White pleads guilty to misdemeanors

Donate To GopherHole
ShowinGoldyLove said:
About what most of us predicted: 2 misdemeanors of theft and disorderly conduct; no assault charge. 1 year probation, and the guilty plea will be removed if he doesn't get into any more trouble (a "stay of adjudication").
Click to expand...
No, White pled guilty so it's not a stay of adjudication. It's a stay of imposition (the sentencing isn't "imposed" and is held in abeyance).

The key distinction IMO is that there's finally a plea of gulty by White. I think that is the equivalent to accepting responsibility for his actions.

IMO that's an important step for White to take if he's going to come back to the team. I don't think a stay of adjudication (where there's no plea entered) would have resolved the matter and folks would still be debating whether he had broken the law or not.

I hope Royce realizes he needs to be squeaky clean and accepts this as a major turning point. I suspect he does now ... I just hope it stays with him as time goes on. If not, we'll likely have another problem in 3-4 months.
 

Id be frustrated as hell with the University handling of the situation too.

Not for the Mall incident, that i understand, and im sure they do too, but this laptop thing..over a month now and nothing resolved. That's piss poor effort and police work and if they don't have anything on him, then his name should be cleared.
 

gopherphan said:
Id be frustrated as hell with the University handling of the situation too.

Not for the Mall incident, that i understand, and im sure they do too, but this laptop thing..over a month now and nothing resolved. That's piss poor effort and police work and if they don't have anything on him, then his name should be cleared.
Click to expand...

I agree on the laptop incident. They need to get this over with and either indict him or clear his name, but to let his linger for a month or more is ridiculous.
 

gopherphan said:
Id be frustrated as hell with the University handling of the situation too.

Not for the Mall incident, that i understand, and im sure they do too, but this laptop thing..over a month now and nothing resolved. That's piss poor effort and police work and if they don't have anything on him, then his name should be cleared.
Click to expand...

Ahh, but what if the converse is true...and they DO have something on him? Should his name be cleared then?, or should he be able to blame his poor circle of friends? or perhaps the co-ed who left the door open?, blah, blah, blah...

If there ever were a need for a Reset button, this is it. There's something seriously wrong at the psychological level, this series of behaviors is a cry for help and hopefully this aspect of this whole sorry saga is what is being addressed behind the scenes and is the reason behind holding up the resolution of the various "dorm issues".
 

Quote: 'I agree on the laptop incident. They need to get this over with and either indict him or clear his name, but to let his linger for a month or more is ridiculous. '

It is not ridiculous at all. All the evidence leads to the conclusion that the U is not going to let White play this year. They have no obligation to speed up an internal review process that in the best of times can only be considered "deliberate".

As for White's family - if this is their attitude they are part of the problem. It should not surprise anyone that White is the way he is if the family's only concern is to get him back on the team. This is just further evidence that White's athletic skills have made him immune from being held accountable for his actions. It couldn't be that the family sees a bid pay day for themselves a year or two down the road, could it?
 


I agree with station 19 and will trust Tubby's decision. There's so much we don't know including his attitude, etc.

One thing, probably for certain, is that he and his family has been hearing for years that his talent will get him into the NBA and rich beyond imagination. I do not know his family's financial situation but he probably feels pressure from all sides. It's pretty easy for all of us to have an altruistic attitude about Tubby leading him to a morally sound life, but he still has family expectations and pressure to deal with. Not an easy situation for any young man.
 

You nailed it ncg-

These behaviors are a cry for help in response to the various pressures he is under, I hope and trust that this is what Tubby and Maturi are addressing with the aid of professional help behind closed doors.
 

UpnorthGo4 said:
It is not ridiculous at all. All the evidence leads to the conclusion that the U is not going to let White play this year. They have no obligation to speed up an internal review process that in the best of times can only be considered "deliberate".
Click to expand...
What evidence leads you to that conclusion? Tubby has publicly stated he is waiting until both matters are resolved until he addresses the issue. I think the evidence doesn't point either direction.

You are right they have no obligation to speed up an internal review process; however, this does not appear to be a typical review process. No way this should take over a month, especially when he isn't even listed as a "suspect." Being "deliberate" is one thing; but it's hard to believe it'd take this long to resolve something so seemingly simple if it was even a normal, non-athlete student.

If he says was innocent of the charges levied against him, the University hasn't named him as a suspect for over a month now, the female has her laptop back, they can only place him in the physical building at the time of the crime, and they still can't make a decision or even give the parties involved a timeline, I'd be mad as hell if I was his family as well.
 

Rick Mons said:
No, White pled guilty so it's not a stay of adjudication. It's a stay of imposition (the sentencing isn't "imposed" and is held in abeyance).

The key distinction IMO is that there's finally a plea of gulty by White. I think that is the equivalent to accepting responsibility for his actions.

IMO that's an important step for White to take if he's going to come back to the team. I don't think a stay of adjudication (where there's no plea entered) would have resolved the matter and folks would still be debating whether he had broken the law or not.

I hope Royce realizes he needs to be squeaky clean and accepts this as a major turning point. I suspect he does now ... I just hope it stays with him as time goes on. If not, we'll likely have another problem in 3-4 months.
Click to expand...

The quote is the article is:

"His sentence was stayed, and if he stays out of further legal trouble the guilty pleas will be removed from his record. He also must stay away from the Mall of America for a year."

The wording seems to be poorly formed. If it is a guilty plea and a stayed sentence, the pleas would not be removed from his record would they? They seem to be implying a stay of adjudication. But, it's the newspaper so who knows?
 



ShowinGoldyLove said:
What evidence leads you to that conclusion? Tubby has publicly stated he is waiting until both matters are resolved until he addresses the issue. I think the evidence doesn't point either direction.

You are right they have no obligation to speed up an internal review process; however, this does not appear to be a typical review process. No way this should take over a month, especially when he isn't even listed as a "suspect." Being "deliberate" is one thing; but it's hard to believe it'd take this long to resolve something so seemingly simple if it was even a normal, non-athlete student.

If he says was innocent of the charges levied against him, the University hasn't named him as a suspect for over a month now, the female has her laptop back, they can only place him in the physical building at the time of the crime, and they still can't make a decision or even give the parties involved a timeline, I'd be mad as hell if I was his family as well.
Click to expand...

So...then who are you accusing of jacking him around? Who is "they"? Don't Tubby and Maturi carry enough weight to end this quickly if in fact, there's no there, there?
 

Why does the University of Illinois hold their student athletes accountable when they steal things, and the U doesn't? I am struggling to come up with a good answer to this question. As some of us already know, a local Twin Cities athlete was recently kicked off Illinois' baseball team for stealing stereo equipment from a store in Champaign. I am having trouble dealing with the fact that another Big 10 school demands higher standards for the athletes that represent them. If Tubby does not suspend Royce White for a minimum of one year for pleading guilty to shoplifting it will be absolutely outrageous. It will not be Tubby's finest hour by a long shot.[/QUOTE]

Stealing <100 vs a laptop 500-1000 is a big difference not to mention the felony vs. misdemeanor like others have said. In terms of the laptop case, Royce has not been a suspect in that case. The media is making him a suspect in that case where the U is not.
 

I would like to see Royce playing..just like everyone else. However, he only has himself to blame for not playing. His pattern of behavior speaks to his lack of judgement and his maturity level. If he wants to play for someone else..by all means, go do it. That said, I'm sure Tubby will reinstate him at the appropriate time and I fully support any decision made by Tubby. Of the two, Tubby is the only one who has earned the benefit of the doubt.
 

BTW.....

Where is the "Wren"assaisance man, CalGopher, when he's needed?, to put this in the racist perspective that it so properly deserves? I want names CG! The complete GHer blacklist of shame....!!! (oh wait, can you say "blacklist" anymore?)
 



If Royce White transfers, he will end up with a collegiate career rivaling Doug Wrenn's.
 

Goldenboy,

You might want to reconsider the last part of your comment.

This from the Star Tribune on 11/11

"Police are investigating Gophers power forward Royce White as a possible suspect in a Saturday night burglary on the University of Minnesota campus, school spokesperson Garry Bowman said Tuesday night"

That's not the media saying that he's a suspect. That's a U official saying he's a suspect.
 

harrys ghost said:
If it is a guilty plea and a stayed sentence, the pleas would not be removed from his record would they? They seem to be implying a stay of adjudication. But, it's the newspaper so who knows?
Click to expand...
My understanding is that it depends on the wording of the stay of imposition. The judge may have worded it so that the charges would be dismissed. The problem is that it doesn't mean the record is expunged. I've seen some individuals who complied with the court's requirements (e.g. counseling and/or no similar offenses, etc) but there's still a record of the citation and arraignment.

However, in order for the court to stay imposition, White had to plead guilty. As I said before, I think that's an important element because it at least puts the mirror up before Royce (and his family). The question is whether they look in the mirror and take appropriate action.
 

Why won't they come out and say he didn't steal the laptop? Clearly he didn't. If they had proof of it they would have had it by now. What could they possibly be investigating? Are they waiting to bust him using the stolen laptop in the library???? He proved hes not smart with the MOA thing, but if he stole this laptop I would find it hard to believe he has it now.
 

Come on, let's be honest. Let's say for argument's sake Royce is suspended/booted for the season. There clearly are some people worried if that happens he'll go to another (presumably) Division I school and "make us pay" for cutting him loose, that we should have overlooked his transgressions one last time for the good (translation: wins) of the program. Does anyone really think Royce will have any interest in being on a college campus next year (or for that matter keep his nose clean long enough), whether here or anywhere else? And would he even be eligible to transfer, as I'm guessing he'd pull out of the U the minute he was deemed finished for the season.

If not the NBA (for which he'll be eligible, and a place where talent to be fully tapped down the road often trumps potential character flaws), certainly he'll be able to make good money somewhere overseas next year.
 

My guess on the Illinois situation is that a) those kids had felony arrests and b) there is probably a student code of conduct where if you steal anything from school housing facilities you are kicked out of school.

As far as laptop goes. The U official said the police told them Royce was a possible suspect. Not a suspect. There is a difference. In any event, that situation could take time to resolve. I am sure that has Tubby very frustrated.
 

Thanks Minngg for clearing that up. I thought it was even more pointed at the media for blowing it out of context saying he was a suspect in a recent article? Anyone see that? I could have definitely had a bit too much of the Holiday spirits however while reading.
 


GoldenBoy13 said:
Thanks Minngg for clearing that up. I thought it was even more pointed at the media for blowing it out of context saying he was a suspect in a recent article? Anyone see that? I could have definitely had a bit too much of the Holiday spirits however while reading.
Click to expand...

Found it, from an older strib blog
Police called White a "possible suspect." But Tyler said, "Police haven't named him as a suspect, the media has."
Click to expand...
 

It's so easy to judge other human beings. The guys judging Royce probably have never made mistakes in their lives. You have no idea what his life has been like or what his problems might be now. Give him a chance. Oh, and by the way, if you're a Gopher hoops fan you'd better pray Tubby gives him a chance because this team can't shoot free throws and can't make threes right now.
 

GoldenBoy13 said:
Thanks Minngg for clearing that up. I thought it was even more pointed at the media for blowing it out of context saying he was a suspect in a recent article? Anyone see that? I could have definitely had a bit too much of the Holiday spirits however while reading.
Click to expand...


He hasn't cleared up squat. The U's Student Code of Conduct doesn't make a distinction between felonies and misdemeanor's:

[I]SECTION V. DISCIPLINARY OFFENSES.

Any student or student organization found to have committed or to have attempted to commit the following misconduct is subject to appropriate disciplinary action under this policy:[/I]

Subd. 11. Theft, Property Damage, and Vandalism. Theft, property damage, and vandalism include theft or embezzlement of, damage to, destruction of, unauthorized possession of, or wrongful sale or gift of property.[/I]

SECTION IV. THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF DUAL MEMBERSHIP.

Students are both members of the University community and citizens of the state. As citizens, students are responsible to the community of which they are a part, and, as students, they are responsible to the academic community of the University. By enforcing its Code, the University neither substitutes for nor interferes with other civil or criminal legal processes. When a student is charged in both jurisdictions, the University will decide on the basis of its interests, the interests of affected students, and the interests of the community whether to proceed with its disciplinary process or to defer action. Determinations made or sanctions imposed under the Code will not be subject to change because criminal charges arising out of the same facts were dismissed, reduced, or resolved in favor of the criminal law defendant.

There was no way the U was going to make a final decision on the laptop incident until the MOA theft and assault case was completed. Whatever displiniary action the U takes against White will include both incidents.
 

I know people don't want to hear this but maybe White moving on might be best for White. He seems to be a good guy who makes bad decisions.

Maybe he needs to get away from his "support" in Minnesota and make it on his own somewhere else.

I am not willing to write off an 18 year old kid who has made some bad decisions- all of them stupid but none of them violent or "evil".

I hope he succeeds in life and basketball, preferably as a Gopher but it may be better to go elsewhere.

PS A current Gopher was charged with a felony Battery to Law Enforcement Officers, Fire Fighters or Commission Wardens in August 2008 and subsequently convicted of a lesser crime. This Gopher faced no (public) punishment or suspension.
 

Block M said:
I sincerely hope Royce is innocent of the lap-top theft and is reinstated. He has paid the price, IMO, certainly in the realm of public opinion. Royce appears to be someone who finds trouble, and I doubt he'll ever be a perfect citizen, but I hope he's learned a life lesson. I will welcome him with cheers if he can climb out of the hole he dug for himself. You can do it Royce!
Click to expand...

What does "IMO" mean? I see this a lot.
 



Royce White

R.White will not play for the Gophers, I don't believe coach Smith feels he can reach the lad!!
 

I think it is sad that the team has had to put up with all of this. Royce let them down. Jury still out on Mbakwe.

You almost have to be a lawyer like Snowman (or a fake lawyer like California Gopher) to find your way around the basketball board these days.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom