With pre-season camp beginning Tuesday, there are many summer-long questions about the 2015 edition of the Tennessee Volunteers, regarding talented incoming players, a new offensive coordinator, and the results of off-season conditioning. There are also questions about the lingering suspension of star receiver Von Pearson.
If you’ve been living under a rock, here’s a recap: on the early morning of April 24, UTPD was called to Hodges Library to investigate a report of sexual assault. The case was handed off to KPD and Pearson was named the only suspect. Pearson was put on “interim suspension, with the right to appeal” by the University on April 27, banning Pearson from campus. “Interim Suspension” is a status that can be placed on students who are deemed “a danger to campus.”
That’s where the reliable (re: non-rumor) information gets, at best, sparse. Previous players with actual charges have been, though suspended from athletics, allowed to remain enrolled in classes and even graduate. While there is still an active investigation regarding the matter, Pearson remains exiled from campus and in limbo as a student without being charged.
Which naturally begs the question: Why would Pearson remain under interim suspension? If students with actual assault charges were not “a danger to campus,” then what makes this situation different?
We reached out to Pearson Saturday, to try and finally sort out reality from rumor. The player directed questions to his lawyer, Chris Coffey. So we asked Coffey why Pearson had been neither charged nor reinstated as a student?
“That’s a great question. I’d like to know, myself” said Coffey. “My client has done everything he’s been asked to do.”
As mentioned, interim suspension comes with the right to a university appeal hearing. We asked if Pearson had appealed, and that’s where Coffey’s claims raised even more questions.
“Von did appeal his suspension, in a hearing on May 4th and his suspension was lifted by Dr. Maxine Davis,” according to the attorney. Coffey then revealed, “two days later, without explanation or new case information, Von was informed by Vincent Carilli that he had been re-suspended and that’s the last information they gave us. That was May 6.” Carilli is the Vice Chancellor of Student Life.
As for what made the university double-clutch? Coffey mentioned that it had been over two months since he had been given new information. And what makes this student worthy of a campus ban, in spite of not being charged with a crime, while others have been allowed to continue studying and graduate? No answers there either.
On Sunday afternoon, calls were placed to the University’s Media and Internal Relations department and directly to Carilli but we were unable to reach anyone for comment.
The Vols are ready to hit the field (with or without Pearson), while mounting questions and scarce signs of development have made Tennessee’s 2014 feel-good story the great head-scratch of the 2015 summer.
