So more details are emerging regarding an ugly day for Karl Dorrell’s mediocre football program. I will share with you Scott’s version of the story first. From Dohn:
"From my preliminary investigation, it appears that a mistake was made by the Los Angeles Sheriff Deputies that should be cleared up within a few days," Scott's lawyer, Milton Grimes, said. "There is no evidence that any crime was committed by Eric Scott or anyone with him."
We will withhold judgment on whether or not Scott committed a crime in this instance. And we are hearing rumors percolating around various Bruin boards that the situation will be resolved in Scott’s favor.However, some of the reports I am reading this morning are troubling to say the least. From the LA Times (emphasis mine throughout):
Authorities said Scott was arrested with Jesus DeAlba, 23, and Timothy Williams, 23, Tuesday afternoon after deputies received a 911 call about a possible burglary in the 11600 block of Pioneer Blvd. in Norwalk, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. Sgt. Craig Harmon said.
"A neighbor saw the three suspects on the porch of a single-family home, then saw them force their way in," Harmon said. "When deputies arrived, the three were seen walking from the location, and were found with property from the house they admitted to taking."
More from the Daily News zeroing in on who lived at that house and where Scott was while the arrests took place:
"A neighbor saw the three suspects on the porch of a single-family home, then saw them force their way in," Harmon said. "When deputies arrived, the three were seen walking from the location, and were found with property from the house they admitted to taking."
Sources said DeAlba's cousin lives at the house, and when the group stopped by to pay a visit, DeAlba walked around the property in search of him. Sources added Scott remained in the car until police arrived, and was arrested only when he exited the car in an attempt to learn what was happening with DeAlba, 23, and Williams, 23.
"We're actually still trying to figure this thing out ourselves," Rivas said. "We have no victim. They're charged with burglary, but it's still an ongoing investigation. We're still trying to figure it out ourselves."
Now if you were wondering just what kind of crowd a UCLA assistant coach was hanging out with during day time of a work week (when he should have been on campus either having lunch or looking at football tapes) here is the skinny from the LA Times:
"We're actually still trying to figure this thing out ourselves," Rivas said. "We have no victim. They're charged with burglary, but it's still an ongoing investigation. We're still trying to figure it out ourselves."
DeAlba is a 6-foot-2, 290-pound former offensive lineman who played at West Los Angeles College and last season at New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas, N.M. DeAlba was expelled from the New Mexico school for breaking into and burglarizing campus dorm rooms, according to a school spokesman.
"He's really a nice guy to talk to … but he obviously has some problems," Highlands sports information director Gavino Archuleta said, adding that school officials suspected that DeAlba also was involved in a break-in at the football team's fieldhouse.
There are no details wrt to Williams, the other guy who was with Scott and DeAlba."He's really a nice guy to talk to … but he obviously has some problems," Highlands sports information director Gavino Archuleta said, adding that school officials suspected that DeAlba also was involved in a break-in at the football team's fieldhouse.
Now I am sure the facts will come out in the coming days wrt to Scott. But already from the stories troubling questions regarding exactly how Dorrell went about in hiring Eric Scott. We are getting two different stories.
From Dohn’s account the news of Scott’s prior problems came as "a surprise" to UCLA:
While sources said UCLA is optimistic the charges against Scott will be dropped, likely clearing the way for him to be reinstated, news of prior run-ins with the law came as a surprise. Scott was arrested four times between 1994 and 2005, and twice was convicted and placed on probation. In 1994, he was charged with resisting arrest, and in 1996 he was charged with carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and carrying a loaded firearm in public. Those charges were all dismissed, according to court documents.
While the LAT reports Dorrell "knew" about Scott’s criminal background:
UCLA put Scott, 32, on paid administrative leave Wednesday, one day after his arrest. Coach Karl Dorrell also acknowledged in a statement that the school knew about the former Crenshaw High player and coach's criminal background when it hired him.
And here are some more details on Scott’s criminal background (from the LAT):
His late-2004 concealed-weapon arrest triggered a four-count felony complaint by the Los Angeles County District Attorney in 2005 that charged Scott with carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm after a prior conviction on the same charge.
Court records show Scott was stopped by police while carrying a Ruger handgun with a 9-mm magazine clip and five rounds of ammunition. After his attorney challenged the police search, Scott pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge of carrying the concealed weapon in the car and was sentenced to 240 hours of community service and probation that lasted until this year, a law enforcement source said.
"He never brandished or pointed that gun," Hernandez said. "He lives by Crenshaw High School. As a coach, you have to go to different homes at night. He told me his brother was shot and killed."
Culver City Police arrested Scott in February 2002 and he was charged with misdemeanor unlawful obstruction of a police officer. When a judge amended the charge to misdemeanor disturbing the peace, Scott pleaded no contest and was sentenced to one year of probation.
There are just so many troubling questions here. Dump Dorrell lists few here:
Court records show Scott was stopped by police while carrying a Ruger handgun with a 9-mm magazine clip and five rounds of ammunition. After his attorney challenged the police search, Scott pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge of carrying the concealed weapon in the car and was sentenced to 240 hours of community service and probation that lasted until this year, a law enforcement source said.
"He never brandished or pointed that gun," Hernandez said. "He lives by Crenshaw High School. As a coach, you have to go to different homes at night. He told me his brother was shot and killed."
Culver City Police arrested Scott in February 2002 and he was charged with misdemeanor unlawful obstruction of a police officer. When a judge amended the charge to misdemeanor disturbing the peace, Scott pleaded no contest and was sentenced to one year of probation.
- How did Dorrell’s hiring process miss Scott’s prior convictions, if what Dohn said is true??
- Did Dorrell hire Scott KNOWING his criminal past, KNOWING that his application contained lies by omission?
- Did Dorrell hire Scott despite knowing his criminal past because he knew Scott could bring in recruits Dorrell desperately needed?
- How did Scott get an opportunity of a lifetime, position coach at a marquee program, without any experience?
- How was Scott, who spent not a second on a UCLA sideline as a coach, able to recruit so successfully so early in his tenure and so quickly??
- What influence did Scott have on the recruits that they would name him as a reason for committing to UCLA?
We have to wonder while Scott was filing out his various employment forms whether or not he indicated in those forms that he had a criminal background.
And more importantly why did UCLA allow Dorrell to hire a guy with this kind of questionable character, just a year after he hired another assistant coach who was convicted for domestic violence?
I am not sure how this kind of personnel decisions helps to create a "healthy environment" at UCLA.
I sympathize with the notion that everyone deserves a second chance. I believe in it. However, I do believe people have to earn that chance. I would have been more sympathetic to Scott and Dorrell’s plight in this scenario, had Scott showed beyond a shadow of doubt that he had changed his ways. It shouldn’t make anyone feel comfortable with the notion that Karl Dorell is turning the UCLA football program into a rehab program for former criminals where they can come and work on putting their lives back together. Surely there are lots of other community colleges and lesser universities that can offer that kind of opportunities.
Anyway you look at it, right now even though Dorrell took a good first step in immediately putting Scott on administrative leave, it doesn’t look good for him. I don’t care how this turns out for Scott, but he shouldn’t be allowed back on UCLA sidelines.
Just based on his prior record, I don’t want a former gun totting criminal roaming around UCLA football sidelines. The fact that it almost happened or that it can still happen (if Scott’s current problem resolve in his favor) under Dorrell’s leadership, is yet another indictment against his program, and will further cement the perception that the environment around Dorrell’s program is not healthy both on and off the field.
Anyway you look at it this is serious trouble for Karl Dorrell and we haven't started practice yet.
GO BRUINS.