Topic: Gonna assume Stu Butler is gone.

[VA Herd Fan]

Hate crime is the dumbest crap ever. Who lovingly commits a crime?

Fortunately though, this is just a misdemeanor, so could mean he stays on the team.

John Hinckley

[herds]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/cusa/2015/05/06/marshall-steward-butler-arrested-battery-same-sex-couple/70882446/

Looks like the FBI is getting involved over hate crime concerns.

This situation could be toxic if we keep Butler.

[Apollo]

They say they have a video of him yelling homophobic slurs at them and then hitting him.

That screams of set up. I highly doubt they said hey lets video ourselves kissing on the street and see who comes along to start a fight. Again, this whole thing is fishy to me.

[HerdKelly]

Huntington Police Detective Chris Sperry tells WSAZ one of the victims recorded the whole incident on his cell phone.

Sperry says the couple had been in a similar situation previously and said if they ever were in that situation again, they would video it for proof.

"If it wasn't for the video, it would have been his word against theirs and we wouldn't have had anything. But luckily, they videoed it and that's why we're here today," Sperry said.

According to Sperry, in the video, you can hear Steward using derogatory comments to the couple. "It's not a pleasant thing to watch," he said.

Sperry tells WSAZ Steward claimed self defense. "Originally he said he felt threatened, that they were approaching his vehicle and he felt threatened," Sperry said.

"Huntington is a good place, but you've got a few bad people that do things like that. It's just a shame that you can't enjoy life and freedom," Sperry told WSAZ.

If convicted on the charges, Butler faces two years behind bars, or a $1000 fine. He was released on a $10,000 recognizance bond. His attorney was with him throughout the hearing.

Huntington Police say there were two other Marshall football players in the vehicle when the incident happened. Sperry says neither of them are facing charges and that one of the players urged Steward, "Let's go. Let's get out of here."

Sperry tells WSAZ the case is being forwarded to the US Attorney's Office and the FBI to determine if there is a civil rights violation. He says due to a change in wording in the code, they cannot file a civil rights violation on the county level.

According to Huntington Police, an administrator in the football office has seen the video.

Updated story here.....    http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/MU-Football-Player-Arrested-on-Battery-Charges-Against-Gay-Couple-302767091.html

[herds]

That screams of set up. I highly doubt they said hey lets video ourselves kissing on the street and see who comes along to start a fight. Again, this whole thing is fishy to me.

I can take my phone from sleep to video mode in about 5 seconds. If he had it already out, he could get there quicker. And if a guy was running at me, I'd probably whip out my phone as well to get documentation of the event

[FlyHawk98]

They say they have a video of him yelling homophobic slurs at them and then hitting him.

People use homo slurs all the time, half the time people dont even realize it.

[herdfan429]

People use homo slurs all the time, half the time people dont even realize it.

Do those same people punch them in the face right after using those slurs?

[BipolarFan]

If there is legit video of it then Doc need to tell this scumbag to back his bags immediately.

[HerdKelly]

People use homo slurs all the time, half the time people dont even realize it.

C'mon.  He supposedly yelled them at two gay people who had just kissed.  Let a vehicle to approach them and then punched at least one of them.  Not even close to the same scenario you are painting.  

It is what it is but if even mostly true he did an absolutely terrible thing.

[BipolarFan]

And a big THANKS to this fool for most likely putting our school in the national news in a really bad way.

Already in the top headlines on ESPN college football page.

[HaveUherd]

Getting in a fight with somebody who happens to be gay is not a hate crime. Stopping your car to beat up two gay dudes because their kissing in public offends you is a hate crime and pretty %^&*ing deplorable.

Yep. But luckily all the Fox News educated experts we have here are here to set us straight.

[greenanwhite]

All I can say is how can you make a mistake such as this?  I would say that he will be gone and probably will end up facing some kind of Federal charge over this. 

[parshall2marshall]

I say the standard Pruett punishment. Must sit one paid admission. Since the Spring Game has passed, he should sit against Purdue.

</ducking>

p2m

[HerdBlizz]

Didn't we just have this discussion  about hitting women....That's all I'm saying ...............

[ThunderDent]

Complete hate crime.

He hops out of car unprovoked, yells slurs at them, then beats them.
He deserves to be in jail. Period.

Let's take it back a bit shall we. Say 60 years. In the South.

Stu standing there on the street just being black. White boy jumps out of car unprovoked, yells slurs at him, then proceeds to beat him because he is black.

He doesn't have to live in that time now does he? I bet his parents or grandparents did. Maybe he should make some comparisons and talk with them.

It's no different.

Unacceptable. If Doc has access to video, watch it, then dismiss him permanently if that is truly what happened.
Due process and letting legal play out is for his ass to go to/stay out of jail. Has no bearing on being an upstanding young man on our football team.

Make a statement Doc. And not just locally. Make it Nationally.

[MUther]

My take is that if a white football player got out of his car and punched a black guy just for being black then people would be ready to crucify him.  It's the same thing, assuming the allegations are true and accurate.  Don't need a law to tell me that's wrong and I prefer to not have anyone associated with Marshall that would behave like that, if true.  Not jumping to conclusions or unwilling to wait on a verdict, but I also don't want to see this swept under a rug and dealt with internally.  

[36thunder]

I can take my phone from sleep to video mode in about 5 seconds. If he had it already out, he could get there quicker. And if a guy was running at me, I'd probably whip out my phone as well to get documentation of the event

Well Butlers 40 time is less than that. Ha. No way a person fumbles for their phone if someone is coming at them. That's the last thing on your mind in that situation unless you are out to do that on purpose. Besides. There our two sides to every story. And then there's the truth.

[The E-Man]

Complete hate crime.

He hops out of car unprovoked, yells slurs at them, then beats them.
He deserves to be in jail. Period.

Let's take it back a bit shall we. Say 60 years. In the South.

Stu standing there on the street just being black. White boy jumps out of car unprovoked, yells slurs at him, then proceeds to beat him because he is black.

He doesn't have to live in that time now does he? I bet his parents or grandparents did. Maybe he should make some comparisons and talk with them.

It's no different.

Unacceptable. If Doc has access to video, watch it, then dismiss him permanently if that is truly what happened.
Due process and letting legal play out is for his ass to go to/stay out of jail. Has no bearing on being an upstanding young man on our football team.

Make a statement Doc. And not just locally. Make it Nationally.

My take is that if a white football player got out of his car and punched a black guy just for being black then people would be ready to crucify him.  It's the same thing, assuming the allegations are true and accurate.  Don't need a law to tell me that's wrong and I prefer to not have anyone associated with Marshall that would behave like that, if true.  Not jumping to conclusions or unwilling to wait on a verdict, but I also don't want to see this swept under a rug and dealt with internally.  

As a black man myself, I have to agree with you two. If this is true, then Stu should have known better. If white dudes had jumped on Stu and yelled, we hate "N****rs" because he's black, then it would be a hate crime. Hate is hate! There should be "zero tolerance", on all sides, Period!

[The E-Man]

All I can say is how can you make a mistake such as this?  I would say that he will be gone and probably will end up facing some kind of Federal charge over this. 

That makes two Herd running backs to face Federal charges in less that two weeks. Unreal!

[Big City]

It will certainly be interesting to see how this ends up. Will certainly be an interesting off season. Other than that fact thats all I have to say about this issue until its worked out in the legal system.

[Big City]

with that said it looks like he has been dismissed from the program
https://twitter.com/TheHerdAD/status/596033120958291969

[WoodyWoodrum]

From a tweet by Mike Hamrick about 3:30 p.m. today:
Mike Hamrick ‏@TheHerdAD  11m11 minutes ago
Coach Holliday and I have decided to dismiss Steward Butler from our program in light of additional information regarding his charges.

[ed swain]

I see Pittman taking his place,not Watson.He screwed up his life for good acting like a Maroon.he hurt not only himself but the entire herd fan base..

[QuickStrike]

What a stupid mistake. Amazing that he couldn't learn to stay out of trouble after seeing Grooms crash & burn over being not so smart.

Pittman now gets more carries which will prepare him for 2016 starter duties. 

[herd1990]

When you recruit guys with sketchy character, you get occasional results like this.  There are just as many stories of questionable character guys who have done great things at Marshall and that is why people are worth a second shot.  Butler has to be gone.  No room for third and fourth chances.