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<p>If this is not first degree murder what is? He thought about it and he did it. He doesn’t deny it. He didn’t call the police or an ambulance.</p>
<p>The evidence must be pretty damning for his lawyer to come out and say “it was an accident” almost immediately. If it weren’t for the family money this guy would get the max.</p>
<p>What I’d like to know is if they can determine her Time of Death (or how close they can pin-point it). He took the computer. Did he turn it on right after he got to where he was going? Or did he turn it on and delete the files right there in her bedroom. IOW, did he KNOW she was Dead? If so how did he NOT intend it? Why not call for help right then, 911: we got in a fight, she’s not breathing. Panic? No panic in taking computer, washing up, disposing computer, etc… (or did he even delete the files before disposing of the computer)? </p>
<p>He was coherent enough to take and dispose of the computer, but not coherent enough to call for help with this ‘accident’???</p>
<p>Exactly how drunk was he, any drugs? They’ll try to piece all that together. </p>
<p>All things considered, possible prior threats, pounding on car(s) on his way to her place, the whole history… I can see why the DA is charging M/1, and I think he’ll push that case to a jury and accept nothing less than an M/2 plea with a stiff sentence recommendation (25-35 years, not knowing VA mandatory guidelines, if any). I don’t see them pleading this to MAN without a jury doing it (the opprobrium the office would take is too high, in light of all the other allegations against UVA itself gaining more exposure). </p>
<p>I see the case as somewhere between an M/1 and M/2 (because the guy seemed so out of control of himself). I lean to M/1 but would have to hear the evidence/instructions, but I think an M/1 Conviction can be obtained through getting in all these past issues (what juror will not have heard of or about them even if they cannot factor them in deliberations?). The DA will make a persuasive argument that he was a menace. I doubt they go for the DP. </p>
<p>Horrible thing for her mother to bury her daughter, but the day before Mother’s Day…</p>
<p>The only other way I see him getting a MAN PLEA (of some kind), is if her family prefers not to endure a Trial. Maybe that’s why they’ve come out front with this ‘accident’ theory…</p>
<p>“If it weren’t for the family money this guy would get the max”</p>
<p>vistany, but they do have the money…and will pay for a top flight legal team. That is the sad part. I vaguely remembered hearing about the 2004 UVA student murder criminal that you talked of, Andrew Alston. In looking it up I read this report from The Hook. There is quite a bit of legal information regarding the manslaughter charges that were given to that young man. I think it is important to note that his prior assault charges against his girlfriend were never disclosed to the jury. Being a first time offender got (and the son of a wealthy family) got him out in under 3 years!..for stabbing someone 18 times and killing them in a drunken fight off 14th Street…</p>
<p>If you don’t want to read the whole article-it is pretty long- here are parts copied/pasted. I’ll say this, it will make you sick to read about it and then think about what could happen with this case…</p>
<p>"What the Charlottesville jury didn’t hear about was Alston’s alleged act of local violence. Last year, two months before Sisk’s death, Alston’s then girlfriend, another UVA student, filed charges alleging he had struck her in the face. </p>
<p>In a statement hurriedly written by Alston’s father, a lawyer, who arrived in Charlottesville hours after the alleged attack, Karen Graham recanted her story, and Judge Robert Downer, citing reasonable doubt, acquitted Alston. </p>
<p>"In Virginia, a manslaughter conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, and studies show that prior violent offenders can expect to serve nearly seven years in prison. However, for first-time violent felons, which Alston was, by virtue of escaping the assault charge against his former girlfriend, the median voluntary manslaughter term is just 4.1 years. </p>
<p>"It’s impossible to say how much Robert Alston’s early intervention in the assault and battery case contributed to the not-guilty verdict, but had Andrew been a repeat offender at the time of the Sisk killing, median sentencing figures suggest he would have been looking at two or three more years in prison. </p>
<p>“His father’s paid his way out of everything,” says firefighter and Sisk friend Jimmy Schwab, who was with Sisk the night he died. “If [Alston] had had a public defender, he would have done 40 years.” </p>
<p>[The</a> HooK: COVER- The verdict: Sisk’s family speaks out](<a href=“http://www.readthehook.com/Stories/2004/11/18/coverTheVerdictSisksFamily.html]The”>http://www.readthehook.com/Stories/2004/11/18/coverTheVerdictSisksFamily.html)</p>
<p>cartera45 in reading about this case in another article, I also saw your exact words in print, this guy was regarded as “salvageable”…I just couldn’t believe what I was reading.</p>
<p>They are both sick individuals as far as I am concerned…I just pray the legal system gets the verdict right this time.</p>
<p>This guy is NOT going to walk, nor is he going to get a slap on the wrist. The victim is a very sympathetic character. Her life-sized pics will be in the courtroom. Every jury person is going to see her as their daughter, sister, friend. </p>
<p>“Dream teams” are for providing “reasonable doubt.” There can be no reasonable doubt in this case. They know he did it. They know it wasn’t one punch and she died. They know he tried to conceal evidence by disposing of the computer (evidence of guilt). The emails will be a paper trail of who he is and why he’s dangerous. Witnesses of his anger will tell their stories.</p>
<p>That’s why he’ll plea out to something like second degree and a 15-20 year term - at least. No “dream team” is going to want this to go to a jury. Any prosecutor can get a conviction in this case. There’s no mistaking who the perp was or anything.</p>
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<p>Sad, sickening and wrong. I did read the entire article but I didn’t post the link because it didn’t give a whole lot of detail about the actual crime. Just bits and pieces about a fight and 20 stab wounds and how Altson’s lawyer turned it around to make it appear that the victim stabbed himself. Somebody was reminding me of the phrase “if the gloves don’t fit you must aquit” The implication being that by the time Georges lawyers are done Yeardley was 6’2 and 200 pounds but shrunk so it was a fair fight.</p>
<p>What made me especially sick is that he seems so much like George. Rich family, history of problems, family has been covering it up for years (remember George was on probation for a while after threatening that police office that had to taser him, they had to know) never mind George fighting with his dad and jumping off the family yacht, and now the big bad legal team.</p>
<p>The only shred of hope is that George didn’t have the smarts to call Daddy sooner. He tried to cover his tracks alone. Andrew got Papa on board to do clean up immediately and it worked well.</p>
<p>Here’s hoping George is not so lucky.</p>
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<p>The best result in my opinion. That means that the families aren’t dragged through court proceedings.</p>
<p>I’m wondering how student-athletes that already have a ton of time pressure, with drug and alcohol problems, and, in this case, some severe anger problems, actually accumulate enough credits and a high enough GPA to graduate. This guy was clearly obsessed - how did he get his papers done and prepare for his exams?</p>
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<p>Anyone know how much actual time served that would equal?</p>
<p>I would hate to see him get off easy, but I have a feeling that 10 or 15 years in a state pen would still be pretty miserable for someone used to freedom, world travel, admiration of peers, and an affluent lifestyle. I doubt he will fare well in a prison environment.</p>
<p>Has any school had more murders by students than UVa?? It’s really a large number considering going back to the couple that killed two people in Lynchburg, a recent kid who killed his father, the two cases just above. Privilege/pressure??</p>
<p>[Haysom</a> murders, 20 years ago today: blood sweat and convictions - Roanoke.com](<a href=“http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/21202.html]Haysom”>http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/21202.html). </p>
<p>[Authorities:</a> UVa student killed dad, staged robbery | Charlottesville Daily Progress](<a href=“http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/state_regional/article/authorities_uva_student_killed_dad_staged_robbery/53989/]Authorities:”>http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/state_regional/article/authorities_uva_student_killed_dad_staged_robbery/53989/)</p>
<p>Sentence for 2nd degree murder in Virginia is 5-40 years I believe.</p>
<p>That’s a pretty wide range.</p>
<p>I don’t think this crime is really comparable to the Sisk/Alston case, which was a brawl between two men, with crucial facts in doubt . It is undoubtedly true that the expensive lawyers for the defendant helped highlight those doubts for a jury, but still, it was a very messy situation, and the Hook article makes it sound much more open-and-shut than it seemed at the time. By contrast, what we’ve heard so far about the Love murder suggests that: Hughely announced his intentions in advance, broke into a residence (already a crime), kicked through a closed or locked door, attacked and killed a much smaller victim or possibly left her to die, stole her computer (yet another crime), and then when arrested several hours later, confessed to swinging her around by the neck and pounding her head against the wall. I don’t know exactly what degree of murder Hughely will be convicted of, but unless wildly different evidence comes to light I think he’s going away for a long, long time no matter who his lawyer is.</p>
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<p>I hope you’re right jingle.</p>
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<p>Student athletes get a fair amount of special treatment. They get priority registration which means they pick classes before anyone else. They have their own cafeteria and facilities. They have mentor/tutors who check their work and progress and help them get the easiest possible courseload. Some are smart and can handle it, others with money buy papers from impoverished Phd. candidates and have study guides written for them. All of this was explained to me by a Phd who was part of the athletic mentor team.</p>
<p>^ vistany, Aren’t the purchasing of papers and having study guides written huge NCAA violations? Similar to the ones that cost FSU so many games last year?</p>
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<p>Only if you get caught I guess.</p>
<p>vistany, was the PhD who was part of the athletic mentor program at UVA, or was it another college/university?</p>
<p>Hi, all. First-time poster here. I read this whole thread and felt I had to add something.</p>
<p>There are four elements in George Huguely’s background that always seem to come into play when people discuss this case: his family, Landon, lacrosse and UVa. </p>
<p>Now, I don’t think any one of these can be directly held accountable for Huguely being who he was. There is probably some unpleasant family stuff we don’t know about (isn’t there always?) but on the whole, I see Huguely’s environment not as a cause but as an enabler.</p>
<p>I’m no psychologist but it seems perfectly clear that George Huguely is not just a ‘normal kid’ who snapped. I think he’s an alcoholic with serious anger issues and maybe an underlying personality disorder. In my view, his privileged environment served as a petri dish that allowed his problems to flourish unchecked until they all came together in a tragic “perfect storm”.</p>
<p>Lacrosse – I see three factors here. One: the hard-partying culture. I know not all players engage, but I also know perfectly well that it exists. I think a lot of Huguely’s drunken misbehavior was probably brushed off as “oh, he’s just being a lacrosse jock”. Two: team loyalty. I am sure that his fellow players witnessed – and remained quiet about – many a behavioral lapse. Three: elite athlete status, which allowed Huguely to remain on the team even after a drunken attack on a teammate (see One). </p>
<p>None of these factors is unique to lacrosse, of course. But lacrosse is what Huguely played and lived, so lacrosse is relevant.</p>
<p>UVa – I think we all know that UVa, like MANY colleges and universities, protects its elite athletes. I doubt we’ll ever know the full extent of the blind eye the university turned to Huguely’s behavior, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore this factor.</p>
<p>Landon – Similar point to above.</p>
<p>Huguely’s family – Sensitive subject, as I have zero inside information, and I am sure they are suffering terribly right now. But all I can say is, if it were my kid, I’d have taken some strong measures after some of these incidents, and especially after the Washington & Lee arrest. At that point I’d have concluded that my son was abusing his status as an elite athlete and college student, and I’d have yanked him out of school. Period.</p>
<p>Finally, I just want to say that I hope a lot of people out there have their minds open to learning from this terrible case. I don’t have a lot of hope for the entrenched mindset of our elite schools (I went to one). But I do hope that our college students – athletes and fraternity members especially – will realize that silence is not always the best form of loyalty. Huguely’s teammates and frat brothers would have served him far better in the end by speaking up. As information about this case trickles out, it’s obvious that there’s a lot they knew that perhaps no one else did. It’s also obvious that there are some very simple things they could have done that might well have prevented Yeardley’s death.</p>
<p>I’m sure those kids never thought it would come to this. But now we all know that it can.</p>
<p>"The honor codes and legal infractions may need to be tightly linked. Speeding tickets are one thing rabid, raging, drunken violence is another. A linkage of these things might have gotten the kid ejected from school and maybe out of her life. Enforcing this linkage would be a huge burden on colleges and universities. But it would give leverage to the colleges to get bad apples out of their communities. "</p>
<p>Alison Routman was made to walk the plank a few years back because she plagiarized from Wikipedia and didn’t even realize it. George needs a taser to stop him during an arrest, is arrested, beats his teammate, shows continued contempt for law and is deemed honorable enough to stay in the community of trust. Perhaps the UVA honor code really needs to be looked and the definition become more in line with its orginal intent. Let’s hope that some real honesty will erupt from this terrible, terrible situation.</p>
<p>Regarding the disposition of previous charges against Huguely–From ABC news:</p>
<p>"Lexington, Va., Police Officer Rebecca Moss wound up on the ground, wrestling with Huguely during an arrest in 2008 that ended with a conviction for public intoxication and resisting arrest. "</p>
<p>Not clear how the could University be unaware of these charges.</p>
<p>They (claim they) were unaware because Huguely did not report the incident, as he was supposed to do. His buddies/teammates/fraternity brothers who must have been with him also did not report the incident, probably because of the code of silence.</p>
<p>I believe the honor code only has to do with academic honesty. I doubt this tragedy will alter the honor code.</p>
<p>And another person who thinks UVA should have ended their lacrosse season early:</p>
<p>[In</a> Light of Murder Investigation, Virginia Should Shut Down Lacrosse Program – FanHouse](<a href=“http://kevin-blackistone.fanhouse.com/2010/05/07/in-light-of-murder-investigation-virginia-should-shut-down-lacr/?icid=main|main|dl4|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fkevin-blackistone.fanhouse.com%2F2010%2F05%2F07%2Fin-light-of-murder-investigation-virginia-should-shut-down-lacr%2F]In”>http://kevin-blackistone.fanhouse.com/2010/05/07/in-light-of-murder-investigation-virginia-should-shut-down-lacr/?icid=main|main|dl4|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fkevin-blackistone.fanhouse.com%2F2010%2F05%2F07%2Fin-light-of-murder-investigation-virginia-should-shut-down-lacr%2F)</p>