OT: More Trouble For Butch Jones And UT
News breaking out of Tennessee today.
Hours after an alleged rape occurred Knoxville police notified Butch Jones that two of his players, AJ Johnson and Michael Williams, were going to be investigated. Jones immediately called his players and the lawyer who is currently defending them. That gave the two players four hours between when Jones contacted them and when the police questioned them.
Now KPD is in some big trouble here. This goes all the way up to the chief who called Jones four times that day and then made over 15 calls to Jones in the next 3 days.
I doubt anyone down there has the balls to go after Butch Jones but he could also be in serious trouble for obstructing an investigation.
The deeper they dig into this story the worse it gets.
Here's the article from the Tennessean
So fucked up. I hope they all get torn apart but I'm skeptical.
April 14th, 2016 at 10:49 AM ^
The prosecutor is going to prosecute. Sometimes for college kid crap it's better to let the coach know so that he can handle discipline without destroying the person.
Back in my youth I knew a couple of guys that worked out at the same gym as I did in the off season.. ('mid '80's) ... For them the worst punishment was being taken to Bo's house by the police in the middle of the night and having him open the door to see them standing in front of him.
FWIW they both said it was probably much worse than doing 30days...
That being said I'm not condoning any type of cover-up that may have been perpatrated by KPD and the Tennesee Head Coach. If that kind of crap was going on they both need to lose their jobs.
...is between sexual assault and the kind of misdemeanor that might get you 30 days and a summer of stair running.
And between an athletic department that's being sued over its past handling of alleged sex crimes and Bo-era Michigan football.
That the local police chief has the football coach's phone number isn't that much of a surprise, and if he wants to use it to give a heads up after a minor altercation in a bar or something, so be it. That he chose to use it now, for this, is a different kettle of fish.
satellite camps are the problem. This should only give more credence to the already filed against the university.
the ax for something like that.
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It wasn't a cop, it was the police chief.
If Butch is the one who told them to destroy evidence and get their stories straight, then it's just as bad for him. I'm not a criminal lawyer, but it seems that would be obstruction of justice.
It depends on the law of Tennessee and the ways in which the law is construed.
I'm a criminal defense lawyer in Oregon, not Tennessee. Telling someone to destroy evidence is most likely Solicitation of Obstruction (or similar offense like Hindering Prosecution). Telling someone to "get your stories straight" may be the same (or similar crime like Hindering Prosecution, or Solicitation of Perjury) if it is inferred you are telling one (or both) to lie. Telling a witness/accused not to speak with police could also be obstruction (or similar) depending on the manner in which the law is written.
Coach telling player that the police want to interview, you should "lawyer up" is undoubtedly ok (and generally very good advice).
Coach telling player that police are coming, you should flee, is problematic. Providing material support for player who is fleeing or facing charges, such as "here's money for a bus ticket" or harboring, such as lying to the police "he's not here" is a federal offense but seldom charged, at least in my jurisdiction.
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I thought it was bad when Tallahassee PD called Jameis Winston and asked him if he wanted to come in for questioning. This is much worse.
Looks like the Tallahassee Police Chief is now working in Knoxville.
The Tallahassee Athletic Director is now working in Knoxville.
Just a coincidence though.
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Too bad for Butch that Tennessee didn't extend their FOIA response time.
Harbaugh was right, not a shock, that Butch should worry more about his own affairs than with camps.
Well, I suppose if you subscribe to James Carville's view of Pennsylvania - "Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with Alabama inbetween" - this may be correct. PSU and child rape coverups and all that.
Not that this stuff doesn't happen more frequently in the South. It does. But it's hard to determine whether it's a "Southern thang" or a result of so many prominent football programs being in the South, and so many cops and politicians loving the rich smell of jockstrap.
The fragarant smell of eau de....
Ryan Nanni over at SB Nation wrote about this almost 2 weeks ago. It is very bad.
I was going to say....I knew I had read this. Thought I was losing it.
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damn I wish they were on the schedule so Harbaugh could make Butch his Bitch
Don't get your hopes up, no way Tenn makes the CFP
If Butch told the players to get their stories straight, destroy evidence, cover their tracks, etc., then it could be just as bad for Butch.
But if I have to choose who to defend (solely based on a desire to have a successful defense), I'd rather choose the football coach. The chief of police spends all day in ... criminal law enforcement. At least Butch Jones could plead ignorance (not that it's necessarily a defense, but for sentencing and plea purposes it's a mitigating factor). And in fact, the chief of police put Jones in a difficult position - you shouldn't tip someone off, but it has to be mighty tempting to do just that.
Moreover, Jones could argue that he thought it was OK to tell the players because the local law enforcement endorsed him doing just that. To be clear, I don't think anyone here thinks that Jones did the right thing (assuming he tipped off the players), or that it was legal.
Anyway, if true, both Jones and the chief of police look like dirtbags here.
special treatment for UT athletes from the police and Jones USING the police for specail treatment of his players...Guity and Guilty and at the least obstructing a investigation albeit a rigged investigation
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God help us if they get tasked with cleaning up police departments.
South Bend PD have been throwing incidents involving football players under the rug since forever, but are finally being called to bring police reports to light. Should be interesting to see what it uncovers.
departmnt and I believe they're the ones under fire. The campus is actually in Notre Dame, IN, not South Bend.
"The balls to go after Butch Jones"?
He hasn't done shit, it's not like he is some celebrity.
UT is coming off a 9-4 year after having one of the youngest teams in the country. They are the overwhelming favorite to win the SEC East this season.
No one local will step in front of that train.
Shows how far Tennesee has fallen that this is untouchable. They were competing for national championships in the late 90s.
I don't trust any team that has an alien at quarterback.
What's Jones' record at Tennessee? Just above .500, right? They'll probably go after him.