Chris Beard.Photo: David K Purdy/Getty Images
The University of Texas has fired their basketball coach Chris Beard after learning ofhis domestic violence chargefollowing an alleged altercation with his fiancée, according to multiple reports.
Since the incident, Beardhad been suspended without pay, and now he has been fired due to being “unfit” for the position,the school reportedly told his attorney, ABC News reports.
His contract reportedly states that he can be let go if charged with a felony or any sort of behavior that reflects poorly on the university. He had five years left on a seven-year deal with the Longhorns.
PEOPLE has reached out to the school and Beard’s attorney Perry Minton for comment, along with the Travis County District Attorney’s office for further information on the matter.
Chris Beard.Dustin Satloff/Getty Images
According to ABC News, Minton wrote the school saying that “Coach Beard has not done anything to violate any provision of his contract with the University of Texas,” noting that he expects Beard’s charges to be dropped.
On Thursday, Jim Davis, the school’s vice president of legal affairs, wrote a letter to Beard’s attorney, stating that the coach has engaged in “unacceptable behavior that makes him unfit to serve as head coach at our university,” per ABC News.
Minton also reportedly stated that Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte “has repeatedly reported to our team that he is certain that Chris Beard did nothing wrong — and is innocent.”
“Your letter this morning reveals that Mr. Beard does not understand the significance of the behavior he knows he engaged in, or the ensuing events that impair his ability to effectively lead our program,” Davis wrote.
“This lack of self-awareness is yet another failure of judgement that makes Mr. Beard unfit to serve as a head coach at our university,” he added.
On Dec. 23, Beard’s fiancée came out with a statement denying she told police that Beard choked her.
“Chris and I are deeply saddened that we have brought negative attention upon our family, friends, and the University of Texas, among others,” she began in the statement,which AP News reported.
The statement continued, “As Chris' fiancée and biggest supporter, I apologize for the role I played in this unfortunate event. I realize that my frustration, when breaking his glasses, initiated a physical struggle between Chris and myself.”
“Chris did not strangle me, and I told that to law enforcement that evening,” she continued of her clarification. “Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that. I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way. It was never my intent to have him arrested or prosecuted. We appreciate everyone’s support and prayers during this difficult time.”
According to anaffidavit from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, “He just snapped on me and became super violent,” the fiancée alleged at the time. “[Beard] choked me, threw me off the bed, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around, and going nuts.”
The Associated Press had named Beard coach of the year in 2019, when he led Texas Tech to the NCAA champion game, catching the eye of University of Texas.
Beard’s next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 18.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
