Two University of Miami football players were arrested and charged with sexual battery on Tuesday morning after they admitted to police that they gave a 17-year-old girl alcohol and raped her. The players, linebackers JaWand Blue and Alexander Figueroa, have been dismissed by the team and suspended from school.
According to an arrest affidavit which was obtained by the Miami Herald, the incident occurred early Saturday morning at Pearson Hall on the Miami campus. Blue and Figueroa allegedly gave the victim a narcotic (or knew of someone who did) without her consent that made her “physically helpless to resist.” The two 20-year-olds admitted to buying the victim drinks and bringing her back to Figueroa’s dorm room, where they performed sexual acts on her without consent.
The victim reported the crime to campus police and Blue and Figueroa came forward on Tuesday. They were arrested and held without bond. Both former players were scheduled to appear in front of a judge on Tuesday.
Miami athletic director Blake James released a statement on Tuesday condemning the behavior.
“Earlier today, I permanently dismissed JaWand Blue and Alexander Figueroa from the UM football team,” James said. “The University has also suspended the students from school and barred them from all campus facilities while the University conducts an internal investigation and continues to cooperate with local law enforcement.
“Any allegation of a sexual assault is extremely serious, and the University will not tolerate conduct that threatens the sanctity and safety of our students and our campus. We hold all of our students — especially student athletes — to the highest standards of moral conduct. The University is committed to maintaining a safe campus environment for all.”
College kids make mistakes. When those mistakes amount to something like underage drinking, we tend to forgive them. What James and Figueroa have admitted to doing is disgusting. They should end up in jail.
H/T Bruce Feldman
