The domestic violence charge against former University of Texas men’s basketball head coach Chris Beard has been dropped. announcement from the Travis County District Attorney’s office on Wednesday.
Byrd was accused in December of strangling a woman, who police identified as his fiancée, at a home in Tarrytown, an upscale Austin neighborhood close to the UT campus. Since then, the district attorney’s office has been unable to successfully move forward with the case.
“After careful and careful examination of the evidence, recent public statements and consideration [the woman’s] wishes, our office has determined that a felony cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” the district attorney said in a statement.
Former Longhorn, Beard was hired as Longhorns coach in April 2021. He was suspended without pay in December 2022 and formally sacked in early January for what was described as “unacceptable behavior that renders him unfit to serve as head coach at our club”. University.”
A 49-year-old man was arrested on domestic violence charges on the night of the alleged incident and released shortly after on $10,000 bail. His release was subject to an agreement that he would be within 200 yards of the victim for two months. However, he was allowed to communicate with the woman.
According to an affidavit, the woman described the incident to police, claiming that he “strangled me, threw me off the bed, bit me, bruised me all over my leg, threw me and went crazy.”
The police report documented that officers noticed injuries consistent with the woman’s description of the events, including a bite mark on her right forearm, a cut on her left thumb, and abrasions on her right eyebrow and left leg.
A week after Beard’s suspension, the woman’s version of events changed in a statement released through her lawyer. She apologized for the situation and said she initiated a physical confrontation with Byrd, who she said was acting in self-defense. She also said she told law enforcement that he did not choke her that night.
Rodney Terry has been the Longhorns’ head coach since December 12 and will serve as head coach until the end of the season. The team is already working on possible long-term replacements for the Beard.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
