Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Vander Blue facing assault and battery charge

Thomas Robinson isn't the only college hooper that is in trouble with the law today.

Marquette's Vander Blue had a hearing on Tuesday stemming from an assault and battery charge that he was cited for back in October. The incident apparently occurred at 1:30 in the morning outside a Qdoba after someone referred to Blue as 'Vander Orange':

Police said Blue punched another student after that student called Blue a name. His attorney, Gerald Boyle, said Blue plans to fight the charge.

"The young man called Mr. Vander Blue, Vander Orange, and he invited the guy to step outside, and the guy said OK, and they both went outside, a little fisticuffs. I think one punch took place and that was it. That, in my opinion is not battery, because in order to have battery, you have to have it without the consent of, and it seems to me the invitation to step outside, which was taken, takes it out of the battery category," Boyle said.

Blue refused an offer from prosecutors to reduce the battery ticket to disorderly conduct.

"I know why he got the ticket. He got the first punch. There was only one punch, and it wasn't a very serious matter. I think the boy said his face hurt a little bit," Boyle said.
I don't know the situation, but I'm not sure that being called a name should result in a fight, especially when you are a student-athlete at a high-profile school with a scholarship on the line.

Blue averaged 5.1 ppg and 2.8 rpg for the Golden Eagles this season after coming in as one of the best recruits Buzz Williams has landed at the school.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I heard from Vander's mother that the name he was called was not "Orange" but something a lot more offensive that starts with the letter n...

Anonymous said...

It doesn't matter what he was called, he had no right to punch anyone. Even engaging in a mutually agreed to fight is illegal.