Solomon Beebe, arrested a week ago on animal-cruelty charges, is still listed on the UVA Football roster page on VirginiaSports.com.
It’s been four days since Beebe, a backup tailback who transferred in from UAB in the spring semester, was in court for a hearing on the impoundment of the dog, a pit bull named Jeb.
Poor little Jeb was taken into protective custody on Aug. 13, a day after a housekeeper at his apartment complex told authorities that she saw the player “punch his dog with a closed fist multiple times,” one of three alleged instances involving abuse of the dog in a three-day period.
So, looks like, we’re going to do this, again – and I say again because, this time last year, the Monday before the season opener, we know that Albemarle County authorities began an investigation into a rape allegation against starting wideout Jahmal Edrine that led to a grand jury indictment in the offseason.
ICYMI
- Albemarle County: UVA Football player charged with rape, abduction
- I asked UVA for a comment on the victim in the Edrine case: You already know the response
- Bond set for former UVA Football wideout Jahmal Edrine in rape, abduction case
- Jahmal Edrine attorney comes out firing: We also know now when UVA knew
- UVA Football: Tony Elliott talks with reporters, who don’t ask about Jahmal Edrine
This is what we do now, apparently – we turn a blind eye when we find out that our guys are being investigated for rape, which, obviously, the much worse of the two cases here, but don’t turn your nose up to this thing about a guy reportedly punching a dog.
What kind of person are we talking about here who would “hold his dog against the wall and punch his dog with a closed fist multiple times,” as is alleged in the Beebe case?
For the dog not to fight back, this would seem to not be the first time this kind of thing transpired.
A person who would hit a dog is the lowest.
Online court records list an Oct. 1 date for an unspecified hearing in the Beebe matter; no trial date has been set.
Which sets the stage for: Tony Elliott has his first weekly pregame press conference of the season on Tuesday.
I’m not looking forward to transcribing a mealy-mouthed answer from the head coach about how we need to let the court process play out before we rush to judgment.
That’s a copout; UVA Athletics can do its own investigation and get to the bottom of the matter in short order.
If he didn’t do it, help him request a speedy trial, to get the criminal case out of the way as soon as possible.
If he did, well.
To be clear, we could have done the same last year with Jahmal Edrine, but, do that, and maybe we don’t win 11 games.
This kind of thing dates back to the George Welsh era – Barry Word was indicted on drug charges not long after being named the 1985 ACC Player of the Year – so the reputation that we have for doing things the right way may not be as deserved as we’d like it to be.
Doesn’t mean we don’t try to live up to it.
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Chris Graham
