In Leander, Texas, football is religion. On another occasion, he allegedly used a flashlight. "The District has made itself, and will continue to make itself, completely available to the Colton Police Department," school officials wrote in a statement. On being sentenced. Hearing that he victimized more people while I went to prison, thats what really disgusts me with the whole system and this whole deal.. "It's a pretty hard loss for the whole team, for the whole Joshua community.". I think Patricias motive was to have me walk at trial instead of bring the truth forward, so she had her investigation veer around Jonathan, says Kelley. "It took place basically everywhere within Colton High School," said the football players' attorney Brian Williams. football team member -- who passed away on Nov. 4, 2016, after sustaining a head injury during a football game on Nov. 3, 2016, according to his family. Gaebri is a one-in-ten billion type of girl. The appeals were dismissed. I want him to come forward and tell the whole story., He pauses. In the 30 months since, most of the 13 accused boysmany of them now menhave walked free on bail during the investigation, gassing up their trucks at the local H-E-B grocery and grabbing food at Whataburger, while still living near their alleged victims. ", "As you can see from our complaint, we believe there are several employees, coaching staff, personnel administrators at the school who failed these kids and so the school district is liable based upon the failures of its employees.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, I felt like there wasnt anyone who could relate to me. Another alleged instance of sexual abuse happened inside the locker room. ga('ads.send', { Ex-Dietrich High School students John R.K. Howard, 18, and Tanner Ward, 17, who played for the school football team last year, were charged by the state attorney general's office with felony Fox News Flash top headlines for December 9. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Meanwhile, other accusations against the new superintendent have surfaced, including claims from a female employee who said she saw sexual content on Lovettes work computer. Georgias Supreme Court on Monday reversed the most serious conviction against Marcus Dixon, a high school football star who received a 10-year prison sentence for having sex with an underage girl. He is currently serving a 4-year prison sentence for the same. However, a second 4-year-old boy came forward making a similar accusation against him, which ended up becoming a case for the William County District Attorney. Kelley was left shaken because he knew he had never done that. } She knew what I was going through and she was there to listen to me. According to multiple interviews with mothers of purported victims and claims in the lawsuit, boys who were promoted to varsity teams began showering with underwear on in hopes that it would deter their assailants. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The NFL is A state medical examiner's report obtained by Tulsa World says that the child died from multiple blunt impact injuries and had rib fractures and bruises on her scalp. The KCAL News Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on KCALNews.com and CBSLA.com. The second boy recanted, repeatedly saying that Greg did not assault him; the first boy maintained that Kelley did assault him but was not made to identify him in court. ", Logan Huber (Lake Jackson Police Department). Market data provided by Factset. WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas Texass Court of Criminal Appeals has overturned Leander resident Greg Kelley's conviction for the sexual assault of a child. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' Heres the thing: Kelley had moved out of the McCartys home on June 11, and on July 12 was many miles away from Cedar Park, helping his brother move from Hutto to a new place in South Austin. Since he was exonerated in 2019, Kelley has sued the City of Cedar Park and two former Cedar Park police officials. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. A Houston-area high school football player is recovering from his injuries after he was allegedly beaten by three teenagers, including at least one teammate. I met with Gregs family and some supporters in April of 2017, and they gave me a lot of information. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. At Pepperell High School, which is 94% white, the star defensive lineman moved easily among the different groups at school. Learn More. After a subsequent retrial and a 6-year-long legal battle, during the course of which some new "credible evidence" was found that "a different person may have been involved in the assault", Kelley was completely exonerated of his charges. Michelle even ran into some of the suspects in the grocery store. ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); Id rather not tell you, the officer allegedly responded. Tavarreon Dickerson, a 22-year-old former running back at Arlington High School and Tulsa University, was arrested in Arlington on Monday and charged with child abuse murder, news station KDFW reported. Legal Statement. After the arrests, and several angry school board meetings, the case was taken up by the Texas Rangers and the Texas Attorney Generals Office. "The District is committed to ensuring that law enforcement has access to all of the facts and information for their investigation.". pg.acq.push(function() { It feels good to hear that because its opened a lot of peoples eyes to not be so judgmental.. }); hitType: 'event', document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ Kelley is still implicated. In a sharply critical dissenting opinion, Justice Harris Hines argued that by opting for a lesser conviction, the majority chose to override state law and ignore the jurys verdict. It wasnt until November 6, 2019, that Kelleys conviction was finally vacatedand Kondelis captured the entire thing, shooting over 180 hours of film over two and a half years. Ive had a lot of people say theyre sorry and that theyre so happy for me. Almost a year later, in July 14, he was convicted and sentenced. A jury in Houston found Baylor University and three former football players not responsible for an alleged sexual assault of a former student athlete in 2017. Throughout the course of the case, Kelley maintained his innocence, while his supporters comprising his family, friends and the community that knew him, stood by him. Market data provided by Factset. A new five-part docuseries digs into what When I got Patricia I thought, OK, were going to get the truth out there and Ill get to go back to playing football. },false) When a La Vernia police officer told Michelle* that her son, a gifted player on the high-school football team, had been among the victims, she sobbed angrily:. What did they use on my son? she asked. WebTavarreon Dickerson, a 22-year-old former running back at Arlington High School and Tulsa University, was arrested in Arlington on Monday and charged with child abuse murder, But Fletcher said that lawmakers had not intended the child molestation law to be used in cases like Dixons, and that in fact they had acted in 1996 to lessen the penalties for sex between teenagers. "When you're on a football team together, you're like brothers," teammate Elijah Bols told WFAA. Aside from his mother, Rosa, the person who most stood by Kelleys side throughout this harrowing ordeal was his girlfriend Gaebri. Im still angry about the whole thing and I want them to pay for what they did, she said. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { More plea hearings in the case are scheduled for Oct. 21 and Nov. 26. eventAction: 'load' Johnathan McCarty then became a suspect after police found several pictures of naked children on his phone, associated with child pornography. WebHis replacement, Trent Lovette, was accused of inappropriately touching a high-school cheerleader at a football game in August, an incident which police are still investigating. ga('ads.send', { Every Friday night, a crowd of over 10,000 peopleone-fifth of the entire populationcongregates at A.C. Bible Jr. Memorial Stadium to cheer on the Leander Lions. In March of 2017, filmmaker Pat Kondelis was at SXSW for a screening of his Showtime documentary Disgraced, about the murder of Baylor mens basketball star Patrick Dennehyand subsequent cover-up by the universitywhen a friend of a friend approached him and said, Hey, you need to look at this Greg Kelley case. Kondelis lived in Williamson County, Texas, where it all took place, but was neck-deep in a CNN series at the time and had missed the coverage. Kelley maintained his innocence and pushed for a new trial. eventAction: 'view' You dont want to know.. The June indictments allege that Norman held down a boy in Aug. 2016 and sodomized him with a cardboard rod; that he held down the same boy in September and raped him with a shampoo bottle; and that he held down another boy in November and sodomized him with a CO2 air bottle. The rape scandal rocked La Vernia, a lush, green town just 30 miles southeast of San Antonio, spackled with farms, historical markers, donut shops, and about a dozen churches. They were identified by the Lake Jackson Police Department as two 17-year-olds, and 18-year-old Logan Huber. I do believe that Jonathan did it. Im only gonna speak to what we found, and we found that Patricia has represented the McCarty family and all of Shamas boys in the pastand some of them were on sexual indecency cases. The case was brought back to life in May this year after Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick claimed that he had been given credible evidence suggesting that the son of the day care facility operator, Jonathan McCarty, may have been involved in the abuse. The Week in Photos: California exits pandemic emergency amid a winter landscape, Column: Did the DOJ just say Donald Trump can be held accountable for Jan. 6? Legal Statement. Dickerson is being held in Tarrant County Jail as of Thursday afternoon awaiting extradition to Tulsa. Murdoch has survived scandal after scandal. A no-contest plea, unlike a guilty plea, is an acceptance of the court's punishment without an admission of guilt. That same month, thanks to the financial assistance of a local activist named Jake Brydon, Kelley had managed to hire a new lawyer, Keith Hampton, whod filed a writ of habeas corpus. WebThree teenagers were indicted by a Texas grand jury on second-degree assault charges after their football teammate was jumped and severely beaten. Lovette said the past several months of allegations against him have taken a toll on his health, and he went on an indefinite medical leave of absence earlier this week.. Afterward, several jurors protested, saying they had not intended to impose such a harsh punishment. As a child, Dixon caught Jones eye because of his athletic ability. The day care owner also took the stand, professing her belief that Kelley was innocent. The guilty charge was handed out a year later, although at the trial there was no physical evidence and one of the young victims, who testified via closed circuit TV, denied that Kelley had touched him. But in March 2017, officers informed the parents of at least 10 players that their sons had been sodomized by their teammates. Leander, Texas prides itself on its proficiency in football and Leander High School for that matter had one of the best teams in the state for a few decades. hitType: 'event', More than 18 months of state appeals followed from Kelleys new defense team, with claims they had evidence to prove that he was not at the daycare during the time the alleged crimes occurred. On Wednesday, the states highest criminal court overturned Kelleys conviction. The alleged victim was taken off a ventilator and took a few steps on his own, his brother wrote on a Monday Facebook post. Trailer homes and pristine mini-mansions alike populate the area, and most drama still takes place under the Friday Night Lights at football games. Story tips can be sent tolouis.casiano@fox.com. Three white high school football players in southern Idaho have been charged in the brutal sexual assault of a disabled teammate, who is black. WebThe Joshua High School community is mourning the loss of 15-year-old Aaron Singleton -- a student, marching band member and J.V. The judge, who reportedly called the case a tragedy of society, approved each of the plea deals Friday, which will include five years of probation. When I was going through this, I felt like I was alone. The second boy initially named Johnathan as the assailant in his outcry interview, before a series of leading questions from a detective led the child to name Greg. Theres a lot to that that we dont know, offers Kelley. Thats a conflict of interest, and she should have said, Hey Greg, I cant represent you. Instead, Shama recommended that she be my attorney.. Grandmother with dementia died from face wound neglected by staff for days. Kelleys attorneys argued that the investigation by the Cedar Park Police Department was deficient and Kelleys trial attorney had a conflict of interest because she had represented relatives of other possible suspects. pg.acq.push(function() { WebInto Greg Kelley's senior year in Leander, Texas, he was arrested, convicted, and jailed for sexual assault of a four-year-old boy, and later for a second child, who both attended day care in the home where Kelley was living. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. McCarty has not been charged, but has been named by Texas Rangers as one of three suspects. District Atty. "That would include the locker room for the varsity football players, training rooms, weight rooms, classrooms, bathrooms, in vans to football-related events and at a few homes.". Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. Its not just about wrongfully convicting somebodyits about the other victims. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Four years ago, Greg Kelley, then 18, was arrested on a charge of sexual assault of a 4-year-old boy at an in-home day care center. In lieu of offering up Johnathan as an alternate suspect, Cummings sought to prove that the boys made the whole thing upthereby pitting their words against Kelleys. When he received offers from UTSA, Texas State, and Rice, it felt like the culmination of a years-long journey. The 16-year-old suffered multiple injuries, including multiple skull fractures and a broken clavicle after he was lured out and beaten, Fox affiliate KRIV-TV reported. "It's a pretty hard loss for the whole team," a teammate said. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! RELATED:Police: Central Texas high school student sexually assaulted children, shared photos after church. Well, kind of, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles. As The Daily Beast reported two years ago, the case began in March 2017, when 13 La Vernia High School studentsmany of them varsity athletes on the football, baseball, and basketball teamswere arrested in the alleged sexual abuse of at least 10 victims. A onetime Texas high school football star, who was sentenced to25 years behind bars without the possibility of parole for sexually assaulting a child, could soon get a new trial. Updates for the victims and their families were rare. }); One of defendants was ordered to serve 100 hours of community service, and three others were ordered to serve 200 hours each. All rights reserved. Im so grateful because at that time, I didnt want a documentary made about meI needed one made, says Kelley. },false) Alejandro Ibarra, Dustin Norman, Colton Weidner, and Christian Brock Roberts, all now 20 years old, were formally charged with engaging in organized criminal activity in the case. An attorney for one of the teens told a reporter on Friday that his client was just happy to put this behind us.. The defendants were juveniles at the time of the alleged crimes, and their names have not been publicly released, said the Texas Attorney Generals Office. WebKelley, a former football player for Leander High School, was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison back in 2014 for aggravated sexual assault against a child. Three suspects charged in the Dec. 3 incident were on the same Brazoswood High School football team as the alleged victim, his family members told the news outlet. 'Outcry': Where is Greg Kelley now and how did his conviction and subsequent exoneration affect his life. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? In his outcry interview conducted at the Child Advocacy Center in Georgetown, Texas, the first boy alleged that Kelley was wearing SpongeBob Squarepants pajamas during the assaults, and that the assaults occurred in a bedroom with a couch, a crib, and trophies. window.adsContainer = {"positionAfterTitle":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position2":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position3":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Below_Next_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle1_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle2_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position7":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle3_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle4_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position10":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle6_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position11":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle7_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position12":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle8_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position13":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle9_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position14":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle10_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position15":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle11_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position16":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle12_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"positionTop":{"code":"Article_Desktop_970x250_Header_Rel","isOrganicUserAd":false,"max_width":970,"max_height":250},"positionBottom":{"code":"Article_Desktop_Sidebar_Bottom_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":300,"max_height":600},"positionBottomRight":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280}} I want to reassure our citizens that the department remains steadfast in our commitment to ensure community safety and public trust. He hopes to hear about whether hes made the football team soon. Its not safe, Jackson said. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. This spurred Texas Rangers to re-investigate the case. WebBut, when one of the children at the McCarty daycare accused Kelley of molestation, his college football dreams as well as his entire life fell apart. }); Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? He had been playing safety during an away game against Cleburne High School last Thursday when he took a hit, WFAA reported. Gordon made excuses claiming they were closing up and leaving. His case was featured on Oprah Winfreys show. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { Court documents obtained by KTRK-TV said one of the 17-year-old's punched the alleged victim in the face after he was lured by the two teens. Over the course of the trial, several clues appeared to point to another suspect: Johnathan McCarty, who bore a striking resemblance to Greg Kelley. The dark cloud that has lingered over the small town of La Vernia, Texas, for more than two years may finally be lifting. WebThe Trials of Greg Kelley: A High School Football Phenom Wrongly Convicted of Molesting a 4-Year-Old Boy MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE Courtesy of SHOWTIME Greg Kelley was on Will Dominion-Fox News lawsuit be different? A spokeswoman for Cook Childrens Health Care System told ABC News today she could confirm that 15-year-old Aaron Singleton arrived at a hospital in the system on Thursday, Nov. 3, and that he died on Friday, Nov. 4. }); 'Very open to the idea': Julia Wandelt takes DNA test to verify if she is missing Swiss girl Livia Schepp, Kayla Lemieux: Teacher with prosthetic Z-cup breasts suspended WITH PAY after pics show her dressed as man, 'We have lots to reveal': Madeleine McCann lookalike Julia Wandelt posts footage of meeting with PI probing claims, Lindsay Clancy case: Psychologist reveals psychosis red flags family members could have spotted, Horror at Larchwood Care! A jury convicted him of assaulting a child at an in-home day care, where he lived with another family in order to continue his Detecto una fuga de gas en su hogar o negocio. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. ", Williams said that rather than doing something about the sexual assaults, coaches made jokes about Gordon's behavior calling it "Tiffany's special treatment. "Unexpectedly, Coach Strauss entered the locker room, interrupting Gordon's ongoing sexual assault of John Doe 7046," attorneys said in the lawsuit. WebThe community begins to demand Kelleys release, rallied together by a self-appointed activist, Jake Brydon, who had never met Kelley but believes him to be the epitome of a He was one of the best players beloved by fans and the coaches alike and had joined the varsity team in 2010. ga('ads.send', { None of these facts, however, were brought up at trial. But Kelley may get a renewed day in court after all. He was like my younger brother, but man, its like I didnt know this guy at all, says Kelley. Its typical for La Vernia, Michelle said in 2017, to sweep it all under the rug.. Legal Statement. Leigh Patterson told the Rome News-Tribune that she planned to file a such a motion. Meanwhile, Kelley has been moving on with his life post-exoneration. McCartys lawyer has vehemently denied allegations against her client, with claims he is being scapegoated in a quest to prove Kelleys innocence. The end result is Outcry, a five-part docuseries that aired last month on Showtime. RELATED STORY | Judge recommends Greg Kelley's sex assault conviction be overturned. Both boys were interviewed over a half-dozen times by various officials, prompting a child psychologist for the prosecution to testify at trial that asking a young child repeated questions about a particular event may cause them to believe that it happened. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The warden called up the house, and [Marcus] said: Pops, Im coming home, said Kenneth Jones, who had coached Dixon in baseball when he was 10. } Former Colton High School trainer accused of sexually abusing teenaged football players. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ Kelley was sentenced to 25 years in prison with no Kelley was charged with two counts of indecency with a child and two counts of super aggravated sexual assault, the latter carrying a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison. The 15-year-old girl who had accused him of rape is white; Dixon was 18 at the time. WebThe story of Gregory Kelley, a high-school football star from Leander, Texas, who was wrongly accused of child molestation is the subject of a new Showtime Sports documentary Born to a drug-addicted mother, Dixon moved in with Ken and Peri Jones at the age of 12 and became a standout football player and straight-A student at Pepperell High School. The youngster gradually became a member of the Jones family and moved into their house in the suburb of Lindale. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. I know a couple of the kids involved he actually went to prom with this year. Unlike most people that live in Leander, he didn't grow up with money. Send it to The Daily Beasthere. Alvin Jackson, former president of the Rome chapter of the National Assn. gads_event = event; First published on October 3, 2022 / 6:00 PM. WebKelley was sentenced to 25 years in prison back in 2014. It felt like I died. WebKelley, a high school footballer in Leander, Austin, was sentenced to prison for at least 25 years after he was found guilty of two counts of super aggravated sexual assault against a Rockwall Heath High School head football coach John Harrell is being accused of requiring his players to perform the rigorous task. Both young boys testified in a separate room via closed-circuit television. At first, it was very hard for me to accept that but as time went on, and the investigation that shouldve happened happened, stones got turned over and evidence came to light that really shouldve come to light in the first place. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He had received a full scholarship to play at Vanderbilt University when he was convicted last May. RELATED STORY | Greg Kelley released from Williamson Co. jail on bond. Having those dreams and wanting to make my family proud was everything for me. Please enter valid email address to continue. Four teens each pleaded no contest to the felony charge of unlawful restraint on Friday, reported KENS5-TV, in the years-long sexual-assault and bullying case that victimized at least 10 boys on high-school sports teams in Texas and ripped apart the 1,200-person town. FORMER NY CORRECTION OFFICER SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT. hitType: 'event', I dont know another girl that would stick by a man going through this.. Doctors discovered he had a blood clot and swelling in his brain, his family added. eventAction: 'click_ads' The case drew national attention, with supporters of Dixon -- who is black -- charging he had been overzealously prosecuted because of racial tensions in his north Georgia hometown of Rome. or redistributed. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. When he goes somewhere else, gets a new start, people will support him., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Civilians flee embattled town of Bakhmut as Ukrainian pullout looms. Johnathan, on the other hand, was still living in the home at the time of the alleged assaults, owned a pair of SpongeBob Squarepants pajamas that he regularly wore to school, andunlike Kelleyslept in a bedroom with a couch, a crib, and trophies. I had a lot of questions, says Kondelis. San Antonio-based Attorney Fidel Rodriguez, Jr., who represents one of the victims bringing legal action, said on Friday that his client is finally vindicated for having the courage to come forth and report these inhumane actions., Our client is relieved that the truth has finally surfaced and that the community can begin the healing process, said Rodriguez. Para nosotros usted es lo ms importante, le ofrecemosservicios rpidos y de calidad. Students at the stadium also released balloons into the sky, and a member of the junior-varsity football team took the field holding Aaron Singleton's jersey, number 33. In 1995, Georgia legislators imposed tough mandatory minimum sentences on violent felonies, including aggravated child molestation, which occurs when a child under 16 is hurt during a sexual encounter with an adult. ga('ads.send', { for the Advancement of Colored People, said the case had churned up long-hidden veins of racism that run through Rome. pg.acq.push(function() { 78340, San Luis Potos, Mxico, Servicios Integrales de Mantenimiento, Restauracin y, Tiene pensado renovar su hogar o negocio, Modernizar, Le podemos ayudar a darle un nuevo brillo y un aspecto, Le brindamos Servicios Integrales de Mantenimiento preventivo o, Tiene pensado fumigar su hogar o negocio, eliminar esas. Another civil lawsuit in April 2017 claimed that schools coaches sanctioned these rituals and turned a blind eye toward the abuse. The two cases have since been consolidated, and they are set to go to trial against the school district in February 2020. But there were some clear things that I noticed were wrong from our first conversation, and when I verified that with Keith Hampton, Gregs attorney, that became a turning point for me to jump right in and see what happens with this case., He adds, I was initially surprised that this was a 25-year minimum prison sentence with no possibility of parole, and when I kept asking people what was the evidence, it was, this child said the name Greg. I came to find out that was the only piece of evidence: a recently-turned four-year-old boy who said his first name, and thats it..