Rees Not Charged With A Felony

Submitted by hart20 on

Tommy Rees wasn't charged with the felony and was instead charged with 4 misdemeanors. Calabrese was charged with 1 misdemeanor.

Rees and linebacker Carlo Calabrese were arrested after a confrontation with police who arrived at a “loud party” less than a mile from campus. Calabrese, 21, was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, while Rees, 19, faces two misdemeanor counts of resisting law enforcement and one count each of battery and illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor.

According to prosecutors, Rees refused to stop running as officers pursued him. A passing cabdriver pulled over in a position to block Rees, prosecutors said, and Rees lifted his right knee into the lower chest area of an approaching officer, “knocking the wind out of him.”

The cabdriver grabbed Rees “in order to keep him from running away,” prosecutors said, and Rees was pepper-sprayed when he continued to struggle against police and the cabdriver on the pavement. That resulted in the misdemeanor battery charge for what prosecutors deemed “rude, angry or insolent” contact.

During the incident, Calabrese attempted to “intervene on behalf of Rees,” Trent said, and allegedly told officers, “My people will get you.”

Members of a crowd witnessing the incident pulled Calabrese back, according to police, but Calabrese broke free and repeated the “My people will get you” comment and subsequently was arrested. He posted $150 bond and was released.

 

Link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-notre-dame-qb-rees-jailed-in-police-confrontation-20120503,0,299209.story

 

I'm pretty sure that this wasn't posted yet. I went through the last Rees thread and no mention of charges were given. If it was, apologies and delete this.

TheGhostofYost

May 4th, 2012 at 12:34 AM ^

There is no chemical substance in existence that can put out the dumpster fire that is ND.

Dailysportseditor

May 4th, 2012 at 12:48 AM ^

First, he blocks Rees from escaping with a car door, than holds on to him. Maybe there is a silver lining for PurpleFace-- you might have lost a middling QB and a LB, but you gained a priority walk-on defensive player.

WolverineHistorian

May 4th, 2012 at 12:48 AM ^

It doesn't matter how serious any charges will be.  Like with Michael Floyd last year, I'm sure Brian Kelly will say Rees will be disciplined and then just before the season starts, he'll say Rees has learned his lesson. 

turd ferguson

May 4th, 2012 at 12:53 AM ^

I'm not sure which is more ridiculous (or funnier): that ND's starting quarterback kicked a cop in the stomach to avoid a minor in possession ticket or that his buddy believes that his "people" are going to retaliate against the police.

Times have changed in South Bend.  Part of me snickers because, really, F ND, but part of me misses the respectable program that they once had.

Tater

May 4th, 2012 at 1:17 AM ^

If it turns out that Rees is found guilty of aggressive behavior toward a policeman, he should be immediately dismissed from the team by the ND administration, and Kelly shouldn't have any say in the matter.  Just like with Darryl Stonum, there comes a time when a lack of respect for the legal system trumps any talent a player might have.  

Michigan did the right thing with Stonum, as they have with a few other players in the past.  Will ND see fit to do the right thing with Rees if he is found guilty?

Pass the popcorn, please.

Rather be on BA

May 4th, 2012 at 1:40 AM ^

I think a lot of it has to do with how Rees deals with this whole situation. 

If he shows sincere regret and shame, and takes action to make up for these issues then I think he deserves a second chance. On the other hand, if he fails to do these things, or shows any hints of being aloof towards the situation, then he does not deserve this chance. 

I have an immeidate family member who has been in a similar situation as Rees, so it strikes kind of close ot home with me.  Yes, there should be consequences for his actions, but people should not be so quick to condemn this 19 year old kid.  People do immensely stupid things at 18,19,20 years old, this does not mean that they are bad human beings, or that they should be denied the chance to redeem themselves.

/endrant

DonAZ

May 4th, 2012 at 9:45 AM ^

Yes, young people do stupid things ... I was pretty stupid myself 30 years ago.

Yes, contrition is important. 

But his "second chance" would be avoiding prosecution and potential conviction.  If the facts in this case bear out that he did show aggressive behavior towards law enforcement officers, then his days of playing QB for ND should be over.  Those would be proper and just consequences.  As I said, his "second chance" would be avoiding prosecution in this case ... not that and playing QB and having Kelly and ND act as if it was just some sort of youthful indiscretion.

 

Rather be on BA

May 4th, 2012 at 12:12 PM ^

Disagree.  Assuming he handles this the right way, there are other more appropriate solutions than stripping him of his childhood dream.  A lengthy suspension, probation, community service, AA classes.  All of those options would be sufficient punishment, and also better for Rees in the long run then simply dismissing him from the team.  What he did was terribly stupid, there is no denying that, but dismissal from the team without any second thought or chance for redemption is going overboard IMO.

LSAClassOf2000

May 4th, 2012 at 6:16 AM ^

....but they will, in their haste, lose sight of the bigger issue and they just  won't get there in time to salvage the ultimate outcome, that's all. Case in point:

 

 

Don Criqui still cannot be reached for comment on this case either.

I get the feeling that Rees still has a chance to be mysteriously a reformed character if Kelly feels that he is the best option at QB, for after all, as the article mentions, at ND, you can be suspended and not miss starts - it's a great precedent if you're Tommy Rees. 

snarling wolverine

May 4th, 2012 at 8:34 AM ^

I like the random extra details in the story:

 

No one answered the door Thursday at the two-story, light blue house where the party was held. An open can of Hamm's Special Light beer sat on a railing on the front porch, near a patio table and chairs.

Well, now that I know the brand of beer someone at the party partially drank . . . he's guilty!