Case flummoxes Virginia officials

USA TODAY - May 06, 2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Yeardley Love will graduate with her class posthumously, University of Virginia President John T. Casteen III said Wednesday.

She was found dead Monday and her former boyfriend, George Huguely, is charged with first-degree murder. She played on the women's lacrosse team. He played on the men's team. Graduation is scheduled for May 23.

Casteen, who will retire this summer after 20 years as president of his alma mater, said the case brings up troubling questions about the use of alcohol on campus. He said he will leave his successor with recommendations on what to do about it.

"Quite frankly, this kind of killing is so rare that there are few protocols in higher education to deal with it," he said.

Officials said all students are counseled about sexual assault and healthy relationships and that athletes get extra training.

As for rumors among students that Huguely had a well-known temper, dean of students Allen Groves said he hoped one result of this case is that students will be more likely to come forward in the future if they see other students behaving in troubling ways. He said when the unthinkable occurs, people often ask if there is something they missed that could have prevented it.

Exams begin today. Casteen said lacrosse players and other students who are directly affected in this case will be required to take them, though Groves said reasonable requests for delays would be honored.

Other developments Wednesday:

*Love's funeral was set for Saturday in Baltimore, where she attended Notre Dame Prep.

*The Washington Post reported that eight current members on the men's team's 41-player roster have been charged with some kind of alcohol-related offense during their careers, including underage possession, using a fake ID and driving while intoxicated. This includes Huguely's 2008 arrest in Lexington, Va., for resisting arrest and public intoxication. According to the Post, six of the players were found guilty or pleaded guilty.

*In court documents filed Wednesday, police said they took a crimson-stained Cavaliers lacrosse jersey, a letter to Love, two computers, a notebook and other items from Huguely's apartment hours after Love's body was discovered, according to The (Charlottesville) Daily Progress. The records were later sealed.

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Erik Brady