Last weekend, my brother and his girlfriend were assaulted at a party on Indiana University's campus by three football players. Neither my brother or his girlfriend had been drinking (He took a BAC test) at this party when he was accidently pushed into a 300 lb. linemen. The linemen and two other football players grabbed my brother and the linemen proceeded to punch my brother in the head while the two other football players held him down. When his girlfriend tried to get in between and get my brother out, she was punched in the head. When my brother's girlfriend went inside to grab their jackets after the altercation football players were trying to get her upstairs in a bedroom. My brother went to the hospital with a concussion and is pressing charges against the football player, but what's happen is the IU police are being very lax in the investigation and the entire football team has called in on the lineman's behalf. Also, the lineman lives a couple floors above my brother and is apparently following him around. This lineman was arrested a week earlier on a Class B felony for stealing signs of some sort and the charges miraculously dropped. I have a bad feeling that my brother's case will be dropped and he's going to either live in fear of retaliation from the lineman or actually have something happen to him by the IU football team due to his pressing charges. My brother called the football coach to tell him to get this lineman off his back and the coach went off on him. I feel fucking helpless here and I can't hardly stand it. I just wanted to share how wonderful our justice system is.

Spence, I always thought he said "Phife Di-Dawg" but that's me.

As to your brother, I would do one of two things. Threaten to, or do, call someone at the local newspaper with a reputation as a hardass out for justice. Call the campus newspaper and get a sympathetic columnist or editor and get them to run a story about "out of control football players." In this instance, publicity is his friend. Call the DAs office, last I checked its a felony to intimidate a witness. Get a restraining order, because it starts a paper trail that can be traced if anything happens to him. Alert the campus president, FUCK the football coach, get your brother to call him back, this time with a tape recorder if that is legal in your state. The president will be looking to avoid a scandal, because it may cost him his job as well.

I know it all sounds kind of paranoid and wimpy, but I'm guessing these dudes can and very well may crush your brother if they get the chance. Oh, and always remember that your better than these people, and his tuition pays the president's and coaches' salaries.

I think your right, but I thought he refers to himself as phife diddle somewhere on low end theory. Shit that's a bit embarrassing.

Anyway, he tried to get a restraining order, but for some reason the police aren't doing it. Instead, they called up the football player and said you better not lay a hand on 'Grant' or you definitely won't be offered a plea bargain. The police were very encouraging at the beginning of the week saying that the stories the other football players were giving were 'canned' and had small inconsistancies. Now, all of the sudden, they're changing they're attitude about it. Also, they're saying my brother doesn't have enough people that have called in (he has about 5 people who witnessed it and called in on his behalf) etc. They're are a couple other things, but now my brothers getting interogated. My other brother (Tyler) at IU has written and sent a bunch of inflammatory letters to the school newspaper which will probably limit anything we can do with the press...although I like your idea about 'football players out of control' story (I doubt it would mention my brothers incident though). My mom called the Dean of Students and the Football coach as well which was probably a bad idea (for her to call). Right now, I'm really stressed that he's going to get hurt again by these fucking thugs, but worse. These football players have a history of intimidating anyone that speaks out against them. I guess earlier this year they went to some guys house that wouldn't let them in a party and broke every window in the apartment with baseball bats. That shit is out of control and it worries me that my brother may be victim to a group beating or his girlfriend raped.

Where have you gone, Myles Brand? A shattered campus longs for your ambivalence toward inter-collegiate athletic ethics....

Or, feces on toilet-paper during an half-time, i.e. in-game, pep-talk is not the same as an off-time beating administered at a party, to a non-football player, whose "malicious" contact with a player was by no means intentioned, i.e. people get jostled at parties and end up pressed against each other, and by no means is it some ghey shit either.

I don't know about Indiana law, but, here in Texas (and at home in Louisiana), a TRO is not handled by police - it is handled in court. I've filed several in Texas for clients (it is often customary in a divorce proceeding) and the first one is automatically issued. At 7 days, there is a hearing for an interim order and then a final order issued at some point thereafter (I've never had to get to the final stage).

But, a TRO with a "leak" to the press that a football player has a TRO issued against him might be news. Be careful with what is released to the press (and how it is done) to avoid the risk of any potential defamation issues.

why would anyone defend that shitty team

That's why I brought up the DA. The one I worked for hated the Sheriff and would do anything to make him look bad...maybe there are some internecin rivalries you can exploit. In cases like this, it seems the more people who know, the safer you will be. Hell, if you are that worried, offer the football coach some kind of under the table bargain; i.e. they leave yr. bro alone, pay his medical bills and you all wash your hands of it. If you want to stand on principle, that is fine as well, just know what he is getting into. I thought journailists loved this type of shit...it sells papers. Keep that one in mind.

uhg I hate hearing this. I do not envy your brother. This is the kind of shit that can wreck a whole semester & derail an education. There's gotta be a sympathetic ear in the faculty. Maybe he has to stop playing up the card that he feels threatened & focus more on what happened to his girlfriend. Does IU have a law school? Womans studies? A local Gloria Allred?

You'd think a team this bad would be easy to bring to justice. They lost to Penn Fucking State for Christ sake

Then write up the story and give it to one of your brother's friends to submit. Most school newspapers are pretty casual about submissions and if one of your brother's friends sumbits an article along those lines (mentioning the altercation with yr bro and his girlfriend, as well as the incident with the signs)and I'm wiling to be it could get published. That counts as big news and, depending on the editor of trhe paper, could be the exact sort of story they're looking for.

If the school papaer isnt willing to comply, contact the Bloomington (right?) paper. One of them hould be falling over themselves to print this.

Wasn't it a faculty member's website or blog that started to expose the bullshit Ron Zook was starting with fraternities in Gainesville?

if the paper won't run your article, maybe these dudes can help

http://www.thefire.org/

Hey Spencer, sorry about your brother's crappy situation. One thing your brother should consider is that a criminal action isn't the only route - your brother has every right (and a very strong case) to sue for the torts of assault and battery. He could not only collect monetary damages from the player, but a civil court could also (I believe) issue a restraining order. With that kind of ammo, I'm sure he could convince the school to also move him to another dorm. He'd need a lawyer, but he'd almost certainly win, if the facts are as you stated them.

See, I'm not exactly sure how this works. My brother and his girlfriend have went to the police and given testimony and want to press charges, but the prosecutor hasn't looked at the case yet and the police aren't really doing anything as far as investigation.

I think going to the press is a great idea, but they really can't print anything until the prosecutor looks at the case and decides to take it to court, can they? What exactly is considered defamation of character? If I was to write a column saying using the kid's name would I liable if he wasn't charged? What if my brothers put flyers up all over campus with that shitheads picture on it?

BTW, this is the fucker:



Photo of Player
Brandon Joyce
Sophomore/Freshman
Offensive Line
6-4, 294
St. Charles, Missouri/Duchesne
Offensive lineman Brandon Joyce could contribute in 2004 after redshirting as a true freshman in 2003.

A 3A Missouri first-team All-State selection on the offensive line, Joyce is the son of former Los Angeles Rams and St. Louis Cardinals punter Terry Joyce. His grandfather was a center in college and his sister plays on the volleyball team at Alabama-Birmingham. Joyce led his team to a 9-3 record with an offense that averaged more than 300 yards-per-game. He was one of the highest-rated offensive linemen to come out of the state of Missouri his senior year by several publications. He was also recognized for his efforts in the classroom by the St. Louis-Tom Lombardo Chapter of the National Football Foundation with the organization's Scholar-Athlete Award. On defense, he made 27 tackles. He also played baseball and basketball and competed in track and field.

If the story was submitted anonymously, it wouldn't matter at all, but either way I don't think there's likely to be any case for libel whether or not he gets charged, and even if there were, it would be primarily against the paper. I would worry a lot more about arousing his ire without any police/court protection. But an anonymous tip would work wonders if he wanted to leak the story.

And he doesn't need the prosecutor's ok to file civil suit.

phew, for a minute there I thought you were talking
about the bloody awful and insipid UK band called Athlete!

Could he recover lawyer fees if he won a civil suit? According to my parents, this kid has already got a lawyer.

Most lawyers will take 33-40% of the damages award if he wins, and nothing or a nominal fee if he loses. In fact, I think that's mandated. In the US system, winners are not generally awarded court costs as part of damages. I don't think, anyway.

rparis?

Thanks for the advice. I'm calling my brother tonight to see exactly what we can do. I'm all stressed out because he's under a shitload of stress over this whole thing.

6'4" 294? I could just sit on this chump....I've got 1/4' on him and outweigh him - I'm not in football playing shape anymore but I wish I lived a little closer - I'd let the asshole try to pick on someone his own size.....I know Loogar is 6'8" - too bad we don't all live closer- we could start an Obner posse.

Oh yeah, and his dad's PUNTER??? No WONDER he's got issues!!

I always wish I was a 10th degree black belt in these situations so I could just go to town on some fat meatheads and break some limbs.



Don't let Dalen hear you say that.

One of the dudes from my high school is now one of the linemen at that school. If there's a metal looking dude involved, that's him.

that sucks. im 6' 3" but only 215, so maybe i could be one of loogars cronies in the posse or something. can your brothers girlfriend do anything? keep us updated on how this turns out, id like to see what happens.

I'm 6'5" 318 with 38 years worth of pent-up rage. Can I be in the posse? I mean, when's the last time the IU football team inspired fear in the masses? The Taft administration?!?

I'm only 5'11'' but grew up in the Bronx and can fight real dirty.

Steve

I'm only 5'10, but my God I'm Thick and Hearty! I can start the Toronto division of the Obner Posse.