UPDATE: May 8, 3:55pm
Multiple news sources report today that thousands attended a funeral mass for slain UVA lacrosse player Yeardley Love. The Washington Post reports that members of the UVA men’s lacrosse team—teammates of George Huguely, charged with first-degree muder in Love’s death—served as pallbearers for the service. UVA women’s lacrosse coach Julie Myers recounted numerous stories about the 22-year-old student-athlete dubbed "Yeards" by her teammates.
Programs for the event featured an excerpt of an essay written by Love, in which she describes her desire to attend the University of Virginia.
UPDATE: May 6, 1:18pm
Following yesterday’s press conference alongside UVA President John Casteen and other school officials (see below), UVA Athletics Director Craig Littlepage released a letter that mentions responses from student-athletes at the university. Both teams anticipate selection for the upcoming NCAA tournaments, writes Littlepage, and "will represent the University of Virginia as they always have."
"Beginning with the early morning hours on Monday, the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Dean of Students, and Counseling and Psychological Services deployed staff to assist our lacrosse student-athletes," says Littlepage in the message. He adds that the athletic department’s "primary focus" is Love’s family and both lacrosse teams. C-VILLE placed a call to the family home, but was told that Sharon Donnelly, Yeardley Love’s mother, was not available for comment.
UPDATE: May 6, 12:40am
During a Wednesday evening press conference to answer questions concerning the death of 22-year-old student Yeardley Love, UVA President John Casteen expressed his surprise at what he referred to as "a number of gaps in this situation."
"There is nothing in Virginia law, I learned today, that requires jurisdictions to report to colleges when students are arrested in the jurisdictions," he said.
And more examples of communication gaps followed, from alcohol policies to a cited policy that students "self-report" criminal convictions. After Casteen mentioned that neither the UVA police department nor lacrosse coaches had any knowledge of a prior conviction for George Huguely, for public intoxication and resisting arrest in 2008, he asked whether students were required to self-report "any arrests [or convictions]."
"And there is, in fact, a regulation in the student code of regulations that requires that kind of report," said Casteen.
With regards to conflicts between Huguely and other students or teammates, Groves said there was "nothing prior to the incident that we’re discussing, that he’s incarcerated for right now, that we knew of involving Mr. Huguely." Littlepage, on behalf of men’s lacrosse coach Dom Starsia, said, "With regard to the report of the Lexington issue, our coach has also said that he’s not aware [of incidents]."
"I don’t know if this is the right time to be critical of what they did or did not bring forward at a particular moment in time," said Groves, roughly 20 minutes into the conference. "I do believe that the time is going to come where as a community we can look at ways in which we can better encourage students to put their hands up and talk to the people that might be able to intervene."
Later, during a candlelight vigil for Love at the UVA Amphitheatre, Casteen encouraged UVA students to start putting their hands up now.
"If your relationship is unhealthy—if it’s toxic—seek health, seek support. Talk to your dean, seek out a faculty member, come talk to me. If necessary, go to the police, or let us take you to the police," said Casteen.
"If you fear for yourself, or for others, any form of violence, act. Seek the support that belongs to you, because you belong to us. Demand and expect support, respect and assistance."
UPDATE: May 5, 7:51pm
For an hour this evening, four UVA officials—President John Casteen, Dean of Students Allen Groves, Chief Student Affairs Officer Patricia Lampkin, and Athletic Director Craig Littlepage—answered questions concerning the death of fourth-year student Yeardley Love and the subsequent arrest of fourth-year student George Huguely. While Groves described the incident as an opportunity for all members of the UVA community to learn about “what to look for, what to say and what to do” to prevent such an event in the future, the press conference also drew attention to just how little was known concerning Huguely’s 2008 arrest prior to this week.
“It was not reported at any point to me that this was a young man with the kind of issues that have been referenced,” said Littlepage. Both Littlepage and Groves said they were unaware or not notified of any complaints made to the University by Yeardley Love or her family members. Casteen mentioned his concern for a "number of gaps in this situation"—namely, a lack of shared information between police jurisdictions.
According to Casteen, UVA receives a daily report from campus police and "works closely with Charlottesville and Albemarle County police." He added, "I read the police reports each morning."
Concerning the athletic department’s alcohol policies, Littlepage said, “We don’t permit, by policy illegal consumption of alcohol,” and students are required to report violations of the school’s alcohol policy. All student-athletes also consent to random drug tests; if found in violation, they are immediately suspended from the team and must meet with counselors through the university. (The Washington Post reported today that eight members of the UVA men’s lacrosse team, including Huguely, "have been charged with alcohol-related offenses during their careers at the school"—22 percent of the team’s roster.)
After questions, Casteen asked reporters to be mindful of students during their exam period. “Exams are serious part of academic year here,” he told the room. A moment later, he added that it was "better to let them take exams than harass them."
Check c-ville.com later for reports on the candlelight vigil in honor of Yeardley Love.
UPDATE: May 5, 4:36pm
Stephen Murman, director of the central office for the Virginia Chief Medical Examiner, told C-VILLE Weekly that Yeardley Love’s body has been returned to her family. An autopsy was completed yesterday morning, but an offical cause of death has not been released by the office at this time.
A post on the website for the UVA Women’s Center says that the death of Yeardley Love is a tragic reminder "of the prevalence of dating and partner violence in today’s world."
"According to Bureau of Justice statistics, on average three women are murdered by their intimate partners in the U.S. every day," the post continues. "Intimate partner violence is perpetrated overwhelmingly against women who are between the ages of 20 and 24 without regard to race, ethnicity, economic status, and education."
Claire Kaplan, the director of the center’s Sexual and Domestic Violence Services, comments in the article that "The perception, often among students, is that such violence exists only for unhappy married couples, when in reality, Intimate Partner Violence [IPV] affects all types of relationships and all backgrounds and personalities of people."
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UPDATE: May 5, 2:38pm
Less than one week after a memorial service to honor six students who died during the course of the current academic year, the UVA community will host a second memorial this evening, for 22-year-old student and lacrosse player Yeardley Love. The candlelight vigil is scheduled for 8pm at the UVA Amphitheatre, and will feature remarks by UVA President John Casteen as well as student representatives.
The event will be Casteen’s first public address concerning the death of Love and the arrest of 22-year-old student and lacrosse player George Huguely since a letter released on Monday. Many members of the UVA community, from students to faculty, have stayed relatively silent since Monday.
Yesterday afternoon, six students on the UVA Lawn declined to comment on the record concerning Love, Huguely, or feelings among members of the UVA community; one remarked that he was sorry, but "really didn’t want to talk about it." Another student at a UVA bus stop similarly declined, and a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, where Love was a member, said that Love’s family asked that members of the sorority not comment. [Blog posts on the sorority’s national site and UVA site offer "thoughts and prayers."]
Huguely, arrested in 2008 for public intoxication and resisting arrest (and also reportedly tasered during the process), contributed 50 hours of community service at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank located in Charlottesville; a representative of the food bank confirmed that Huguely completed his hours, but could not offer additional comments.
Susan McKinnon, chair of UVA’s Department of Anthropology, wrote in an e-mail that she did not know Huguely, an anthropology major. She added that she felt it was "best that the Department not comment on this matter." Additionally, a staff member at Davenport Field—UVA’s baseball diamond, located near the lacrosse team’s Klockner Stadium—declined to comment yesterday afternoon, saying that staff was "only doing baseball today."
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UPDATE: May 5, 9:27am
UVA Athletic Director Craig Littlepage announced that both lacrosse teams will continue playing in the postseason in honor of slain senior Yeardley Love.
"We anticipate both teams will be selected for the NCAA Tournaments and they will represent the University of Virginia as they always have," he said in a news release. (The message is available here.)
"I am proud of the dignified way in which our students and coaches have responded to such a traumatic situation. The parents of our students also have my appreciation for the way in which they mobilized and joined us as plans were put together to assist the team," said Littlepage. "Finally, it is comforting to see how the University community has rallied in support of all who have been touched by Yeardley’s life and her passing."
Yesterday marked the final day of classes at UVA. Tonight, there will be a candlelight vigil at 8pm at the UVA Amphitheatre. The vigil follows an April 30 memorial service to honor six UVA students who also died during the last academic year.
"Although I know this is a busy, stressful time for students just as we start exams, I hope you will come tomorrow evening for this opportunity to reach out to one another in comfort, support, and unity," wrote Student Council President Colin Hood in an e-mail. UVA President John Casteen and additional class representatives are expected to speak at the event.
UPDATE: Tuesday, May 4 1:45pm
According to three affidavits obtained by the Daily Progress, Yeardley Love was found face down on her pillow in her bedroom, where the 22-year-old UVA fourth year student died early Monday morning. She had a large bruise on the right side of her face, consistent with what appears to be blunt force trauma. The women’s lacrosse player’s right eye was swollen shut and bruises and scrapes were found on her chin.
The document also reveals that the door to her room had a hole in it, “appeared to have been made by a fist.” George Huguely, the 22-year-old suspect now in custody who is also a UVA lacrosse player, admitted to having an altercation with Love and to kicking the door and admitted to shaking her against the wall “repeatedly.”
Approached by C-VILLE, Charlottesville Police Chief Tim Longo said that “we don’t know at this point what relationship if at all drugs and alcohol may have had with respect to the defendant or the victim.”
Appearing in Charlottesville General District Court this morning via video, fourth-year UVA student George Huguely sat quietly while a June 10 control date was set, to deal with additional findings that might surface in the homicide investigation of the death of 22-year-old UVA student Yeardley Love. Huguely briefly responded, "Thank you, your honor," before his defense attorney, Francis Lawrence, addressed press outside the court.
Reading from a statement "on behalf of George Huguely and his family," Lawrence told reporters that "we are confident that Ms. Love’s death was not intended, but an accident with a tragic outcome." Huguely is withdrawing from UVA and remains in the Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail.
Huguely’s mother, father and stepfather attended the hearing but exited without comment. Further reporting updates will be available on c-ville.com as well as the C-VILLE News Desk Twitter account.
George Huguely’s mother and stepfather exit the Charlottesville General District Court
Francis Lawrence (right), Huguely’s attorney, commented that "Grief has descended on this community as we attempt to understand what happened and why."
George Huguely
