Update on Griffin, Taylor investigation

by Peter Bean on Dec 18, 2005 3:26 PM CST in News Comment 10 comments

On Saturday, a lawyer representing Longhorns football starters Cedric Griffin and Ramonce Taylor provided more details about an incident last weekend on Sixth Street that has prompted a police investigation into whether the players assaulted a man and demanded money.

Lawyer Ken Oden said that according to his clients, the two players were walking along Sixth Street when they crossed paths with another group of men. Police are investigating whether Griffin or Taylor struck one of the members of the second group during the 3 a.m. encounter and whether one or both of them demanded $5, Oden said.

"There was an exchange, a very brief exchange, between Cedric and one of those folks," he said. "The focus is whether the verbal exchange was threatening and was there any physical exchange along the way."

He characterized Taylor as only a small part of the investigation and said that both players are cooperating with police, with whom Oden met Saturday afternoon.

Authorities on Saturday said they will not release the name of the alleged victims because they could be the subject of retaliation.

UT Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds has said that his department has uncovered no reason to take action against any of the players.

The incident is one of two that authorities said Friday they are investigating involving UT athletes. Without specifying the location, suspects or witnesses, Austin police said the other incident occurred at 3:05 a.m. on Sept. 4 and involved an assault in which an automatic handgun was used.

Oden said Saturday that his clients were not involved in the Sept. 4 incident.

"Connecting these boys to anything back in September is very unfair and untrue," he said.

Oden said he is unsure why his clients may have been linked to that assault.

Police have not arrested or charged anyone in either investigation.

Worst case scenario: Cedric Griffin and Ramonce Taylor are formally charged with felonies and are suspended for the Rose Bowl.

Likelihood: From everything we're reading right now, this doesn't seem likely at all. It sounds like there were some heated words, maybe some pushing and shoving, maybe even a punch or two thrown. A felony charge seems highly unlikely at this point. Mack Brown is not one to taint his program, so if the incident is serious, he won't hesitate to suspend Griffin, Taylor, or both. At this point, though, with the investigation still ongoing, it's not looking terribly serious.

Best Case Scenario: No charges are filed, the case is closed, and the matter buried.

Likelihood: Where there's smoke, there's fire, so there has to be SOMETHING going on here. While it doesn't look like anything near the worst case scenario, it won't be shocking if one or both players winds up suspended for the Rose Bowl. Still, the more and more details that emerge, the better and better things are looking. While there may have been some inappropriate conduct (read: fighting), it's not looking like something more serious than your typical 6th Street altercation. We'll see how Mack handles this. Lest the USC trolls start preaching about "thugs" at UT, let me only remind them of this thugtastic incident and Pete Carroll's non-response.

--PB--

0 recs | Comment 10 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

You beat me too it...

Darn Peter, I wanted to point out how events like this instantly made USC "The new Thug U" according to many posters, and this sentiment appeared to be echoed (I could be wrong) by you three admin. I just you to note how this illustrates the potential for hypocrisy, and how if one or both of these players are implicated, just how off base you're criticisms have been. It won't make a difference in the Rose Bowl* but I just want to argue that if those "thugtastic" incidents made USC Thug U, then I guess these "Gangsterific" (I made that word up based on VY's commentary) events make UT equally accountable.

*: Denotes unabashed USC Homerism...sorry

Fight On, Beat the (insert Trojan oppoent here)!

by USCLink on Dec 18, 2005 1:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

You're off

We didn't call out all USC players as being thugs, Link. We just questioned why Pete Carroll didn't do anything about it. Now, if it turns out the UT players did something equally thugtastic, and Mack Brown doesn't do anything about it, then we'll question his judgment, too. However, that won't be the case. If either or both of these players did something really bad, Mack will suspend them. If he doesn't, we'll call him on it.

by Peter Bean on Dec 18, 2005 1:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Apples and Oranges

There is no comparison between this story and Carroll "not doing anything about" the linebacker at USC. The coaches are dealing with different issues:

For the 'Horns, what is alleged is a robbery (attempted). And the Sept. 4th incident, if players were involved, involved a gun.
For USC, a linebacker started a fight with a fellow student.

Big difference - the allegations surrounding the Texas players are MUCH more serious.

And Carroll didn't fail to do anything about his incident. To say that is to completely misinterpret the situation. He decided to help the kid - whose father is dying - by ordering anger management counseling, providing team support, etc. You can argue whether this approach is correct - and many USC fans are indeed arguing this - but you cannot say that Carroll didn't do anything about it.

And Carroll has a history of strong discipline. There have been three incidents:

2004 starting RB Hershel Dennis was involved in an investigation surrounding the sexual assault of a woman at a party. Even though he was never charged with any wrongdoing, Carroll still suspended him and then buried him on the depth chart. He has not played since.
OL Winston Justice "flashed" a pellet gun at a fellow student before the start of the 2004 season. Carroll kicked him off the team, and had him suspended from school, for a year.
Starting CB Eric Wright was involved in a sexual assault investigation before the start of this season. A large amount of drugs were also found in his apartment. Carroll kicked him off the team permanently. He has since transferred. And, by the way, Wright was easily the best CB on the squad.

While the jury is still out on his approach to the recent linebacker situation, his history of discipline cannot be questioned. The difference between the above two incidents and the linebacker situation is that the linebacker is going through living hell right now watching his father die. So Carroll decided to take a more supportive approach. I have no doubt that if the LB did not have this personal tragedy hovering over him, Carroll would have dropped the hammer.

by TrojanMal on Dec 18, 2005 2:49 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Fair point

On Carroll.

However, the September 4th gun incident does not involve Griffin or Taylor. It's apples and apples.

by Peter Bean on Dec 18, 2005 3:07 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Maualuga.

I hear through the grapevine -- for what that's worth -- that it's not just Ray Maualuga's father. Apparently his aunt recently died of a brain tumor and one of his cousins is in a similar state. I'm not saying that excuses punching someone, but I think it's why he got some leeway.

by DC Trojan on Dec 18, 2005 10:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

The fruit comparison...

...was saying that an attempted robbery (which is NOT the September 4th incident) is much, much different than getting into a fight on campus. I'm no lawyer, but I believe it may extend as far as one being a felony vs. the other being a misdemeanor.

But even if that's not the case, robbery is a more serious offense. To be fair, the kids haven't been charged, whereas there was no doubt that Rey was guilty as USC.

But I do think a robbery vs. a fight is apples vs. oranges.

by TrojanMal on Dec 19, 2005 11:27 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, we're arguing semantics

Which is probably a bad idea.

And you're right; looks like no charges will be filed.

by Peter Bean on Dec 19, 2005 11:33 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Is assult and battery a fellony?

Just to argue some more sematics. It looks more and more that there was no robbery and it was just drunk people yelling at each other. Everyone in Austin knows what happens on 6th on a Saturday night, Texas should tell their players to stay away from 6th, go to 4th, 8th, South Austin, or the Drag, where people aren't hyped, drunk and looking for a fight.

by Wells on Dec 19, 2005 11:41 AM CST reply actions 0 recs