Release from the ACCPD
"Investigation into the report of Simple Battery and Terroristic Threats filed by HUTSON and MEGHAN VANN of an incident which occurred in a taxi on March 28 has determined the offenders are NOT University of Georgia football players. However, one football player was in the taxi, but the investigation revealed he acted as a peace maker and tried to calm the situation. The other males have been identified as residents of Heard County and warrants are pending. Additional information will be released when the warrants are issued."
Still not sure if we'll get comment from Richt today or not. I'll post more as we get it.
And now a short infomercial on the dangers of jumping to conclusions...
(*Note: And here's a good example of jumping to conclusions.)
Monday, April 5, 2010
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18 comments:
Thank goodness. Good to know that the only football player was trying to do the right thing.
And the only Georgia student! It seems the other three guys were his buddies from off campus and weren't even students.
I think most of us called it, though. I can't think of four players who'd get together and act like that. Usually (hopefully)football players in numbers will have at least one of them to remind them they are going to get their a**es kicked...
Yeah, thank goodness. I hate that the articles had to go around for a few days linking UGA football with such vulgar behavior. I guess nothing can be done about that, but it's still a shame.
"However, one football player was in the taxi, but the investigation revealed he acted as a peace maker and tried to calm the situation."
So Mike " The Situation" was involved?
What a bittersweet couple of days. Still feeling terrible about Montez but very glad to read this about taxi/brat-gate.
I love the Dawgs. With all of my heart, I love the Dawgs. But it is the individual Dawgs who make up the program that I love the most. I shed a happy tear or two while showing everyone Jeff Owens' graduation pics. I was just so proud of all of those guys. I guess that's why I feel so heartbroken about Montez. And now this. It's a small smile that's been brought to my face, but it's there.
Whats a shame is this story should have never been tied to the team in the first place. The so called reporters that first reported this story (not the ones who merely reported on the first stories) should not be allowed back in Sanford Stadium. This was never a story other than a news story for the Athens area. There was no story from a sports perspective until it was known today that a player tried to be a peace maker. Absurd!
Ant123,
It should be noted that the police report and the victims were the sources that reported believing football players to be involved. It wasn't made up by any media outlets to sensationalize, it was taken directly from the official reports.
From what I've seen, it's mainly been fans who have been speaking too soon on the situation and calling for heads before the investigation went through. Have some faith in your Dawgs, Dawgs.
I concur Ant, but two things:
1.) the original report was in the R&B and they did not mention the football player involvement. It was only in the ACCPD report that was linked to the article.
2.) It was mostly the national blogs that picked up and ran with the story, often saying "four Georgia football players were involved" when the ACCPD report simply said there were four black men, one of whom one witness believed to be a football player.
Again, this is the danger of the current media landscape. I love sites like Every Day Should Be Saturday, but there's a difference in the journalistic standards for a site like that and the ones I am held to at the Telegraph.
Cornbread, That is my point "the report" which anyone that can fog a mirror can file, was nothing more than a rummor untill it had been investigated and then the results released or charges filed. The fact is no one not associated with UGA atheletics especially the football team) would have had the story written in the first place.
David, It was mostly those blogs and the AJC I was referring to. The way the R&B repoted it was the way it should have been reported by anyone that thought it should be reported.
Sorry, should say reported after R&B.
Ant123,
It's really just an unfortunate circumstance that can happen anytime in a situation like this. The root of the problem isn't national media or blogs (even though they can certainly exacerbate the problem), it's just people speculating when they don't know for certain. In this case, witnesses may have assumed that the perpetrators were football players, based likely on their looks.
I wouldn't blame the people who file the police reports either, because they have to take any and all evidence into account to assist the investigation. No one is really to blame, necessarily, but it does all start with speculation, and in this case, from witnesses.
Cornbread, The witness may or may not have thought a player was involved. I do not fault the people that filed the report. What someone says to a police officer is one thing. To actually report it is a totally seperate matter. If members of the media can't restrain themselves, then their access should be stopped or severely limited.
I'd concur to a certain extent, Ant, but that's dangerous territory, too. Limiting press access at a public institution or to public records is something that really can't -- and shouldn't -- be done. It's my hope as a journalist that all my peers live up to an expected level of ethical standards, but I think the freedom of the press has to still supersede any infractions by individual reporters. That's more of an issue that their employers need to take up with them, but it shouldn't be an issue of access.
Ant123,
No... it isn't a separate matter. If a witness thinks they have an idea of who the perpetrator could be, that sounds like good evidence to put in a police report. And it was.
http://www.redandblack.com/media/2010/03/31marchcab.pdf
"The taxi drive stated 'That's my homeboy Derek,' indicating one of the black males, all of whom were UGA football players, according to victim Hutson Vann."
The victim apparently was the one who made the assumption which led to the whole media debacle. This was rightfully included in the police report, and why wouldn't the media want to report the news... based on their only source, which is the police report (and witnesses)?
Yes, some media may have overblown the situation or handled it improperly. I don't know what you mean by limiting the access of irresponsible media, but that sounds an awful lot like trying to hamper freedom of the press to me.
But honestly, the bigger problem here is individuals who misconstrue the news they read, jump to assumptions and make a big deal out of nothing.
Exhibit A:
http://www.redandblack.com/2010/04/04/players-not-above-law-in-alleged-taxi-assault/
Read the first letter for some laughs.
David, I understand your point. But, to me it is obvious that the offenders in this case are few in number and in the case of the AJC are frequent repeat offenders. I would not limit the entire organisation just the specific reporters that abursed the priviledge of gettng that presspass in the first place. I do not know any other way to do it. I am open for suggestions though.
Cornbread, I read that first letter and while funny, it helps make my point. The medeia should not be printing police reports that incriminate someone or a group of someones. When the police or DA has evidence, not rummor or I think it was which winds up in many police reports, then by all means print it. Until charges are filed or are sure to be filed then it is not a story other than as an event not as it ties to individuals or groups.
Let's face it, the assumption made by the victims was that because the perps were big black men and they were dropped off at East Campus Dorms they had to be football players. Wrong, believe it our not there are big black men in the Athens area that do not play football or basketball for the University. Still Robinson was well on his way to getting the Fulmer Cup individual award for a single player.
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