Sweeping Sexual Assault Suit Filed Against UT

[Kristy*]

Unreasonable.......I'm shocked. Some of you can't discuss anything, because you are convinced everything is on the up and up. That's fine, but you really look pathetic in it. If you think is reasonable for a police department to contact the head coach of a major football program in a situation like this before they even secure the crime scene, you are either being the biggest homer ever, or you just aren't very bright.

Yes, but once an accusation is made and an investigation started (which happened more than 5 hours before this call), news is going to get out. Period. The call made to the coach just makes sure he hears about it before being blind-sided.

As far as securing a crime scene, if AJ knew or felt like he did something wrong, would he need a heads up that he should get rid of evidence? And if Jones gave AJ some kinda warning, why were there still plenty of items to gather from the room, including the bed sheets and a condom? Again, maybe the call shouldn't happen (for appearance only), but there is nothing to suggest anyone did anything wrong here.

 

[butchna]

Unreasonable.......I'm shocked. Some of you can't discuss anything, because you are convinced everything is on the up and up. That's fine, but you really look pathetic in it. If you think is reasonable for a police department to contact the head coach of a major football program in a situation like this before they even secure the crime scene, you are either being the biggest homer ever, or you just aren't very bright.

Yes

 

[BruinVol]

Unreasonable.......I'm shocked. Some of you can't discuss anything, because you are convinced everything is on the up and up. That's fine, but you really look pathetic in it. If you think is reasonable for a police department to contact the head coach of a major football program in a situation like this before they even secure the crime scene, you are either being the biggest homer ever, or you just aren't very bright.

Biggest homer ever?


Surely this place wouldn't talk out of both sides of it's mouth.

That jimmy franklin is such a snake in the grass. He tried to cover up that rape

That Tallahassee police department is just so corrupt. They will do anything to protect those criminoles.

Yet here. It's all good. Nothing could ever possibly be underhanded in the world of tenn athletics.

 

[bigdaddy]

I'm convinced there was a conspiracy? You obviously have a lack of reading comprehension, or you would know that I am not suggesting that Jones did anything like that.

That's what I'm trying to figure out. I can't find where you said conspiracy or blamed Jones. You even said Jones is not to blame. All I can figure is that it is assumed you blame jones and the police for consprirng bc it looks odd to call the head coach before a crime scene is investigated. I can see that point and agree it doesn't look good and that's all the media will focus on. So then the facts are lost and you see it on PTI that UT and the KPD covered it up.

 

[bigdaddy]

The KNS made this one. Details when all the calls occurred.

TIMELINE: Coach, university, police react after rape allegations

Thanks! I was trying to piece it all together with google

 

[AM64]

Is it just me, or with the Climer article (granted, he's retired and may have beef with the Tennessean), at times Hyams, and now Adams taking some pretty decent shots at Wadhwani, is it possible the old guard media has had enough of her, ah, "creative license" with the facts of this whole thing?

I'm interested to see if more join in...

Unfortunately, for every reporter who questions her, there seem to be many more who just quote her drivel as fact - too lazy to actually investigate but certainly willing to be credited for having written something. Apparently there are no credible "schools of journalism" today - if there ever were.

 

[AM64]

Unreasonable.......I'm shocked. Some of you can't discuss anything, because you are convinced everything is on the up and up. That's fine, but you really look pathetic in it. If you think is reasonable for a police department to contact the head coach of a major football program in a situation like this before they even secure the crime scene, you are either being the biggest homer ever, or you just aren't very bright.

You are assuming that the KPD called Butch before they secured the crime scene? I believe the complaint was that they called him before they investigated the crime scene. Are you implying that the KPD is too stupid, too lazy, too incompetent, or too corrupt to maintain security of a crime scene until it can be properly investigated? If that's so, then the attorneys for Williams and Johnson should have absolutely no problem getting the cases dismissed - and probably every other case that any Knoxville DA has ever successfully prosecuted. And if the KPD was so ineptly willing to compromise a case for the benefit of a couple of football players, why the hell did they not confiscate the girls' phones like they did those of Johnson and Williams?

 

[vol66]

Biggest homer ever?


Surely this place wouldn't talk out of both sides of it's mouth.

That jimmy franklin is such a snake in the grass. He tried to cover up that rape

That Tallahassee police department is just so corrupt. They will do anything to protect those criminoles.

Yet here. It's all good. Nothing could ever possibly be underhanded in the world of tenn athletics.

Well done.

:good!:

 

[doctorchoice]

Biggest homer ever?


Surely this place wouldn't talk out of both sides of it's mouth.

That jimmy franklin is such a snake in the grass. He tried to cover up that rape

That Tallahassee police department is just so corrupt. They will do anything to protect those criminoles.

Yet here. It's all good. Nothing could ever possibly be underhanded in the world of tenn athletics.

Obviously, the police chief should not have informed Coach Jones so quickly because of the potential for it to interfere in the case. That does not mean there was an attempt to cover up a rape. There is currently no evidence of that. Only insinuation.

 

[BruinVol]

Obviously, the police chief should not have informed Coach Jones so quickly because of the potential for it to interfere in the case. That does not mean there was an attempt to cover up a rape. There is currently no evidence of that. Only insinuation.

100% agree with you

 

[vol66]

Obviously, the police chief should not have informed Coach Jones so quickly because of the potential for it to interfere in the case. That does not mean there was an attempt to cover up a rape. There is currently no evidence of that. Only insinuation.

That's not what happened.

Look, Sam Brown gets the call from the police when players get in trouble and then Brown calls UT and tells not just the HC but appropriate officials. He informs them players have been arrested, probably what the allegation is and probably whether or not they will be held or released.

Anyone who has ever been to a Vol Walk going back to at least Fulmer has seen Brown, whether you know it or not. So if something inappropriate is going on here, it's been going on a very long time.

 

[volfan102455]

Obviously, the police chief should not have informed Coach Jones so quickly because of the potential for it to interfere in the case. That does not mean there was an attempt to cover up a rape. There is currently no evidence of that. Only insinuation.

Quickly? Look at the timeline - 5 hours had passed with plenty of time for anyone who was aware of what was going on to call anyone they wanted.

In the town where I live if something like this happened here, everyone who knew anyone involved would have known all about it within less than an hour without anyone from the police department calling anyone.

 

[BruinVol]

That's not what happened.

Look, Sam Brown gets the call from the police when players get in trouble and then Brown calls UT and tells not just the HC but appropriate officials. He informs them players have been arrested, probably what the allegation is and probably whether or not they will be held or released.

Anyone who has ever been to a Vol Walk going back to at least Fulmer has seen Brown, whether you know it or not. So if something inappropriate is going on here, it's been going on a very long time.

Agreed this kind of thing has been happening for years.

 

[volfan102455]

Obviously, the police chief should not have informed Coach Jones so quickly because of the potential for it to interfere in the case. That does not mean there was an attempt to cover up a rape. There is currently no evidence of that. Only insinuation.

You are trying to make something out of nothing.

Edited to add: So when should they have called him? After the search warrant had been issued and after the search. That would have been after 5:00 pm and he would have been dealing with what was happening with the players on his team well before that without the benefit of having some insight on what was going on.

 

[drylo]

You are trying to make something out of nothing.

Edited to add: So when should they have called him? After the search warrant had been issued and after the search. That would have been after 5:00 pm and he would have been dealing with what was happening with the players on his team well before that without the benefit of having some insight on what was going on.

This. Good grief. I don't understand how this is so hard for some people to understand.

 

[doctorchoice]

You are trying to make something out of nothing.

Edited to add: So when should they have called him? After the search warrant had been issued and after the search. That would have been after 5:00 pm and he would have been dealing with what was happening with the players on his team well before that without the benefit of having some insight on what was going on.

I don't believe the police chief or the coach made any attempt to cover up a rape. However, the timeline of the phone calls is allowing the media to imply that. The calls Coach Jones made seem appropriate to me.

As for what time the Athletic department should have been informed by the police, the Cops have to consider the possibility, however remote, that this could hinder their investigation. It would seem a football coaches disciplinary process should be secondary to the police investigation.

 

[BruinVol]

This. Good grief. I don't understand how this is so hard for some people to understand.

The part of this that has the appearance of preferential treatment for us not wearing orange colored classes is would any other case involving a non athlete see the police contact someone connected to the accused before their residence was searched?

IMO the answer is no

 

[BruinVol]

I don't believe the police chief or the coach made any attempt to cover up a rape. However, the timeline of the phone calls is allowing the media to imply that. The calls Coach Jones made seem appropriate to me.

As for what time the Athletic department should have been informed by the police, the Cops have to consider the possibility, however remote, that this could hinder their investigation. It would seem a football coaches disciplinary process should be secondary to the police investigation.

Well said

And your bolded word "possibility" could really hurt us in the lawsuit

 

[ntxVOL]

The part of this that has the appearance of preferential treatment for us not wearing orange colored classes is would any other case involving a non athlete see the police contact someone connected to the accused before their residence was searched?

IMO the answer is no

That depends on the individual relationship with someone within the PD. It's not preferential treatment, it is a courtesy.

These allegations were very serious. If the PD did anything to jeopardize their investigation that's on them, not CBJ or the school. I don't understand why people have a problem comprehending that a PD can be both courteous and professional. They had an obligation to complete a thorough and professional investigation in this case but that doesn't prevent them from also having the courtesy to give someone at the school a phone call.

 

[volfan102455]

The part of this that has the appearance of preferential treatment for us not wearing orange colored classes is would any other case involving a non athlete see the police contact someone connected to the accused before their residence was searched?

IMO the answer is no

No orange colored glasses here.

The answer would depend upon the situation and would not always be no.

 

[volfan102455]

That depends on the individual relationship with someone within the PD. It's not preferential treatment, it is a courtesy.

These allegations were very serious. If the PD did anything to jeopardize their investigation that's on them, not CBJ or the school. I don't understand why people have a problem comprehending that a PD can be both courteous and professional. They had an obligation to complete a thorough and professional investigation in this case but that doesn't prevent them from also having the courtesy to give someone at the school a phone call.

Exactly.

 

[AM64]

I don't believe the police chief or the coach made any attempt to cover up a rape. However, the timeline of the phone calls is allowing the media to imply that. The calls Coach Jones made seem appropriate to me.

As for what time the Athletic department should have been informed by the police, the Cops have to consider the possibility, however remote, that this could hinder their investigation. It would seem a football coaches disciplinary process should be secondary to the police investigation.

First, you are assuming that the police failed to secure the apartment for hours after they notified Jones and made the arrests. That is something that none of us knows, but it's hard to imagine that the police would fail to secure a crime scene until they could get a search warrant to properly investigate. I'd be betting that teammates knew of the arrests before Jones ever got the call, and that the cops realized that teammates would consider cleaning things up given a chance. In fact, failure to secure would be potential grounds for dismissing a case - too much question regarding possibly removed, contaminated, or planted evidence; they don't want that kind of doubt cluttering up a case. Otherwise, why even bother with little niceties like chain of custody. And they aren't dumb enough to think that in this day and age that notifying a coach at any point in the process would go unnoticed - and the motive considered and hashed and rehashed - again and again - and then reviewed and reconsidered - again and again.

Second, you can pretty much bet that the local police will notify military or university or any other similar institution when they make an arrest. I made one of those typical student blunders a long time ago during my years at UT, and I can assure you that by the time I got back to campus there was a message from the Dean of Students waiting for me. I wasn't an athlete, but I can very definitely tell you that I did not have to inform him of my screw up so that he could place me on disciplinary probation. And for the record considering all the Title IX legal representation flap, he sent also sent me to discuss my situation with a lawyer in the College of Law.

 

[drylo]

I don't believe the police chief or the coach made any attempt to cover up a rape. However, the timeline of the phone calls is allowing the media to imply that.

And that's irresponsible by the media. End of story.

 

[vol66]

I don't get it.

The media files an FOIA for phone records. That happens everyday, everywhere.

The get the records and report what are in the records.

They put together a timeline based on the records.

If it's news worthy which this obviously is, aren't they just doing their job?

I guess I could see had it been editorialized in some way, but it's just a bunch of facts otherwise.

For instance, we had known that Bowles said CBJ called him twice. The records show he called Bowles twice. That's it. No one knows what was said, we may never know.

 

[82_VOL_83]

It is common practice for police to notify coaches that their athletes have been arrested or involved in some kind of incident before the story leaks or gets reported in the media. This is the way it works even in non-revenue sports at less high-profile programs.

It shouldn't be controversial. It is a courtesy, and if you are going to hold coaches responsible for what the athletes do, then you can't get mad when the police let them know when their kids get in trouble. If you knew the police chief, I bet he'd call you if he arrested your son. It's the same concept--except people like Butch have even more reason to want to know because he's going to have to be making public statements about the situation within hours.

If you think Butch Jones and the KPD conspired to destroy evidence, then accuse them of that straight up--don't just imply that something untoward happened because they gave him a courtesy call. (But keep in mind that, in this case, the police had already collected the most important physical evidence--i.e. evidence on the alleged victim's person.) Also, it is worth noting that investigations and evidence gathering can take months--so is it inappropriate for the media to report on the accusations at all before the investigation is completed? (After all, somebody might destroy evidence... *eye roll*)

I would imagine that he is also the first contact with the parents if the police or the kids don't call.