Taylor Lewan Under Investigation For Assault
AnnArbor.com/MLive have confirmed yesterday's report by Bucknuts.com that Taylor Lewan is under investigation by the Ann Arbor Police Department for his possible role in a fight outside the Brown Jug the evening of the Ohio State game. While they're not going as far as the Bucknuts story, it looks like this might have some legs.
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/12/police_investigat…
Police confirmed Lewan, a projected NFL first-round draft pick, was in the area of a fight involving Ohio State University fans about 12:30 a.m. Dec. 1 in the 1200 block of South University Avenue, but his level of involvement had not been determined as of Dec. 23.
Lewan has not been arrested and no charges have been filed in the incident. Police confirmed an investigation is taking place into the incident, but would not confirm any further details into the incident.
December 24th, 2013 at 10:42 AM ^
stopped out of fear that it wouldn't be taken in the spirit in which it was intended. I'll just give you a real +1 and a virtual +1 for being insightful and a quart low on smug self-righteousness.
December 24th, 2013 at 12:58 PM ^
Well, actually, there is good reason to believe that "should" IS grounded in reality. It's pretty controversial to say it isn't.
December 24th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 2:16 PM ^
It's not a matter of agreement or not. It is controversial, which is a fact. I haven't given an opinion at all.
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/metaethics/
December 24th, 2013 at 2:22 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 2:37 PM ^
I will take you up on your offer to have the last word, thanks!
A few things: the use of the word "should" that's relevant to this discussion is the one dealing with what one morally ought to do, not probability.
Second, the dictionary simply isn't the authority on what is and isn't reality, and it is absolutely not the authority on philosophical discourse.
Third, the links I threw at you were directly related to what we were talking about and from a highly credible source. No need to throw a hissy fit because your post wasn't as clever and decisive as you had hoped.
December 24th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^
Unless the Bucknuts report is a complete fabrication including the claim video camera footage there is no evidence that the accusers did anything to justify the assault. The supposed difference between Michigan and the rest of the world is we expect better and do not tolerate this behavior. If the allegations are true I would hope we would differentiate ourselves from the 99% that would just sweep this issue under the rug.
December 24th, 2013 at 11:36 AM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 12:45 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 10:50 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 6:03 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 9:59 AM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 10:31 AM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 10:46 AM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 11:05 AM ^
horseshit.
December 24th, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^
w/physicality and toughness
and fundamentals
December 24th, 2013 at 11:26 AM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 7:20 PM ^
It's all about pad level.
December 24th, 2013 at 11:14 AM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 4:34 PM ^
Michigan trying to invade an opposing team stadium. When was the last time that happened?
December 24th, 2013 at 11:48 AM ^
I am in. Sounds like the News Team Brawl, only if I can use a trident like Brick Tamland
December 24th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^
Go get 'em, Patton Oswalt.
December 24th, 2013 at 10:15 AM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 10:26 AM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 10:54 AM ^
I'll be thankful once Lewan is gone. Too much smoke around this kid for my liking. Where there's smoke, there's fire.
December 24th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^
Me too - something's not right with this boy.
December 24th, 2013 at 10:57 AM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 9:59 PM ^
How the hell do we know leadership was poor for Michigan this season? We werent in the locker room, at practice, or on the field for games this year... Now I am not saying that we had good leadership, bc I don't know. But to just say we had poor leadership without any reason is stupid.
December 24th, 2013 at 10:25 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 10:53 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
The Bucknuts story sounds damning, but it leaves open a lot of questions. If this was an unprovoked assault outside of a bar with the accused standing next to the police while being identified by the victims why were there no arrests. Bucknuts implies that the Ann Arbor cops just wanted to protect Lewan. That doesn't make sense for many reasons including the following:
1. The A2 Cops have filed charges against Darryl Stonum, Marlin Jackson, Brian Griese, and Red Berenson in past years -- why would their policy change for Lewan
2. Also, the A2 cop would face internal discipline, public criticism and the department potential liability for doing nothing to investigate an assault if the facts were clear, whereas hauling the accused off to the city hall to be processed and possibly held over night would cost them nothing.
3. There were apparently a lot of people out that night. We've heard nothing from any of them. If it really happened in such a public place and it was clear that Lewan was involved, it would amazing if no one put it on Facebook or Twitter.
Any number of things are possible, but I think without charges being filed or anything else concrete taking any action against Lewan would be premature.
December 24th, 2013 at 12:41 PM ^
One other factor is a bit difficult to swallow. If you're a police officer and you want to "protect" a person from charges you do not hang out with them and keep them on the scene of the incident. You tell them that things will go best for them if they slip away and get out of the public eye for the rest of the night. Because they will. It's really hard to believe that a cop would want to cover for Lewan, but not know this basic tactic.
Which makes parts of the Bucknuts story hard to believe. (Beyond the simple fact that it's a BuckNuts story, which seems to be a not-credible source.)
In any event, it will be interesting to see how this all shakes out. I hope that Lewan is not guilty of anything wrong here, but I hope much more that the A2PD is not giving UofM athletes free passes where members of the general public would not get the same. If Lewan really cold-cocked this fan, then he deserves to be punished the same as anyone else would.
Final note - if a cop decides to not make an arrest after a bar fight it does not necessarily imply dereliction of duty. Police officers have discretion to let things slide based on their experience and the circumstances of an offense. Quick bar fights are prime examples of this, especially if there are no serious injuries (b/c usually both combatants are about equally guilty). Not every incident merits an arrest, even if punches are thrown.
December 24th, 2013 at 11:18 AM ^
yawn. Sounds like a typical Saturday night in Ann Arbor. Guess what if you went to a bar on a Saturday, then you were in the area of a bar fight. Sounds like bucknut hearsay. nonstory
December 24th, 2013 at 11:31 AM ^
There's an argument to be made for "boys will be boys/football players in fights since dawn of fights". That's fine. You can make that argument.
There's also an argument to be made for 22 years old is no longer "young and dumb" excuse territory. Especially for someone that is supposed to be a leader and captain of a varsity college team and heading to the NFL.
I don't fault anyone for arguing the former, but I would hope at Michigan we have more people arguing the latter.
In fact, I'm not too upset/worried about the fight part of it. What in Lewan's mind made him think it was a good idea to head out to the Jug after that game? That's not the greatest judgment in the world. Perhaps that's a night you just chill with your housemates and kill a 30 rack.
December 24th, 2013 at 11:31 AM ^
Don't forget, the night of the MSU loss (IIRC), Taylor was behind the bar serving up drinks at the Heidelberg. Twitter was exploding with "Taylor Lewan just poured me a beer" stories, as well as a few less flattering accounts that made him sound like a jackass...
December 24th, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^
Right. Plus, this is not the first police investigation Lewan has been a part of. I mentioned the previous one, but removed it after I decided I wasn't conveying my point well. And my point was simply that: That Lewan has been involved with several police investigations now.
December 24th, 2013 at 1:20 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 10:56 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 12:59 PM ^
POURING DRINKS BEHIND A BAR!?!? What did the police say when they were called in for that terible crime? God, it's a college student at a bar after a tough game. Get over yourself.
December 24th, 2013 at 11:33 AM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 12:41 PM ^
December 25th, 2013 at 6:36 PM ^
Are you serious? 1 on 10? Must be a lotta folks dying up there in Canada from blunt force trauma after getting mob-beaten. Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor.
December 24th, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
A fan-base that views Woody Hayes, a grown man renowned for sideline tantrums and punching an opposing player, as a deity.
I think we all know damn well that if this were ANY OSU player, their fanbase would largely respond "I'm glad he did!" This is by no means an endorsement of Lewan's alleged actions. I just find it rather humorous to see how sentiments change once tables are turned.
December 24th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ^
They certainly do seem to be the type of bunch that embraces fights and is awfully proud of that fact, but now that they're the ones on the receiving end they are crying about it.
December 24th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 2:18 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 5:41 PM ^
December 24th, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
is that all it takes? wow, i'd be a felon if that was true. total nonsense story and if you didn't know you were going to duke it out with our left tackle, your alcohol/drug intake was astronomical.
December 24th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
So an over 21 year old college student cannot go out for drinks on the Weekend! Accusations from a couple of drunk OSU fans doesn't really show proof that Lewan was involved.
Even in metro Kansas City when I've went with friends to watch Michigan games we would run into rude and obnoxious buck nut fans! I'm too old and too responsible to get into bar fights but a few of the bucknut fans came close one night getting me in self defense mode!
December 24th, 2013 at 12:00 PM ^
As a veteran of the bar business, the comments from the Ohio fans about the cops laughing with Taylor indicate to me that the Ohio guys were drunk and a major cause of the problem. That doesn't mean Taylor was innocent in whatever happened, but cops don't ever have compassion for drunken fools.
My reading between the lines still leaves lots of questions...like why was Taylor outside in a short-sleeve shirt in below freezing weather? Why would anyone punch a random "I was just minding my business" person? The picture painted by the Ohio guys runs counter to my many years in the business.