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Texas basketball coach Chris Beard was arrested and charged with choking his fiancee and fired lower than a month later when the college stated he was “unfit” to proceed main the Longhorns program.
Now the third-degree felony cost is dismissed, and so is the specter of as much as 10 years in jail. Travis County District Attorney José Garza introduced Wednesday that primarily based on the case proof and the fiancee’s needs to not prosecute, he (*5*).
Even when preliminary police reviews documented different proof similar to chew marks and an abrasion on her face, prosecutors had little probability of profitable a conviction with out a cooperative witness, home violence specialists say.
Beard issued his first public assertion on the matter Thursday, saying he was happy the cost was dismissed. He additionally stated he was “sorry and deeply remorseful” to his household, mates, gamers, employees and Texas followers.
WHY WAS BEARD ARRESTED?
Beard’s fiancée, Randi Trew, known as 911 on Dec. 12 after the 2 had a bodily altercation at his home. According to the arrest affidavit, Trew instructed police that Beard hit her, bit her and threw her round. She additionally stated he choked her from behind to the purpose she couldn’t breathe for as much as 5 seconds.
Beard was arrested on a cost of felony strangulation/suffocation-family violence and spent greater than 12 hours within the Travis County jail earlier than he was launched. The college suspended Beard with out pay later that day. He was fired on Jan. 5.
WHAT EVIDENCE CHANGED AFTER THE ARREST?
Trew issued a one-paragraph statement on Dec. 23 stating Beard did not strangle her. Trew additionally stated she didn’t imagine Beard supposed to hurt her that evening and that she by no means needed him to be arrested and prosecuted.
Trew’s assertion didn’t handle why she known as 911 and different proof cited by police, such because the chew marks and bruising. But critically, it particularly refuted the important thing component of the strangulation/suffocation cost and undercut the prosecution’s case.
“When a survivor is speaking publicly saying it didn’t happen, that makes it tough” for a felony prosecutor to proceed, stated Jeana Lungwitz, scientific legislation professor on the University of Texas and founder and director of the college’s Domestic Violence Clinic. “What made it a felony (charge) was the strangulation.”
The Associated Press doesn’t sometimes determine people who find themselves victims of sexual abuse or home violence, however Trew went public along with her account of the confrontation.
“When a survivor calls law enforcement, they just want whatever is happening to stop,” Lungwitz stated. “They often don’t want bad things to happen to their partners. They don’t want them to lose their job. They don’t want them to go to jail. They are scared and just want them to stop in that moment.”
COULD BEARD RETURN TO TEXAS?
There seems to be no probability of that. Beard nonetheless had 5 years left on a assured contract however was left with nothing when Texas fired him “for cause.” His contract had a clause that allowed him to be fired if he was charged with a felony or dedicated different conduct unbecoming of his place or that mirrored poorly on the college.
Texas officers left little question about how the administration considered the matter. Vice President for Legal Affairs Jim David wrote Beard’s lawyer, telling him the coach engaged in “unacceptable behavior that makes him unfit to serve as head coach at our university.”
Whether prosecutors dropped the cost or not wouldn’t decide whether or not Beard engaged in conduct unbecoming of the college, Davis wrote within the Jan. 5 letter. Texas officers declined to remark Thursday.
Beard might attempt to sue the college, however it’s unclear if he’ll. His lawyer, Perry Minton, has stated he doesn’t imagine Beard violated any portion of his contract.
“I am pleased with the announcement that the charges against me have been dismissed. While I always had faith and confidence in the truth and this outcome, it has been extremely challenging to wait patiently and not publicly respond,” Beard stated in his assertion.
“I’m sorry and deeply remorseful to my family, friends, all my players and staff both most recent and past, and everyone at my alma mater The University of Texas, including the fans and supporters who were affected by this situation,” Beard stated.
Texas has been led by interim coach Rodney Terry since Beard was suspended.
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