Von Pearson Update

His lawyer said they had the case i thought? either way, this whole thing is a joke. But yeh his attorney actually said yesterday in an interview that the District Attorney is still reviewing it. I dont think he was attacking the wrong group, DP.

If the KPD didn't turn over the file until recently, I still disagree. Jimmy Hyamns reported last week that the KPD had interviewed an additional witness in mid-July, so that tells me the DA's office didn't have the investigation file as of then.
 
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I'm fairly certain, the founding fathers were in favor of questioning authority.

meh...while I'm glad they did in this instance would bet they were in favor as long as it wasn't their authority being questioned...which falls in line w/ how many think.
 
If the KPD didn't turn over the file until recently, I still disagree. Jimmy Hyamns reported last week that the KPD had interviewed an additional witness in mid-July, so that tells me the DA's office didn't have the investigation file as of then.

the lawyer just said the DA has the case and they are reviewing it. Said it yesterday. RTI did an interview yesterday and spoke directly to his attorney. Why wouldnt you believe that? Direct quotes from the attorney in August instead of mid july interviews from Jimmy Hyams.
 
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First, the Knox County District Attorney is a female, Charme Allen. There are more than 30 assistant DAs in a department that handles thousands of cases in a year.

Second, we don't know when the KPD turned over the investigation to the DAs office or even if that has even happened yet.

The DA's office has nothing to do with it until that case file is turned over for review. If the KPD has still not turned it over, then you're attacking the wrong group. If they turned it over in the last month, you're attacking the wrong group.

At this point, it may not matter what the ruling is when it is received. If, as multiple articles have indicated, Von Pearson has not been allowed to attend classes since late April, will he even be eligible, academically, to participate in 2015. He would then have to redshirt and return in 2016.

I know some, including myself, have mentioned that at 24 years of age, he may not be willing to spend another season in college and could make himself eligible for the next draft. If he chooses that route, it will be interesting to see if he gets drafted. I would be surprised if he did not get a free agent contract.
 
meh...while I'm glad they did in this instance would bet they were in favor as long as it wasn't their authority being questioned...which falls in line w/ how many think.


Mmm maybe, but they put in quite a few checks and balances to make sure it could happen.

I'm sure many here also are only concerned with the football aspect. I won't deny it would have been nice had he been cleared and at practice, but that isn't why I've suddenly started speaking up. He may honestly be guilty, and if so, I don't want him on the team. I was more concerned when other people familiar with things like this, started pointing out the unusually lengthy time frame.

I never wanted the investigation rushed because it involved a football player, now it just seems it may be working the opposite. Neither is in our best interest.
 
Mmm maybe, but they put in quite a few checks and balances to make sure it could happen.

I'm sure many here also are only concerned with the football aspect. I won't deny it would have been nice had he been cleared and at practice, but that isn't why I've suddenly started speaking up. He may honestly be guilty, and if so, I don't want him on the team. I was more concerned when other people familiar with things like this, started pointing out the unusually lengthy time frame.

I never wanted the investigation rushed because it involved a football player, now it just seems it may be working the opposite. Neither is in our best interest.

I agree on virtually all points...and actually didn't think I would post in this particular thread...even shake head at self every time I open it :no:; but the questioning of authority thing got the better of me. We all (most) do it in some shape or fashion - even if its as simple as speeding or failing to come to a total and complete stop at a stop sign.
 
At this point, it may not matter what the ruling is when it is received. If, as multiple articles have indicated, Von Pearson has not been allowed to attend classes since late April, will he even be eligible, academically, to participate in 2015. He would then have to redshirt and return in 2016.

I know some, including myself, have mentioned that at 24 years of age, he may not be willing to spend another season in college and could make himself eligible for the next draft. If he chooses that route, it will be interesting to see if he gets drafted. I would be surprised if he did not get a free agent contract.

He finished the spring semester with around a 3.0 GPA. There is no reason academically that he could not play this Fall.
 
He finished the spring semester with around a 3.0 GPA. There is no reason academically that he could not play this Fall.

He also has to make sufficient academic progress toward a degree. He has to complete a certain number of hours within a timeframe.

I have no earthly idea where he's at in that regard however I suspect that Jones would have said that he won't be back this year if he could not come back due to lack of academic progress.
 
KPD is running the investigation. If KPD can't establish probable cause to obtain an arrest warrant, there's not a lot the DA can do. She can't file charges based on an unsubstantiated complaint. She can't go to court with a case that doesn't even have sufficient evidence to make an arrest. She can't clear someone she hasn't charged, close an investigation not initiated by her office or reinstate a player she didn't suspend.

Police departments often keep sexual assault cases open until the accuser withdraws the complaint or the statute of limitations expires. Most cases close because the accuser drops her complaint once the facts of the case have been reviewed (i.e., Treon Harris' case). In this case, the accuser has been unwilling to drop her complaint, though she undoubtedly knows the status and the repercussions to all parties.
 
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I wish Butch would stand up and say:

It is incomprehensible that, in a free society, our authorities allow a citizen like Von Pearson to twist in the wind. Our Constitution guarantees that a citizen is innocent until proven guilty; however, though not proven guilty, Von Pearson has been punished severely. He has not been allowed to attend the university of his choice. He has not been allowed to play the sport of his choice. These are liberties that are quite correctly taken from guilty men; however, it is unconscionable that they have beenb taken away from an innocent man. Indeed, Von Pearson is as far away from being guilty as is possible. As he has not yet been charged, he is no more guilty than you or me. He is, indeed, no more guilty than I am. If the same standard were to be applied to me, i could not coach the University of Tennessee as I, like Von, am innocent of any crime.

Thus, as an innocent man, Von Pearson is back with his team. We welcome him, an innocent man, with open arms. Good day.

An institution like UT can enforce standards that are higher than legal standards. Jones made it clear that his continued suspension was imposed by the Athletic Dept and University.... perhaps because he hasn't been cleared but they could have him back now if they wanted.

Apparently, the AD and Jones want the price for even being close to the kind of non-sense VP was accused of to be so high that players will avoid it. I've heard all of the "yeah but he's a college kid" arguments... but his decision to be where he was doing what he was doing was VERY irresponsible and reckless. That isn't the behavior UT wants to promote.
 
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If the KPD didn't turn over the file until recently, I still disagree. Jimmy Hyamns reported last week that the KPD had interviewed an additional witness in mid-July, so that tells me the DA's office didn't have the investigation file as of then.

If Jimmy reported it in mid-July then it happened sometime in May.
 
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Why didn't Title IX issues prevent Treon Harris from being reinstated instantly after he was found innocent/no charges were pressed last year? Does UF play by different rules?

It was a different situation, if I recall correctly. She actually recanted her story, which led to the case against him being dropped. Also, I don't think Florida was caught up in the larger Dept. of Ed. investigation into sexual assaults on campus at that time like is the case currently with Tennessee.
 
Maybe so, but as a state institution, UT is supposed to afford him some due process.

He is likely getting the due process they guarantee. He has not been kicked off the team or had his scholarship revoked. He is suspended... which is often part of due process when someone is accused of something. Police get suspended while being investigated.

The frustrating part to me is that this doesn't look very complicated or like there are a lot of missing pieces to the puzzle. Either the accusation is believable AND criminal or it is not. Either whatever evidence there is supports charges or they don't.

I sincerely hope that someone who wasn't in the public spotlight similarly accused would have had an answer by now as well. The delay just doesn't seem warranted.
 
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the lawyer just said the DA has the case and they are reviewing it. Said it yesterday. RTI did an interview yesterday and spoke directly to his attorney. Why wouldnt you believe that? Direct quotes from the attorney in August instead of mid july interviews from Jimmy Hyams.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but you're not fully understanding the process.

The KPD doesn't turn over an investigation file on Tuesday and a decision is made on Wednesday. Once the file is turned over, it takes weeks for a decision on charges to be filed or for it to be presented to a grand jury.

What we can surmise from the information that is out there is that the KPD turned over the file sometime in late July. That means that the DA's office has not had the case for "months," they've had it for a week or two.
 
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I'm not disagreeing with you, but you're not fully understanding the process.

The KPD doesn't turn over an investigation file on Tuesday and a decision is made on Wednesday. Once the file is turned over, it takes weeks for a decision on charges to be filed or for it to be presented to a grand jury.

What we can surmise from the information that is out there is that the KPD turned over the file sometime in late July. That means that the DA's office has not had the case for "months," they've had it for a week or two.
That's what I gather from the interview and what Hyams stated. That the DA just got the case recently.
 
I'm not disagreeing with you, but you're not fully understanding the process.

The KPD doesn't turn over an investigation file on Tuesday and a decision is made on Wednesday. Once the file is turned over, it takes weeks for a decision on charges to be filed or for it to be presented to a grand jury.

What we can surmise from the information that is out there is that the KPD turned over the file sometime in late July. That means that the DA's office has not had the case for "months," they've had it for a week or two.

oh

all i really understand about this "process" is that its been a disaster. But thats typical UT fashion when it comes to things.
 
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I'm not disagreeing with you, but you're not fully understanding the process.

The KPD doesn't turn over an investigation file on Tuesday and a decision is made on Wednesday. Once the file is turned over, it takes weeks for a decision on charges to be filed or for it to be presented to a grand jury.

What we can surmise from the information that is out there is that the KPD turned over the file sometime in late July. That means that the DA's office has not had the case for "months," they've had it for a week or two.

Oh no. Please sweet baby Jesus, if Von is innocent, please let this get done in a timely fashion.
 
Maybe, but that article was from June 1st, so maybe some things have changed. At this point it is all wait and see.

The reason that I posted the link to that article is that it hints that Williams is not enrolled in class, thus giving the impression that Williams has been suspended from school. In addition, it shows that Coach Jones has dismissed Williams from the team.

Also, it mentions May 6th. That is the date the lifted suspension of Pearson was reversed. This sends the message that both Pearson and Williams are being treated in the same manner. A closer reading shows that Williams, while being dismissed from the team was NEVER actually suspended from school.

That fact has not changed.
 
Why are we getting bad publicity all day on ESPN about Von's suspension? His case is on the bottom of every ESPN channel today.
 
False. The title IX investigations are supposed to only apply to assaults that occurred on campus. This one did not. The University can elect to do a independent investigation as part of a student judicial board review, but they are not required to, as they are when an assault occurs on campus.

If there are no charges filed, then there should not be a student judicial board review, since there are no charges, and the event did not take place on campus.

That is how the system is *supposed* to be followed. We will see if it plays out that way.

That said, this has been the most unusual situation I have ever seen involving a student athlete. At this point, I would believe almost anything could happen.

You are completely incorrect. Title IX applies when two students are involved wherever the alleged incident took place.

Both students have a right to feel safe on campus, and it is up to the university to provide that atmosphere, without regard to where the incident took place.

If the complaining witness does not feel safe on campus the university is required to take whatever steps that are necessary to provide a reasonable measure of safety.

Of course you learned all of this when you were in law school.

False.

If the off-campus misconduct was not in the context of a school activity or program, UT must still determine whether the effects of the misconduct created a hostile environment on campus for the victim. If the off-campus sexual violence created or contributed to a hostile environment, the school must address that hostile environment in the same manner in which it would if the misconduct occurred on-campus under Title IX.

UT must also also take steps to protect the student from further harassment/violence by Von and/or his friends. UT is also bound by Title IX to treat off-campus sexual violence in the same way it handles other off-campus incidents of misconduct if it is entailed within their code of conduct policies.

Hopefully the administrators handled the situation properly in the required time period so it doesn't blow up into a tornado.
 
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