Virginia

Ex-Virginia Tech LB Isi Etute Found Not Guilty in Murder Trial

Published

3 years ago

May 28, 2022

Ex-Virginia Tech LB Isi Etute Found Not Guilty in Murder Trial

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va (AP) — A jury on Friday acquitted a former Virginia Tech soccer participant who had been accused of fatally beating a person he says he initially believed from a Tinder match to be a lady.

Former participant Isimemen Etute, 19, was discovered not responsible of a cost of second-degree homicide within the 2021 demise of Jerry Smith, 40, of Blacksburg. The jury deliberated for roughly three hours earlier than returning its verdict round 6:30 p.m., The Roanoke Occasions reported.

Instantly after the decision was introduced, Smith’s household shortly left the courtroom. The prosecuting legal professional, Montgomery County Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Lawyer Patrick Jensen, declined remark and referred inquiries to his boss, Commonwealth’s Lawyer Mary Pettitt.

The jury started deliberations after closing arguments ended shortly earlier than 3 p.m.

Prosecutors had earlier informed the jury that Etute, then 18, grew to become enraged and fatally beat Smith when he found Smith was a person. One of many prosecutors stated at closing arguments Friday that Etute gave completely different variations of occasions to police and the jury, and that the cost might have been sufficient for him to vary his testimony.

“He has an amazing quantity using on this trial,” Jensen had stated throughout his closing argument hours earlier Friday, The Roanoke Occasions reported.

Protection legal professional Jimmy Turk informed the jurors earlier Friday that the commonwealth’s proof was circumstantial, whereas the protection’s proof, which included the testimony of Etute, was direct.

Turk additionally stated Smith was “controlling your complete surroundings and your complete episode.” He added that Smith had “demanded that or not it’s darkish” and had hidden a knife beneath his mattress “in case there was one thing awry.”

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Turk additionally argued that police didn’t ask Etute important questions on Smith’s knife or Etute’s concern whereas within the condo, two questions whose solutions might have proven whether or not Etute was afraid for his life and appearing in self-defense.

In taking the stand earlier within the week, Etute had testified that he felt “violated” when he found that the Tinder match he believed to be a lady was really a person.

In his testimony Thursday, Etute had testified that Smith reached for what Etute thought was a gun. Smith didn’t personal a gun, however police reported discovering a knife between the person’s mattress and field spring.

Etute stated he punched Smith 5 occasions and kicked him to achieve time to flee the condo.

Jensen had maintained that Etute had not acted in self-defense. He argued that after Etute punched Smith and Smith fell to the ground, there was “no manner” Smith might have reached a weapon beneath his mattress.

“He might by no means attain a gun from there,” Jensen stated.

Jensen recalled the testimony of medical expert Dr. Amy Tharp, who Jensen stated testified Smith had been the sufferer of a “brutal beating.”

Jensen stated that whereas Etute was carrying flip-flops on the time of the encounter, these sneakers had been connected to a “large individual” and a “robust individual.” He in contrast Etute, an “elite school athlete,” to Smith, who weighed 153 kilos (slightly below 70 kilograms).

“That’s a giant disparity,” Jensen stated.

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Virginia

Virginia vs. Florida Live Updates | NCAA Men’s Basketball

Published

2 hours ago

December 4, 2024

Press Room

Virginia vs. Florida Live Updates | NCAA Men’s Basketball

Virginia (5-2) is set to take on No. 13 Florida (8-0) in the second-annual ACC/SEC Challenge on Wednesday night at O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida. Follow along with score updates, play-by-play, and live analysis for the game in the thread below. Updates will be posted at each timeout in reverse chronological order with the most recent updates at the top of the article. Refresh the page for updates.

Virginia wins the opening tipoff and cashes in on its first offensive possession, as Isaac McKneely gets a good look from the left wing and knocks down the three. Two possessions, two triples for the Hoos as Dai Dai Ames gets free on the right wing and splashes the three-pointer to put UVA ahead 6-0. Alijah Martin knifes his way to the basket for a layup for Florida’s first basket, but the Cavaliers answer on the other end as Blake Buchanan snags an offensive rebound and lays it in. Florida pushes the ball up the floor quickly and takes advantage of a mismatch as Alex Condon scores over Ames in the paint. Elijah Saunders hustles to create a second chance opportunity and it pays off as McKneely swishes his second three of the game. Blake Buchanan gets a wide-open look in the paint and he hits the push shot to extend UVA’s lead to 13-4. Clayton fires back on the other end, scoring off the glass plus a foul on Ames.

Florida 6, Virginia 13 | 15:16 1H

The starting lineups have been posted for both teams.
Virginia: Andrew Rohde, Dai Dai Ames, Isaac McKneely, Elijah Saunders, Blake Buchanan
Florida: Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, Alijah Martin, Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu

As we await our 7:15pm tipoff between Virginia and Florida on ESPN2, read a full preview of the game here: Virginia Basketball vs. Florida Game Preview, Score Prediction

Keep up with all the scores in the 2024 ACC/SEC Challenge here: 2024 ACC/SEC Basketball Challenge Score Updates | UVA Basketball

UVA Basketball: First NET Rankings Released, Where Does Virginia Stand?

Virginia Basketball Cruises Past Holy Cross 67-41 | Key Takeaways

VIDEO/Transcript: Ron Sanchez Talks UVA Basketball’s Win Over Manhattan

Virginia vs. Holy Cross Live Updates | NCAA Men’s Basketball

Virginia Basketball Holds Off Manhattan 74-65 | Key Takeaways

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Virginia

2024 Fall Report: Virginia • D1Baseball

Published

9 hours ago

December 4, 2024

Press Room

Fall Report
Aaron Fitt – December 4, 2024

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — A year ago, Virginia rode one of the nation’s most fearsome offenses back to the College World Series for the second year in a row. The Cavaliers ranked among the national leaders in batting (third), OBP (seventh), slugging (fifth), scoring (sixth), doubles (fourth) and home runs (11th). The lineup featured absurd length, with 11 players who recorded at least 150 plate appearances while posting an OPS above .800, including five players above 1.000.

And even after losing mainstays Casey Saucke, Griff O’Ferrall and Ethan Anderson, Virginia is an ironclad lock to be one of the most terrifying offensive[…]

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Virginia

Virginia man allegedly attempted to brazenly shoplift from Walmart during holiday ‘Shop with a Cop’ event

Published

17 hours ago

December 4, 2024

Press Room

Virginia man allegedly attempted to brazenly shoplift from Walmart during holiday ‘Shop with a Cop’ event

If only this real-life Grinch’s brain could grow three sizes.

A Virginia man was arrested after allegedly trying to steal more than $1,000 worth of items from a Walmart — right in front of dozens of cops who were at the store for a holiday event.

A Chesterfield County Walmart was hosting its annual “Shop with a Cop” event where local police partnered with impoverished children to help them pick out gifts for the holidays on Sunday when the would-be bandit struck.

Nearly 50 police officers and sheriff’s deputies were all around the store at the time of the attempted theft, Chesterfield County Police Lt. James Lamb told CBS 6.

But the overwhelming presence of law enforcement didn’t deter 32-year-old Hector Velazquez Maldonado from trying to make off with nearly $1,400 of merchandise, according to police.

Security footage showed Maldonado trying to hide bulks of items on his person as he attempted to leave the store, according to police.

The officers were notified of a shoplifting in process at the very store they were all stationed at and began scouring the floor for the suspect who they quickly found.

“As we approached from different directions, he tried to escape out the back of the store where he was apprehended. I think he was stunned,” Lamb told CBS6.

Officers were dumbfounded that Maldonado had tried to commit the crime even with the clear police presence all around the area.

“We had 30-40 marked patrol cars in the parking lot. When we found his vehicle, it was facing where our cars were parked, so he would have had to see them. It seems it just didn’t matter to him,” Lamb told the station.

Maldonado is a repeat shoplifting offender and had an active warrant out for his arrest for a failure to appear in court along with several open larceny cases in Chesterfield County, officials said.

On top of his open cases, he is now facing a felony charge of grand larceny for his squandered holiday heist, CBS6 reported.

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