So he became a murderer.
he looks a little like Khalid Sheik Mohamed in that picture.....
You Betcha - You have no idea what you're talking about. UVA Law has remained a top 10 law school for almost the past 75 years. It's not a "Ivy League tuitoin for a state school diploma", especially when prior to the late 1990s the cost of a degree at UVA matched other in-state schools because it wasn't yet a charter school, therefore it was nothing even close to being "Ivy League tuition."
The search warrant in the Charlottesville Circuit Court clerk’s office is now sealed, as is the judge’s order to seal that and subsequent search warrants.
ââ?¬Å?My recollection is that [Albemarle] Judge [Cheryl] Higgins signed it,” says Paul Garrett, clerk of court. That now-secret order was requested by the commonwealth’s attorney, adds Garrett.
Why would the order sealing the search warrant also be sealed? Unless Judge Higgins didn't want it known that she had signed it?
I wonder if Fran Lawrence represented George Huguely two years ago during his "misunderstanding" in Lexington? If so, wouldn't that create a conflict, as Higgins was a partner in that firm at that time and thus represented him as well?
@justbeinobjective--worse is not the word for it. I can see from the article you posted that they will most likely try for some kind of insanity defense (black-out drunk). Two different times, after a drunken, violent episode, he "doesn't remember." How convenient is that?
@Um, no: That might actually be an issue if he was still intoxicated at the time he waived. His statements would be excluded.
The focus should be on the offender AND his parents. THEY KNOW what kind of monster they brought into this world, apparently did nothing about it and set him loose on unsuspecting people at UVA.
They should go away as well.
@Um, no and Jake: In the trial of Wilkins in Augusta county, defense tried to get the confession tossed because the suspect was still drunk when he confessed, but the judge allowed the jury to watch the video of the interrogation.
Wildflower: Interesting. All I know is a waiver needs to be voluntary, knowing, and intelligent. The knowing portion seems like something intoxication could contest. I'm sure there are cases out there that go both ways. This will definitely be something to follow.
DBag...agreed, and to top it off...I lived in Augusta County/Waynesboro for over 10 years...doesn't surprise me a bit that the jury reduced it over that. Notice I no longer live there.
I wrote this on another page, but it needs repeating:
UVA made the press rounds today, trying to deflect blame. They say if only they’d known this kid had a police record ”Š and we all shake our heads yes. And then the Governor summons Casteen to his office and they talk about a swift reaction - make police records available to the school. Any of us who are snookered by this pretense of caring are part of the problem, not the solution. Even Ms Kaplan went on air this am and talked about how they educate students for the signs of partner violence. Do you think GH was listening? Your target audience will sit through the little lesson if it is mandatory, but they won’t identify with what you're saying. So "educating" students really isn't getting the message across. They will get the message IF each one of them that assaults a woman is hauled off to jail. But alas, that never happens at UVA....
Once more, I will say this: Teflon Casteen wants to blame others, and his staff rallies and covers for him. I would like to ask Casteen and Kaplan, if someone came to you and said GH had been arrested for drunk and disorderly in public, what exactly would you have done?? Your comments in the press releases and media interviews today imply that you would have taken action; please explain.
As the mother of a victim of violence on your campus, I know the answer. You would have done Nothing.
You can silence the victims, but you cannot silence the parents.
My daughter’s rapist raped another coed 6 moths after my daughter reported her rape. He was found GUILTY by a sexual assault board and NOT sanctioned. He was allowed to remain on campus and graduate ââ?¬Å?on time”. The trauma he inflicted upon my daughter was unbearable. I contacted you both many times about this crime ââ?¬â? and again I will say it, you did Nothing. So, today you make statements to the press that are politically correct, but rest assured, your comments ring hollow with every woman who has turned to you for help or been a victim of violence on your campus.
The Governor should summon all the past victims of violence that occurred while they were attending UVA and ask them for their opinions. Then some progressive ideas might emerge to curb violence against women on the UVA campus.
Yes, President Casteen, you will be gone soon. But the culture of violence against women that grew under your watch will not end with your departure from Charlottesville.
I sincerely agree that self-induced drunkenness or drugged up should not be a defense, but just recently in Augusta County, the jury gave a lame sentence for just that reason. This guy strangled his long-time girlfriend and then just left her in his yard for several days. He continued to drink and do nothing about the dead woman in his yard. Finally, he got tanked up, loaded her in the back of his vehicle and then went to a public parking lot to behave suspiciously enough to warrant 911 calls to police. Police found her body, and the long drawn out process started. Long story short--the jury did not convict him of first degree murder, as charged--they convicted him of manslaughter (because of the alcohol) and he got 10 years.
Excerpts from the Waynesboro News Virginian:
http://www2.newsvirginian.com/wnv/news/local/crime/article/update_strang...
VERDICT: Wilkins guilty of manslaughter
Timothy A.Wilkins
During his closing argument, Shah argued the jury should find Wilkins guilty of first-degree murder.
ââ?¬Å?In her struggle she was scratching him, holding his arm and pushing him away,” he said. ââ?¬Å?There were bruises on his arms. She was struggling. There is no question in my mind, and surely not in yours, that this is premeditated first-degree murder.”
Boatner argued otherwise.
ââ?¬Å?This is not a murder case, this is manslaughter at best,” he said. ââ?¬Å?They had a common flaw and that common flaw was alcohol. Alcohol was at the heart of this case. In the midst of a drunken fight there was an action and reaction. A mutual fray. A fight. It’s devastating, it’s a tragedy. The evidence does not support that this was done in malice.”
Excerpts from the Staunton News Leader:
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsleader/access/2020622001.html?FMT=FT&FMT...
Charged with first-degree murder, Wilkins, 40, was convicted of the lesser charge and spared the possibility of a life sentence. The jury recommended a prison term of 10 years.
At Tuesday's trial in Augusta County Circuit Court, Wilkins testified that after downing a bottle of vodka, drinking beer and taking antidepressants on June 9, he killed 36-year-old Misty Phillips of Staunton, his girlfriend of seven years, as the couple fought outside his Churchville home at 15 Lismore Lane.
"At some point I snapped. I lost control," said Wilkins, calm and slightly subdued while taking the stand. "The next thing I remember, I was on top of her strangling her."
snip
"Alcohol is at the heart of this case and what happened last summer," said Boatner, who argued the slaying was committed "in the heat of passion."
The jury sided with Boatner.
During closing arguments, Augusta County assistant prosecutor Rupen Shah lobbied for a first-degree murder conviction and told the jury to use common sense.
"That man choked that woman to death," he said.
Wildflower_VA and ALL...if he does cop the "black-out drunk" defense, would that not open the doors for anyone that uses any type of drug (alcohol is a drug) to cop this plea? Wow, does that mean I can say I can get drunk and go kill anyone I want and get away with it or at worst a reduced sentence? I certainly hope not. Yessiree, I agree with you, if the Commonwealth can't slam-dunk this one, we need a "changing of the guard"...Gasbag, please inject any statements to clarify this "copin' a plea" on a the black-out drunk anytime! I know you have heard it before....
Excuse me, but isn’t breaking and entering and beating someone else that an honor code violation?
***
Judish. Unless he lied about it or stole something after breaking and entering.
WHY ISN’T UNDERAGE DRINKING AN HONOR CODE VIOLATION? IT CLEARLY INVOLVES TELLING A LIE AND BREAKING A LAW. SINGLE SANCTION SHOULD HAVE HELPED CLEAR OUT PEOPLE LIKE GH.
***
Well, it could be viewed as lying, although an honor code violation must involve act, intent, and seriousness. Underage drinking is not going to be viewed by most honor trial jurors as serious enough to warrant dismissal from the university.
And let's be honest - laws that put the drinking age at 21 in this country are a joke and only serve to deter young people from learning to drink reasonably and responsibly. Irresponsible drinking is the problem here.
It's a very different circumstance when 2 people who are drinking get into a fight. Huguley wasn't in a fight with Love when she died, instead, he got in a rage, stormed into her apartment, and beat her to death. There's no "common flaw" like the defense attorney referred to in the article above, which could be considered a mitigating factor.
@yessiree
re: "My point is not borne on any desire to know everything about this tawdry murder case, but that the selective application of judicial power is at best silly and at worst Draconian."
A judge issues a ruling on the matter at hand based on his or her interpretation of the law and his or her own personal judgement. Judgement is by its very nature selective.
@crashdavid: Under the Virginia judicial code of responsibility, there was NO conflict. It's an ex parte communication. It had nothing to do with the defense attorney. There's only a conflict if the defense attorney is arguing before the judge, which he wasn't. You're making something out of nothing.
Hey Kiki,
Honor Code violation? B&E and assault are felonies unless they're committed on grounds, of course. The UVA bubble protects the bad guys . . . always has. Keeps whistle-blowers and tattletales in check too. Want to be ostracized? Rock the boat at UVA.
Certainly hope the new President has taken note and will finally do something to burst the "boys will be boys" bubble and weed out all the narcissistic sociopaths who call UVA home.
Kiki, there are and have been quite a few "puffy" athletes at UVA. Alcoholic bloat is pretty apparent in athletes, especially as you watch it progress over the four years. This is not limited to the Men's teams either. After graduation, many of them become falling-down drunks. When they come back for football weekends, etc. it's very sad to see the weight gain and bloat because they don't exercise anymore, they just drink themselves silly.
You and I can see it. Why are their coaches blind?
@mollymcguire
It's very easy to compartmentalize and let enablers off the hook.
Huguely will hopefully pay the "legal" price, but there is a moral price to be paid too. That's where the teammates, coaches and athletic department staff come in. They apparently allowed team rules, university regulations and the Honor Code to be violated. They apparently turned a blind eye to a problem.
"It's not my problem or it's not my job!" won't fly. They apparently ignored some HUGE red flags and handled his "symptoms" poorly.
Where were the team captains (eyes and ears for coaches) and his teammates?
Why didn't the coach did deeper into the root causes of Huguely's outrageous behavior when he beat his sleeping teammate?
Why didn't he report the assault to the real police?
Did he kick him off the team? NO!
Did he slap his wrist? YES!
Did he send Huguely to a psychologist or require anger management classes? Did he tell Huguely to curtail his drinking? Who knows.
Lots of resources at UVA. Did he use them?
Only time will tell.
The truth will out . . . it always does, even at UVA.
On 2/4/10, GH was kicked out of local bar for providing alcohol to 2 underage co-eds and then threatening them for not returning his advances. GH became very aggressive with the bouncers. The police were happen to drive by and asked GH to leave, although he intially became more abusive when they threatened to arrest him he left.
Is it my imagination, or does this guy look like an alcoholic?
If he grossly underachieved as a player at UVa (compared to his press-clippings coming out of high school) something like that could have been a reason for it.
My two cents: The men's lacrosse coach has a heck of a lot of explaining to do. The Washington Post reports Huguely beat up a fellow teammate last year because the guy supposedly kissed Love. (It's interesting to note that Huguely broke into the guy's room late at night.) The coach reportedly "disciplined" him and spoke to the team about it, but Huguely was not suspended and went on to play in the next day. It also does not appear that he ever reported it to the administration. Excuse me, but isn't breaking and entering and beating someone else that an honor code violation? This kid clearly had some serious anger management issues and problems with alcohol. You mean to tell me that this never reached his ears?
Each day this story becomes even sadder. My gosh, there were so many incidents involving anger/alcohol abuse I can't believe friends, family, teammates didn't intervene in some fashion. George was obviously a ticking time bomb and appears to have been for quite some time. How very, very tragic for so many. Bless Ms. Love's family and friends. May all of us learn something from this senseless murder.
didn't judge Higgins work in the same law office as the defense attorneys?
I'm not trying to be rude I just really think the focus should be on the offender. There's a lot of woulda-shoulda-couldas that I'm sure friends of these two kids are going to deal with for the rest of their lives. Criminal prosecution of them, based on what we know so far, just isn't necessary. I'm sure every one of them right now is thinking about everything they could've done.
I don't care if this judge has a red phone to Jesus (or if she merely thinks she has). The documents should be a matter of public record. She's just a judge, and a novice at that. Whoopee.
Boy George is a bad dude from the bone- remember what his "dad" said- "don't do anything that could be costly"..........see, nothing is "costly" to Boy George- he will do his time, then take over a family business that will keep the money in the family and he will never have to submit to a background check because his family knows his background. Perhaps the family has a history of all of this, and then his attorneys can blame Mom and Dad for his actions and the results of those actions- then again, it is their fault as they never, NEVER disciplined him themselves- and certainly doing 50 hrs "work" for a charitable organization such as the Blue Ridge Food Bank, or your community, as a punishment does not count. If it does count, than many people who do this work on their own have been "punished".
Remember Boy George- here comes Bubba- "BOHICA"!!!!!!!!!
Anyone read this yet? Turns out it wasn't the first incident of him being violent.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/07/AR201005...
Make note: He confessed to grabbing her by the neck and banging her head up against the wall....
He took her computer and hid it, later to give it up to LE.
No "black out" defense can be used unless he doesn't remember SAYING that he did all these things....
Just read the Post story. Wow. This kid had problems well before he came to UVa. In regards to his behavior towards Love, I cannot believe that none of his friends went to the administration or said anything to anyone. How could his coaches not have know if so many people on the lacrosse team appeared to be well-aware of his problems?
And the records WILL BE a matter of public record. Just after the trial.
Fair enough. Then seal all criminal investigation records.
My point is not borne on any desire to know everything about this tawdry murder case, but that the selective application of judicial power is at best silly and at worst Draconian.
The accused has already soiled his case by confessing straight up to B&E and to aggravated A&B, which precipitated a young woman's death in a pool of her own blood. Murder in the commission of a felony is a capital crime in this commonwealth.
If the commonwealth's attorney can't slam-dunk this one, then the good folk of Hooville should be champing at the bit for the next election of constitutional officers.
Thanks for the link justbeinobjective.
Apparently he was at a party, breaking bottles and said he was going over Love's to get her back. This is very disturbing because there was a warning and no one did anything. Others at the party should have realized the potential for danger and not allowed a drunk and obsessed, clearly angry and frustrated man going over to a young woman's house. They should have stopped him from going, or accompanied him if they couldn't stop him, called the police and warned Love. Of course they didn't think he was going to kill her, but you don't let a drunk, angry guy go over to a woman's house. But perhaps they were all too drunk to think clearly (though not too drunk to remember what he said).
I think this is a lesson to young people that they need to use their common sense and act responsibly if there is even a hint of danger.
Regarding the Washington Post story, posted above, it really bothers me that everyone knew he could get out of control and violent when drinking but no one went with him or tried to stop him when he said he was going "to get Love back", at one party Sunday evening. People around him must have wondered how he would conduct himself, going to see her in that condition. It seems like everyone was probably intimidated by him and just afraid to even step in his way. What a shame.
agarn- what does a private school have to do with substituting for parenting? Wouldn't you be pleased if your child was excelling at his sport, straight A's at an extremely academically rigorous school, well liked. How may parents know about what goes on while their kid is in school? by the grace of god many universitty students haven't killed someone while driving intoxicated! This kid was a disturbed drunk. I hardly think it has anything to do with private schools or money.
Cheryl Higgins is the presiding judge and chief judge in Albemarle County and chief judge in Charlottesville Circuit Court.
All,
It's just getting worse...this guy was obsessed with Yeardley....
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-breaking-news/friend-was-huguely-...
why would Judge Higgins have signed it if it was in the city? Is there some sort of inter-jurisdictional authority?
CNN reported this morning that the UVa lacrosse coach encouraged players to limit their drinking to one day a week! With 8 players cited for underage drinking, this coach should be fired BEFORE the tournament. The university cannot have such a poor role model and employee of the university. Maybe the coach could have prevented this??!!! Now what does Casteen say! If true, fire the coach him, NOW!
Interesting UVa Foxfield safety video encouraging folks not to drive home impaired including UVa lacrosse players. No where do they say NOT to drink if you are underage--only to not to drive. Are they not missing the point that underage drinking is illegal?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pImjokP49TQ
From Baltimore Sun: Universities Looking for Answers to 'Intimate Partner' Violdence
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-love-killing-safety-2010...
From Claire Kaplan:
"Kaplan of the Women's Center said the lack of previous knowledge in the Love case is haunting to her. "If we'd known something, we would have acted," she said. "In this kind of instance, one would involve his coach, and the athletic department, making sure that her safety is paramount." Kaplan said the university can issue "no contact" orders, find new housing for a student and even place someone in a shelter for battered women, if need be. She said she has to think that some people on campus noticed problems between Huguely and Love. "I am sure people knew he was being a jerk to her. I don't see how anybody could hide that. How much more did they know? I don't know." She said she wishes the university could have helped Huguely, too. "We failed him since who knows how far back," she said. "This is a young man who's had serious problems."
UVA has to do something about all these violence around campus. The university is going to get a bad reputation if they don't. More police presence on campus and surrounding areas, better lighting system, more alcohol and crime prevention education, self defense classes for women, there's so much they can do!
It's good to Miami's #60 law school getting such love. Take that, Columbia!
Looks like the jailhouse life is putting a lil paunch on ole George. Melvin Whitaker, Andrew Alston now we can add Georgie Huguely to the list of UVA psychos who killed or maimed others in this peaceful academic village. Maybe since her life had "value" he will actually get some time unlike all the rest. Just glad it was not some townie or he'd be walking the streets right now.
I guess it takes a "small town mentality" to have as much contempt for these "social climbers" as I do. But so what, they are awful, dreadful people, you don't have to read "Bonfire of the Vanities" to hate these people!
fu2
Coach should have known. Coach has a team policy that condones drinking -- no mention of age BTW and it allows one day per week. ROTFLMAO Players knew. Coach knew what they were dealing with.
Coach should be fired.
AD should be fired.
Asst AD in charge of Lax should be fired.
Men's Lax team should be disbanded.
Casteen's already leaving.
Only way to right things is to CLEAN HOUSE!
That's the price of employing a "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" policy that allows this kind of culture to develop.
Ask the Daleks say . . . EXTERMINATE!
gnarley dude that is hilarious! At some point someone had to crack wise on GWB. Drunk, over-privileged, substance abusing hothead. Does anyone else know of any George's that fit that profile? Wonder if their families hang out with the Farish's and Bushes down at their compound in Palm Beach. What a dysfunctional world those losers live in...
No chance for a blackout defense because he didn't black out! He remembered details of the altercation and remembered taking and hiding the laptops. Anyone who understands what a blackout really is (i.e., not having fuzzy or vague memories) should know he did not blackout. It sounds like he does blackout when drinking (e.g., not remembering getting tased or breaking a window) but he clearly remembers his actions from the murder. A good prosecutor would destroy a blackout defense.
Any defense was lost when he waived Miranda and started talking. Unless there is some precedent that a person under the influence cannot waive Miranda?
Cheryl Higgins, the circuit judge who reportedly sealed the Huguely search warrants and "subsequent warrants" that may be filed, is in fact a former law partner of Huguely's lawyer Fran Lawrence. Before she was appointed to her current gig, Higgins and Lawrence were partners in St. John, Bowling, Lawrence & Quagliana, LLP, with offices (still) at 416 Park Street.
http://www.stlawva.net/
social climbers you say small town? how dare they! off with their heads!
Unless he's given preferential treatment in prison, Georgie boy will likely end up being unintentionally "kind" to the big bubbas with a throbbing urge for pretty boys and too many viewings of Deliverance under their belts.
So much for entitlement.
They may be odious people and permissive parents, and probably instilled all sorts of skewed values. Nevertheless, a large portion of Uva's undergraduate population grew up under similar circumstances and have somehow managed to avoid murdering their significant others in fits of obsessive rage. This guy is an adult and bears responsibility for his own actions. We can't crucify these parents for what he did of his own volition, after making a series terrible choices. But I do agree that our current culture of excess plays a significant role--worth scrutinizing--in how these kids orient themselves in the world.
Brian is right; this could easily have been a non-athlete, a frat guy, an Echols Scholar, an engineering student, etc. People want to "shut down" the lax team as if that addresses the problem in some way. The problem is that domestic violence is still received with a wink and a nudge in too many quarters. The problem is that too many women don't think enough of themselves to have nothing to do with a guy who treats them badly. The problem is that too many people grow up never learning to think of others first and themselves second. These problems might be more pronounced in the insular, extremely wealthy enclaves that produce top-quality lax recruits, but they're hardly unique.
He looks like he's just a kid in this photo - a kid in a big body.
So many people have been deeply affected by this, most of all the family of Love and Huegley. Huegley will have to live with this for the rest of his life. I hope that the fact that he came clean immediately signifies some remorse as this would be a good sign. He clearly has been a very troubled person for some time. It seems that losing someone who was special to him was too much for him to bear and was the straw that broke the camel's back. He knew no other way to deal with his frustration and sense of loss than through violence. In the masculine culture in which he grew up, perhaps he was not taught any other way and had learned it was his physical strength that could get him what he wanted. What a tragedy. I think his excessive drinking was a way to deal with his buried, painful emotions - very common in our society, especially among men who often don't know how to deal with feelings of insecurity and lonlieness.
Some people may think I am being too soft on Huegely. However I bring this up because violence committed by men is a big problem in our society. When it's against men, it's bad, but against a usually much less powerful woman, it's very bad. I think it warrants our time to look deeper into the causes of why men behave like this,and how as a society we enable these behaviors by reinforcing popular notions in some sections of society (such as colleges, fraternities and sports teams) of real men as aggressive and hard-drinking. As a society we need to try to help men, so incidents like this can be prevented. Huegely acted on his own and he is reponsible but I feel in some ways society failed him as well as Love.
I pray for Huegley that he may learn some lessons and become a better person from this. All of us have the ability to transform ourselves and recover our own true loving nature. I pray that Huegley can transform himself with the help of people who care.
There is a lot of anger and hate on these forums. That won't bring Love back. I believe in constructive criticism in order to improve checks and balances. But unbounded hate and anger directed at Huegely, his friends, lacrosse players and other posters on the forum only perpetuates the problem. Let's try to be kind to each other.
Wow..Jake, read that article....it just keeps getting worse...they knew about his outbursts, no way they couldn't. But I don't think I would have thought that it would have ended like it did either. More prayers to the families, friends and team mates.
Awful awful stuff. I believe the accused knew what they were doing, both when he beat up his teammate and when he beat up/killed the victim. He used the "drunkeness" as a cover to do what he wanted: revenge for whatever slight he perceived. Teammates probably didnt turn on him because the accused was dangerous: he was one of the biggest seniors on the team, with only a few others a little bigger than him, and I am sure they developed ways to defend themselves against him (I don't believe for a second that they all like him like a brother). Last, last comment from me forever, I think the accused has a long history of BEING abused by one of his parents. Some athletes journies to excellence in athletics/education follows some pretty awful reinforcement, and I think he was beat to a pulp by someone in his family, which reinforced his need to beat up others to "get revenge". Getting beat repeatedly can turn someone into a monster of a personality, from which a return may happen but is unlikely. All I can say is that people, when isolated with the accused, didn't stand much of a chance. This guy was destined to be bad.
S Jones
You only made one mistake in your assessment of VA in her current state of despair .
That would be the COMMUNIST state of Virginia .
Dakota
These types of documents are ordinarily a matter of public record.
Judge Higgins is a judge in the 16th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. She is not just an Albemarle County judge.
I think the 16th includes Charlottesville, Culpeper, Fluvanna, Goochland, Greene, Louisa, Madison and Orange.
Voluntary intoxication isn't a defense to any crime. Juries are instructed on this.
Being intoxicated isn't a defense to anything unless you can prove that somebody dosed you. If you intentionally drink booze or take drugs, then from the law's perspective you intend to do whatever actions you take while drunk or high or whatever, and you'll have to pay the price for your actions.
On top of the reasons already mentioned why blacking out is not a justifiable defense, there is the fact that he KNOWS he is a blackout drunk with violent tendencies. For all we know, he is gentle when sober and only violent when wasted, but it is one thing to have (I assume) a series of social mistakes and being told how much of an ass you were the night before, but to not remember getting tased and arrested? C'mon. Other people could have done something, but he, more than anyone else, should have seen the warning signs of his drinking and taken action to stop his destructive behavior. He was well aware of his Mr Hyde and it is his own fault that he allowed himself to blackout and commit such a heinous act.
A blackout drunk named George W.? He must hate everyone.
Godspeed to Ms. Love's family.
GH V's attorney is/will be grasping at straws. The 'accident' defense is not going to fly, so black-out drunk is next. If it is true that the roommates called in an alcohol poisoning (and I don't actually think it is true), then it can be 'assumed' that Love had an alcohol abuse problem, too. You better believe GH's attorney is going to try to blame this on the victim. That is why I am glad that the records were sealed. If the autopsy report reveals that Love was also drunk, that would put the whole case in the same boat as the case in Augusta County.
Anyway, I just brought up the case in Augusta County to show that a jury in Virginia can consider 'voluntary intoxication' in their deliberations in a first degree murder case.
Looks like the jailhouse life is putting a lil paunch on ole George.
***
Well, the photo is from 2008, so maybe it was more of a beer gut. It's interesting to look at GH V's lacrosse statistics. He peeked as a highly recruited first year and then really got any better as a player.
Looks like the jailhouse life is putting a lil paunch on ole George.
***
Well, the photo is from 2008, so maybe it was more of a beer gut. It’s interesting to look at GH V’s lacrosse statistics. He peeked as a highly recruited first year and then really got any better as a player.
Susan R -- thanks, and keep up your good work.
I'd like to know about the results of the manditory random drug tests that are given to UVA athletes. Will we get to know about the results of those of George Hughley's?
Another questions.. sorry for my ignorance, but I am struggling with... he was "going to get her back""... does that mean he wanted to go reclaim her as his girlfriend or get back at her because she rebuffed him? I think the former, but it dawned on me that it could be the latter.
Thanks....
This guy has a problem in Lexington, a couple in Florida, assaulted teammates, tried to assualt the girl days before and had to be restrained by other LAX players. But yet no one knew of his seroius violent behavior. If I live with a guy, eat with a guy, party with a guy, travel with a guy, and practice with a guy for four years I am going to know if he is crazy. The men's players knew and the coach most likely knew also. No one did anything. The coach needs to be fired. The university says "if we only knew". They have known how students act at foxfield for years and nothing is done.
I can speak only for myself of course, but I can not help but wonder, is anyone else as sick and tired of the seeming never ending shenanigans of U. Va.’s athletes? As a Charlottesville native, I can most emphatically say, I’ve had enough. The blind eye that was afforded to men’s lacrosse team player George Huguely, which afforded him the proximity to Yeardley Love, is just the icing on a very disgusting cake. I can not accept that those authority figures around Huguely were completely unaware of Huguely’s temper and other vices. They will ultimately fall upon the anvil of history and the verdict that is hammered into being there.
When a student is granted the privilege of being an ambassador for U. Va., and for the city and county of Mr. Jefferson, they should understand that they have accepted a most sober responsibility. They are the representatives of the school and the community, wherever they are, during the time they are engaged in scholastic and athletic endeavors as Cavalier athletes. I am not impressed when I hear of athletes breaking into the vehicles of residents to steal stereo equipment. I am not proud to hear about U. Va. athletes shoplifting at the mall. It is just plain ignorant, to have to stand before the local judicial system, to explain why a group of athletes walked out of a local drinking establishment, without paying the bill. These are just some of the incidents that I can recall. They are not cute, they are not justifiable, and we now see the tragic results of either inattention, or negligence, on the part of coaching staff and others in authority.
It is clear that U. Va. needs to be more concerned with the personal character of its athletes. It would appear that physiological, criminal, and financial background checks are in order. Obviously, more attention to any paper trails that have been accumulated at each players high school, or prep school needs to be meticulously examined. It is the minimum required to honor Yeardley Love’s memory. This must not be allowed again.
@Henry: Bravo!!!!!
His lacrose coach surely knew this punk, unless the coach lived in a vacumm or had no concern.
Everyone talks about ââ?¬Å?warning signs””Š”Š”Š.an athletic coach is a life coach. The best ones know their charges and can get the point across, and still have ââ?¬Å?winning” teams. Maybe the punk was ââ?¬Å?too good a player to fail”. Maybe the team and coach wanted the win so badly that it didn’t matter how they did it. The other players knew this punk too- they never had the balls to say a thing or keep him in line. Now they all say ââ?¬Å?we knew something would happen”Š..” a little late to speak up.
None of these people who never had the balls to say a thing, or intervene will ever make it in the real world, without help from daddy”Š.
Orders are sealed because they typically reference information within the warrants as part of the order.
There's also no conflict, because the order was requested by the Commonwealth's Attorney. It's an ex parte request, and has nothing to do with the defendant or his attorney.
I'd imagine if it was clear to any coach or friend that someone could or would get killed, they would have stepped in. Much as I think athletes and coaches can be very arrogant, I don't think any of them would knowingly sacrifice the life of a young woman - an athlete herself - for the team. Violence is part of our culture and coaches must deal with aggression from players regularly, players must deal with it from each other regularly. I imagine the reality was that no one ever thought this could happen and if they had an inkling, they reasoned it away.
I know that until I had something violent happen to me, I never imagined it could.
Coaches at UVA will likely now be expected to look out for aggressive behavior in the way that after the VA tech shooting, professors were schooled in identifying possibly disturbed students and asked to refer them to counselors. The stakes are higher now. But those are at best stopgap solutions. Ultimately it's unfair to blame anyone but the perpetrator for this, despite the fact that I do think UVA puts undue emphasis on sports and is too indulgent of the kids who play them. Assuming Huguely is guilty (and it seems so) he is an adult and responsible for his own behavior.
You can ban men's lacrosse like some here want to do but I'm not sure that will solve anything. Domestic violence is a societal problem. It's not going to go away because men aren't allowed to play lacrosse.
Here's an interesting article taken from Lacrosse Magazine, written byn Joel Censer:
May 7, 2010
UnCensered: Huguely Not the Only One Facing Trial
by Joel Censer | Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online | Censer Archive
Kent Squire-Hill, a former junior college standout at Onondaga, faces second-degree murder charges in the 2008 death of Tashina General at the end of this month -- a case which has received scant media attention compared to the recent one charging Virginia men's player George Huguely in the murder of UVA women's player Yeardley Love.
© James Escher
I've spent a lot of time during the past few days reading about and reflecting on the first-degree murder charges filed against Virginia men's lacrosse senior midfielder George Huguely for allegedly taking the life of his former girlfriend and Cavalier senior defender Yeardley Love.
After learning some of the details of her gruesome death and reading personal account after personal account describing Love as a very sweet-natured person, my initial feelings of disbelief and shock have turned more to anger and sadness.
Indeed, it’s hard to imagine Huguely, who I played against and remember from his days at Landon as a savvy and instinctive offensive player, as the same guy described in the police affidavits.
Trying to wrap my mind how this could happen, I kept thinking I had heard a story like this before.
And after making a few calls, I remembered Kent Squire-Hill, also known as Kent Owen-Hill.
A Six Nations native, Squire-Hill, like most Native Americans from the Ontario reservation, had the skill set you’d expect from someone who grew up playing in the tight confines of the box. After the lefty gunner helped lead the Six Nations junior team to just its second Minto Cup, he transferred his skills to the field game. At Onondaga Community College, outside of Syracuse, N.Y., he starred alongside current Syracuse stars Jeremy Thompson and Cody Jamieson, leading the Lazers to junior college championships in both 2006 and in 2007. He was also named 2007 NJCAA Midfielder of the Year and committed to play for the Orange for the 2009 season.
However, in late April 2008, Squire-Hill was arrested and charged with second-degree murder for allegedly strangling and then burying his ex-girlfriend Tashina General, who was then five months pregnant. At the end of this month, more than two years later, Squire-Hill will finally face a trial in Brantford, Ontario.
Obvious questions come to mind when comparing the two cases. Why has General’s story received such scant media attention while a media onslaught surrounds the Love-Huguely case? (Seriously, if you Google General or Squire-Hill, you will see how little you can find.) Does lacrosse just enter the national conversation when it stands as a proxy for bad behavior from privileged youth? How different is the Six Nations reservation from UVA’s bucolic Charlottesville campus?
But, most important, Tashina General’s story raises serious questions about whether Yeardley Love’s death was an isolated incident. Two unspeakable crimes have been committed, and two of our sport’s brightest stars stand accused. While it would be foolhardy and simplistic to blame lacrosse, I can't help but wonder whether the sport’s party culture might shoulder some of the blame.
When people die tragically, we should try to honor them first and foremost by making sure it won’t happen to someone else. In the coming weeks, as details trickle out and Squire-Hill and Huguely stand trial, we should give serious thought to what happened on those nights and how we can prevent future tragedies.
Only then can we really strengthen our community.
One last comment: what about the good that UVa athletes do? Some work on HIV prevention - in Charlottesville, for Charlottesville's citizens. Some do big brother/big sister, on behalf of Charlottesville's youth. Some work as hard as possible on the field to give Virginia's fans something to cheer about. Let's not forget athletes contributions to making Charlottesville a better place.
The accused is not violent because he's in Charlottesville or because he's an athlete. He's violent because he is on this earth, and this violent streak was built into him (perhaps by an abusive parent - you don't get a star quarterback and all-american lacrosse player out of someone who's not pushed to their physical limits) and, to an extent, allowed to persist because he wasn't put into a correctional institution when that's what he needed. The accused, like others who killed people violently and with mal intent, do so because they are allowed to. If this guy wasn't going to beat up his girlfriend now, he was going to do it in the future.
Keep in mind that others on his team knew and were very scared of this guy. Why were they not talking? I'd venture to say that they told the coach and saw that he dealt with it inadequately, and decided that if they handled him as a team, that no one would be hurt. They didn't think he's go after his girlfriend and hunt her down - they probably adopted some strategies to make sure he didn't beat them up. I believe all of this is going to come out. I'm pretty sure none of them were close friends of crazy Huguely.
Right now the coaching staff will talk to no one outside the police. Over time though, someone will do some digging and what they'll find is that the teams knew who this guy was and did what they could to keep him in check, but never thought he'd go as far as to kill someone who broke up with him. I doubt that ever entered their minds, but I certainly believe that they knew he was a threat to the team and maybe even counted the days before he left the school forever.
UVa's lacrosse team will feel this for a long time and so will its students. I'm an alum and I look at it and say, my god: this guy got away with so much and stole someone else's life, the signs may have been hidden from police but they were certainly apparent in public and in the conversations among friends, either at the sorority, among teammates, during holidays with family, at local bars and what not - wherever this guy passed through, he left a serious trail.
I don't think too much about race or class here - the accused could have come from anywhere. He was made to be bad, probably because of abuse (I wonder whether someone in his family beat him silly - something that he would then use when he got a chance in the future) and probably inherited to some degree. Did he have to be bad? No - he didnt have to be. Was he bad? Yes: this guy is bad.
@KellyAnne: I've read on other blogs and see in your posting that the death of Yeardley Love is being referred to as a case of domestic violence. That's a softer phrase than murder. Let's be sure it remains what it is - murder. By calling it domestic violence you are doubting Yeardley's ability to say no. She deserves better than that.
@MJ: That's a line of BS. The spin doctors have been out. Tell me why, when I called Clare about my daughter's situation she told me she could not call the man in and talk to him because of FERPA.
We can all tralk the textbook language of intimate partner violence. But what are the real actions the university would take if someone went to them. Don't give me the "well, we might have....". Tell me the truth of what happens when a girl reports her boyfriend to be abusive! Is there anyone out there who can say they went to the University for help and received it?????
"Orders are sealed because they typically reference information within the warrants as part of the order.
There’s also no conflict, because the order was requested by the Commonwealth’s Attorney. It’s an ex parte request, and has nothing to do with the defendant or his attorney." Jake
Wonderful! The judge who sealed the warrants and sealed the order sealing the warrants is the former law partner of the defendant's lawyer. But that's okay because the Commonwealth's Attorney requested that the warrants be sealed. There's no conflict. Collusion perhaps.
It seems to me that the media, formal and internet, bloggers and posters on the boards have developed more information and leads about this case in less than a week than the "authorities" could find and develop in a month. And now the meager official sources of info have been sealed.
Truly last comment from me: every case like this is the "exception" that exposes all inadequacies of existing institutions (not just the University but hotlines, not just hotlines but families, and not just families but friends - those who knew something and clearly reported to the wrong people, who did nothing that could help); the only one that worked: 9-1-1.
I don't blame the victim but do wonder about her sorority sisters and teammates, who saw something wrong; I don't blame the victim but do wonder about members of her family, who heard something very troubling; I don't blame the victim but do wonder about her teammates and Huguely's teammates, who all publicly and privately experienced something wrong (either physically or verbally). I would even venture to say that the victim likely spoke with authority figures (in her family, networks, and even within UVa's systems) and they did not help her.
A killing exposes a lot of fallacies. Really, where were Huguely's teammates, who knew their own teammate was crazy? I have to think that they knew even if they reported it to the head Coach (which they did following the locker room incident) that they saw he would do nothing more than tell Huguely not to do it again (and it sounds like Huguely did not do it again to his teammates, seeing he wouldn't get away with it anymore). Where was the UVa women's coach? Why didnt she and the men's lacrosse coach and UVa Athletics director call in Huguely to reprimand him regarding his treatment of the girlfriend, and how they wouldn't stand for it?
It's not just a failure of institutions but a failure of people who know something not to come forward and get the right people involved. Given that others could not confront the situation effectively (Huguely's parents failed miserably, his teammates likely saved themselves from him [from traveling in packs and isolating him from others when he was around THEM] but did not monitor him closely enough to prevent the death of Ms. Love - they knew he was crazy but did not know he was capable of doing something so awful.
The right people were the police, and they were involved too late. No one else stopped him - they probably
If authorities corner someone like this guy, he has no where to go. No one corned him on anything other than not to hurt his teammates.
I think what you are saying Susan is that no one takes responsability, as if the student were their own responsibility. They look at it as "it's awful but...", "terrible but...". I also don't think President Casteen was lying when he told students to contact him and that he would go with them to the police station (and he certainly meant local police, not UVa police) to testify as to what they knew. This is President Casteen's last chance to do something meaningful at the University, and I think it's the right bridge to the next University President (a female sociologist from the University of Michigan). I certainly think she will know what the stakes are when she takes over this summer: it's the safety of the student body and the Charlottesville community they impact. I recognize you are active in this cause: it sounds like you are already in contact with the incoming President on this.
@CrashDavid: Where...would the collusion be? Higgins is a former prosecutor. Do you think she wants to let a MURDERER go free because she used to be someone's COWORKER?
Huguely sounds like a classic naraccist. He also sounds like someone who got into fights in public and didn't care who was around to see it. You can't tell me that this teammates, friends, etc. didn't talk and word of this never got back to his coach. If you compare his mugshot to his 2008 photo he looks really puffy and bloated esp. for a athlete. Didn't the coach wonder why someone that young and athletic looked that way and think perhaps it could be related to excess drinking?
WHY ISN'T UNDERAGE DRINKING AN HONOR CODE VIOLATION? IT CLEARLY INVOLVES TELLING A LIE AND BREAKING A LAW. SINGLE SANCTION SHOULD HAVE HELPED CLEAR OUT PEOPLE LIKE GH.
http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/article/papers_file_challen...
Jake:
The above link reports that the three newspapers are appealing Judge Higgens' order sealing HER ORDER to seal the warrants. IF a compelling argument was made to her that the warrants should be sealed then, at least, that argument should be made public and she should take responsibility for issuing that order. It seems we know it was Judge Higgens only because a court clerk let it slip that she had signed the order. Wasn't there any other judge not previously connected with acting defense council who could have heard the argument and made the ruling without the appearance of conflict? Judge Higgens should have recused herself.
I don't think anyone wants to see a murderer go free but as every lawyer knows: it ain't the argument and it ain't the law and it ain't the lawyers - it's the judge. Sometimes only the sunshine of public awareness will keep a first degree murder charge from becoming voluntary manslaughter. And twenty to life from becoming 36 months with 1/3 off for good behavior.
@crashdavid: Virginia doesn't have any sentences like 20 to life. Virginia abolished parole, so he could be given life, but there is no parole. The minimum a criminal can serve is 85% of the sentence. Even if he received the mandatory minimum sentence of ten years for voluntary manslaughter, he would have to serve 8.5 years. Most people serve the full sentence and few are allowed the 15% reduction for 'good behavior' and I don't think GH can be of good behavior.
Let's just hope that CPD does a good job with the evidence and can prove premeditation. This kid has had more breaks than he ever deserved already.
Wildflower:
Thanks for the VA law update. Has the law changed since the Andrew Alston case?
http://www.newsplex.com/news/headlines/3198291.html
I appreciate SusanR's postings on all of these sites.
I have spent time at many Universities in the US. UVa, perhaps because it is inside a special "bubble" police district (Albemarle county) inside another (Charlottesville) inside its county (Albemarle again), & because the town is so small, has made itself impervious to law--in every way, at every level. Just try to shepherd cases where UVa is defendant--they don't come up. It is above AAUP, CHEC, EEOC, and all the other regulations other universities abide by.
I was at the vigil the other night, fortunately not when Casteen spoke, because I would have shouted had I heard him dare say that women "should" come forward with complaints. SusanR is right: women on UVa campus know that THEY are just as likely to be labeled "the problem" as is the victimizer.
If I had a college-age daughter, I would not allow her to come to UVa, and that is true of no other school of its stature in the US.
I am personally a victim of retaliation over simply being tangentially involved in an attempt to raise EEOC concerns, and while I know of close to a dozen attempts to raise such concerns with the administration, I know of no such instances that were resolved in the way I have seen standard at other universities, and most were not resolved at all.
This case made the headlines because of its graphic nature; sadly, it must be seen as the tip of an iceberg that badly needs to be exposed.
@crashdavid: What part of the law? If you are referring to the mandatory minimum of 10 years for voluntary manslaughter, I am just going by what a man who was charged with first degree murder received as a sentence when he was recently convicted of voluntary manslaughter. News reports said that the jury recommended the mandatory minimum of 10 years for voluntary manslaughter. I haven't actually researched the law.
If you are referring to the fact that Alston got out 5 months early; that is 85% of his 3 year sentence. 85% of 3 years is 2.55. Sadly not enough for killing a person.
Kellyanne,
Banning or disbanding the Men's Lacrosse team should be the CONSEQUENCES the team and UVA have to suffer.
They had a problem.
They knew they had a problem.
They knew he was violent.
They chose NOT to act or acted inadequately.
Why? Because they like to WIN, at any cost.
The team members, coaches and athletic department management should be accused of Depraved WINdifference -- anything for a "W," even a young woman's life.
May not solve the greater societal problem, but certainly sends a message.
GH V definitely had deep problems of some sort. He also seems to fit the profile of a sociopath. The drinking itself does not explain why he killed. Have known plenty in my days at UVa who got drunk and rowdy, but they never harmed anyone.
He certainly is a brave man,attacking people while they are sleeping. There's a word for that sort of thing, begins with C and ends with "oward".
Whenever the Alston case comes up,there is something always comes to mind. When I was a student, it never once occurred to me or my friends to arm ourselves before going to the Corner. With the kitchen knife used for chopping vegetables, which would have been the only one in the house. Yet he carried a deadly weapon, and a life was lost. The justice system was a travesty in that case, with his highpriced lawyer snookering the jurors. Lets hope we don't see that in this case.
Yes, maybe the University, his coaches or teammates, should have seen danger signs and acted earlier, he certainly had a history of violence. But then again there are murders or other violent crimes where "nobody saw it coming" where the perpetrator was described after the fact as a "fine family man", someone no one would have suspected.
We can hope this tragedy will indeed cause the University to finally face up to the serious problem of sexual and other violence against women here, something that is wider and more pervasive than has been acknowledged.
Ex-UVA "women on UVa campus know that THEY are just as likely to be labeled ââ?¬Å?the problem” as is the victimizer." If this is true and so widespread without exception, why do so many young women stay at UVA for 4 or more years? I do not doubt that there are major problems on grounds as there are problems in Charlottesville, in Richmond, on campus at Virginia Tech, on campus at VCU, on and on. If women just decide they will not get a fair hearing so let's not speak out, will the system ever change? I am a woman and darn proud of it, but if I'm afraid to speak up for myself because I might be blamed for speaking out, I have made myself a triple victim, a victim at the hands of the person who did me wrong, a victim of the system, and worse yet, a victim of my own fears.
Suggestions that the men's lacrosse team be disbanded and Coach Starsia be fired is labeling all 40 other teammates as being the same as George Huguely without the benefit of any due process. It could be correct that there is something very, very wrong within the coaching staff and the team itself. That determination should be done after a very careful review, not based on speculation immediately following the tragedy of Mr. Love's death.
@crashdavid, Also, she made a ruling that the PROSECUTOR wanted. Even if there was a conflict--which there wasnt--her decision HURT the defendant. Your argument for recusal only makes sense if it was the other way around.
@Ex-UVA: Thank you. You've said it better than I ever could.
Hindsight is 20/20, but it certainly does appear as though everyone looked the other way and gave this guy a pass for his criminal behaviors. His coaches, fellow players, even cops enabled him for years. Yes, he came from a priveledged background, but male there is also a double standard for male athletes from the ghetto IMO.
Yeardley's friends and family may have tried to intervene, but abusers are very manipulative, and women often do not want to "rock the boat" and think things will get better. The way the system is set up, unless a crime is committed, no action will be taken that will guarantee no further violence.
The only way to prevent it is for the victim to stay away from the jerk. Even a restraining order is useless unless the person chooses to obey it.
I hope that we all use this terrible tragedy to reach out to the young people in our lives and take a stand to change the status quo. When I say everyone, I mean each of us as human beings, but also organizations such as UVA.
Just my thoughts.
I guess some could view my comments as being a defender of Coach Starsia and the University. If so, that's not my intent other than believing that there should not be a knee-jerk reaction to bad publicity. I do have a question. What's up with athletes majoring in Anthropology. I don't know the number, maybe not a majority, maybe not even a large number. I just don't have time to look at all of the team rosters. I do know that several on the basketball team were/are Anthropology majors. I read when this story first broke that George Huguely was majoring in Anthropology. I went on line and read a description of the course at UVA. While I can understand that some would be interested, it just does not seem to be an upcoming field on the way to great success after college life. Maybe I'm entirely wrong in my assessment. I've always understood that UVA does not offer a "special" course of study for athletes, but seeing a number who have recently been the subject of blogs I have to wonder, is this the hidden, un-acknowledged athletes' choice to maintain good standing within the academic community?
@crashdavid and me: I did search the Code of Virginia last night, and I should have known better that to take the word of a reporter on the 'mandatory minimum' sentence for voluntary manslaughter. The actual minimum for 'murder one' is five years. Five freaking years! The maximum sentence for voluntary manslaughter is 10 years. This guy could get as little as five years even if convicted of murder in the first degree! He could be out in 4.25 years.
Anthropology is for the brainiac students.
***
Huh? Not at U.Va. What was he supposed to major in? Physics? Math? A foreign language and its literature?
Yeah, right.
Jake:
The judge's ex parte ruling sealing her ruling to seal the warrants is being appealed by the Richmond Times Dispatch, the Charlottesville Daily Progress and The Washington Post. All I am saying is that if the judge wants to seal info away from the public let the public know why. I could argue that keeping information from the public can be helpful to the defense AND the prosecution but not necessarily toward the ends of justice.
Anthro can be a gut major, if you want it to be.
Back when U.Va. football players' majors were listed on telecasts the results were usually along the lines of:
Anthro - Soc - Anthro - Anthro - Soc - Psyc - African-American Studies - Soc - Psych - Anthro, etc.
Occasionally, there'd be a history or government/foreign affairs or art major thrown in.
U.Va. doesn't have a "general studies" major, and they got rid of rhetoric and communications, so athletes gravitate toward the social sciences.
@Honoree: I was wondering about anthropology as a major for GH V, too. Since he comes from a family of successful builders, why would this athletic, privileged kid be interested in an anthropology degree? Anthropology is for the brainiac students. I can't see this party-hard student interested in a career this boring. A career in the humanities and the social sciences? I don't think so.
@Crashdavid: I wasn't responding your argument about whether the order should or should not have been sealed. I am indifferent. I was responding to your argument that she should have recused herself.
If Rhetoric and Communications was a gut major, then it could be equally said that "OK" is an intelligent human being. However, since neither is the case, we'll merely be subjected to OK blathering like the ding-dong it is.
@Spike: Thank you for blathering like a ding-dong and substantively adding to the conversation.
Then why did they drop the vitally important major of RCS? I am sure that it has served Ralph Sampson well.
Well, except when he's being repeatedly busted for failing to pay child support.
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From the Hook in 2007:
NBA teams wanted him as a freshman, but every year until graduation, "Sir Ralph" as he was dubbed by some in the media, stayed at UVA and earned his degree in communications.
The Houston Rockets used their #1 pick in the 1983 NBA Draft to make him theirs, and basketball fans eagerly awaited Sampson's splash in the pros. But even for a giant like Sampson, the expectations were too high. After a promising first season in which he was Rookie of the Year, and after sending the Rockets to the NBA Finals with a last-second shot that defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, a series of knee injuries made it difficult for him to dominate as he once had at U-Hall.
After bouncing around to four different teams in his last five seasons, Sampson ended his NBA career having averaged a respectable 15 points and nine rebounds per game, but well short of the predictions that he would be one of the best ever.
His off-the-court struggles have been equally well-documented. After being indicted in a federal child support case in 2006, Sampson struck a plea deal that resulted in a two-month jail sentence for mail fraud. He was also ordered to pay $300,000 in child support payments for children he had fathered with two women.
***
RCS pride!
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Just what this forum needs - homophobic slurs.
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Of course. People can do quality work in the majors that I mentioned at U.Va. it's just that it's much easier to skate by in those majors at a B or C level then it probably is in the sciences. Among other things, departments in the social sciences tend to emphasize the effects of social stratification and the importance of cultural diversity, so these departments are probably less inclined to try and weed people out. Not that some professors wouldn't be tempted by some students ....
And the reality is that not every U.Va. student is really looking for a top-notch academic education. It's much harder to get into U.Va. (as well as lots of elite schools) than it is to stay in and graduate.
I believe that Halsey Minor was also an anthropology major at U.Va. And look how successful he's been in his career!
Wow! What did I miss? Most of the posts deleted by the moderator! Hmmm...
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@OK: I should have been clearer. The students that plan on a 'career' in anthropology are usually the more cerebral, intelligent and settled students, not a party jock. If UVA does not have an anthropology program that will turn out top anthropologists and forensic anthropologists, then that is untenable.
@ All of you. What petty bickering. Happy Mommy Day!
WHERE WAS GEORE HUGUELYS MOTHER MARTA SANSON, FORMERLY MARTA HUGUELY NOW MARTA MURPHY IN ALL OF THIS??????????
WHY WAS SHE SMILING LIKE SHE WAS IN A PAPRAZZI SHOT COMING OUT OF THE COURTHOUSE??????SO STRANGE !
THEY SAY SHE WAS A PART TIME MODEL AT SAKS BUT GEORGE HAD A FULLTIME NANNY
HOW DOES SHE EXPLAIN TO HER 20 DAGUHTER TERAN AT ELON UNIVERSITY THAT SHE RAISED A MONSTER WHO BEATS TO DEATH 22 YEAR OLD WOMAN
Yeardley had a sweet kind talented boyfriend at uva before she met GH. He was a UVA LAcrosse star and wnet to law school- obvioulsy there was some part of yeardley that wanted this rage filled rich guy loser rather than a nice guy ....
Stop making excuses for Boy George to have done what he did, and what he has done in the past.
One thing is for sure, prison life will be extrememly difficult for this punk- big bad boy, even had a nanny- his parents are a large part of the problem, because they were never part of the solution. Their solution was to get rid of the problem child and hope that the problems would go away.............well, way to go Mr. amd Mrs. Boy George. Visiting days are far and few between- the problem is going to be put away- probably good for you.....isn't that what you wanted anyway?
Wildflower:
Thanks for looking up the penal code. Five years for murder 1! Life is cheap in VA.
I read last night in a TJ bio that in 1825 fourteen drunken UVA students broke most of the windows along the Colonnade and threatened two faculty members with physical violence. The more things change.....
Can someone please lay out the steps in the legal process from this point? The next court hearing is scheduled for June 10.
Crashdavid: To set your mind at ease, Wildflower misread Virginia statute 18.2-32. First degree murder (with which George Huguely is charged) is a Class 2 felony, punishable by imprisonment for life or a minimum of 20 years and a fine of up to $100K. However, previous posts to the contrary, under Va. law voluntary intoxication can negate the deliberation and premeditation required for first degree murder.
Regarding the "UVA Bubble", if the prosecutor, judge, and defense attorney are all UVA law graduates, then that presents an issue to me. In my home town, the term, "UVA Lawyer" would elicit a roll of the eyes and "oh s--t", because graduates of UVA law were notoriously incompetent, disrespectful, inflammatory, and above all unethical. This was the school where Ted Kennedy was accepted after he was expelled from Harvard. The consensus was that these were the doltish scions of wealth whose parents paid Ivy League tuition for a state school diploma. No one respected a UVA educated lawyer, although plenty of people feared the trouble one could cause, because in fact, many were living on trust funds and their legal practices were nothing but vanity businesses.
HarryD: unfortunately you are right. with all the talk of who is to blame, it really falls on GH and his parents. they appear to have done a horrible job.
Can GH be granted bail on June 10? If so will he be able to leave VA? Will a Grand Jury be convened? An indictment handed down? Are there any constraints on plea bargaining? Can the Medical Examiner’s report be sealed? How does it all work from this point. (I knowââ?¬â??exceedingly slowly. Jarndyce and Jarndyce.)
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Yes. // Depends on the conditions of his bon // Grand juries meet once every two months // See last point. // Yes. // ME reports are not public record in the first place.
bond*
I have to say that I am surprised the victims mother has not spoken out in this case. Her daughter was beaten to death and I have yet to hear one word out of her. Yea I know she is going through hell right now but my point is this. Ole Francis is out there spewing key words like unintentional and accident so he can affect public perception. If this was my daughter I would have made sure to have an open casket at the funeral and have front row seats for the press. Let the world see what an accident this was.
really, Francis can spew all he wants. His words are taken for what they are: a frantic attempt at spin from a defense attorney with a loser of a case. The evidence does and will speak for itself.
What is there for her to say? It's not like public opinion is on this guy's side. No one is buying the defense's argument.
Also, any civil suit against UVA could be jeopardized by statements made today by a member of the Love family. She is being smart and classy by being silent.
@really?: The reason you can say what you would do if Ms. Love had been your daughter is because you have never had anything like this happen to your own daughter. You can't know if you have never walked in her Mother's shoes. I have done the walk, and I still can't have a conversation about my daughter without people becoming incensed and wanting me to file a lawsuit against the doctors and the hospital responsible for her death. The truth is, yes, I have a valid case, but after all the years in court, all the years of going over the horrible facts in the case in public, my daughter would still be dead. Nothing will ever bring her back, so I have to protect my heart and sanity by trying not to dwell on why I no longer have my sweet baby girl; why my only grandchild no longer has his Mother. Hatred and bitterness only hurts the one feeling the feelings. My grief has to be done in private and I don't want the media involved. My own sister thinks I am insane for not filing a lawsuit and I can't convince her that a lawsuit would solve nothing and would force me to keep living those horrible last 17 days of her life, instead of trying to remember the good times of her life.
I admire how the Mother and sister have handled themselves. They made the memorial and funeral about Yeardley and not about the one who took her life. I would not have allowed his name to be mentioned at any function regarding her death and burial.
Nature or nurture?
This guys life should be a lesson to all parents with ideas that therapists, nannies, and private schools are subtitutes for parenting.
Put down your tennis racket and get to work on your own child.
This monster may have been predisposed to this avenue but the parents did not stop him from taking it like they should have.
If we want to prevent this kind of thing in the future we need to adjust our values back to a time when a man was respected for stepping in and a woman appreciated the physical protection. Nowadays women are taught to believe that because they have a cell phone that can dial 911 they are safe. Unfortunately they are not. Too many young men are taught that women can fend for themselves in all areas and no longer need male involvement. There is a balance that needs to be found that allows men to protect women without dominating them.
911 rarely "saves" anybody. Is this guys buddies had laid him out the first time he jumped somebody he might have learned at least enough to keep himself in check.
to small town, small minds, I've already read elsewhere that his father was an alcoholic, possibly a substance abuser, and divorced. I've also read that while they may have a nice spread down in Palm Beach, that their financial position may be precarious to say the least. I mean it looks like the Huguely business is nothing more than a glorified hardware store business. In any event, I agree that these people are to blame as well. Shallow, pretentious, narcissistic, social climbers, the lowest of the low... Hope the right amount of blame is properly allocated to the parents as well...
So much hindsight....there are a lot of people like this in college and he is not that different than many football, bb, and lacrosse. This was just a worst case scenario and that is tragic.