The University has had different reactions to the arrest of basketball player Grady Reynolds on Nov. 17.
Reynolds has been accused of assaulting and harassing another student, Rachel Seager, an athlete on the swim team, after an alleged altercation in his dorm room.
According to Seager, they were alone and Reynolds grabbed her, hit her head against the bathroom wall twice and pushed her so hard she dislocated her knee.
There were no witnesses to the incident. However, Seager was found in Reynoldís room crying and holding her knee.
Reynoldís next court date has been scheduled for Dec. 24. He is pleading innocent to the charges of assault and harassment.
According to Resident Assistant Brian Chambers of Hollis Hall, there was no lock on the suite door because it was taped and anyone could enter at anytime. “Seager entered the room illegally and it was after 2 a.m.”
The University has stated that they are looking into the matter and would not comment on an ongoing investigation.
“We have to be objective in handling the matter. It is a sensitive issue because there are two students from the Unversity involved,” dean of Student Life Jose Rodriguez said. The Office of Residence Life would not comment on the matter either. However, Reynolds has been removed from the dorms temporarily, according to Rodriguez. He would not elaborate on the reasons behind Reynolds’ removal.
Head Coach Mike Jarvis has publicly announced that he will stand by his player and that Reynolds is innocent until proven guilty.
Former basketball player Jonathan Parker disagrees with Jarvis’ position.
“Coach always said making the right decisions would make you a better person. He wasn’t worried about us being athletes, but about us becoming better people,” Parker said. “However, star athletes got star treatment, that is why I left. I think that he [Reynolds] should have been suspended until all the details were discovered.”
Many students are upset at the fact that Reynolds has continued to play in the school’s basketball games.
“I think he should be suspended,” said senior LaVaughna Bie. “He represents St. John’s on a wider scale than other students and we are already getting enough bad press.”
Many students have voiced the opinion that the University is not handling the matter correctly and that Reynolds should be suspended. In fact some students feel that to be fair both students should have been suspended until the investigation has ended. “It is a two way street and it should be equal,” senior John Fonacier said. “There should be some type of suspension for both.”
Many students have voiced the opinion that the University is not handling the matter correctly and Reynolds should be suspended.
In fact, some students feel that to be fair both students should have been suspended until the investigation has ended. “It is a two way street and it should be equal,” senior John Fonacier said. “There should be some type of suspension for both.”
“Until they know what actually happened both sides should take responsibility, since they were involved with the issue,” Bie said.
Some students, however, agree with Jarvis and feel that Reynolds is innocent until proven guilty and should be treated fairly.
“I don’t know exactly what happened but I do know Grady, and he is a really good [person] and I think that he’s caught a really raw deal,” Chambers said. “He has never given me any problems on the floor. I think they portrayed him in a really bad light and it is unfair.”
