Hollywood
May 12th, 2010, 03:17 PM
Full Article (http://www.aolnews.com/crime/article/mother-of-uva-murder-suspect-george-huguely-mourns-victim-yeardley-love/19474103?icid=main|hp-laptop|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fcrime%2Farticle%2Fmother-of-uva-murder-suspect-george-huguely-mourns-victim-yeardley-love%2F19474103)
(May 12) -- The mother of a former University of Virginia lacrosse player accused of killing a fellow student says she is mourning the loss of a "sweet, wonderful young woman with a limitless future."
The mother of 22-year-old suspect George Huguely, Marta Murphy, broke her silence Tuesday with a statement e-mailed to the media. Her son is charged with murder in the slaying of UVa. student and lacrosse player Yeardley Love, whose beaten body was found May 3 in a pool of blood at her off-campus apartment.
Don Petersen, AP
Marta Murphy, the mother of the University of Virginia lacrosse player accused of murdering Yeardley Love, leaves a courthouse on May 4.
"Though my pain is great, it will never come close to the anguish felt by the Love family," Murphy said in the statement. "Along with my family, I am devastated and confused. We are all trying to understand and cope as best we can."
Also Tuesday, UVa.'s president, John Casteen, met with Gov. Robert McDonnell to discuss requiring police departments to notify colleges when their students are arrested. The proposal came after it became known that Huguely was arrested in 2008 on a charge of resisting arrest and public intoxication and had threatened to kill the arresting officer, according to published reports.
Love, 22, was a UVa. senior.
"I got to know her as George's mom," wrote Murphy, of Chevy Chase, Md., in her statement. "We also know her mother, Sharon. The pain she and her family are suffering is something that no family should ever have to endure. No parent should have to bury a child, and not a moment goes by when they are not in our thoughts and our prayers."
She also stood by her son. "Also as a mother, I hope that people can understand that both George's father and I love our son," she said. "We will support George in whatever way we can -- just as any mother or father would do for their child."
Huguely, who is being held without bond, was said to have been in a relationship with Love that recently ended. His lawyer, Francis Lawrence, called Love's death an accident, The Associated Press reported.
Police say Love died in an altercation with Huguely, according to published reports. Love was found with her face bruised and a swollen right eye. Police are said to be looking into whether the pair had other fights, including one report that they fought at a bar before she was found dead, the AP said.
In Huguely's 2008 arrest, the officer said the student, who is 6 feet 2 inches and 209 pounds, threatened to kill her and was so intimidating she needed to use a Taser on him, according to published reports.
Casteen said Huguely would have been suspended or possibly expelled had the university known of the arrest two years ago.
"I would like to know if one of my students has threatened to kill a police officer," Casteen said.
He and the governor acknowledged potential difficulties in a notification law, such as how police would know somebody is a student and how they would verify that information.
McDonnell says he's looking into the matter, having his staff conduct a full review and recommend possible legal changes for when the General Assembly returns next year. He added that people have a responsibility to report suspicious behavior.
"It brings the larger question of the obligation of all of us in our society," McDonnell said on ABC's "Good Morning America." "If we see things that look wrong or strange behavior or violent behavior -- to really be more involved, to be our brother's keeper and to report that to the appropriate authorities."
(May 12) -- The mother of a former University of Virginia lacrosse player accused of killing a fellow student says she is mourning the loss of a "sweet, wonderful young woman with a limitless future."
The mother of 22-year-old suspect George Huguely, Marta Murphy, broke her silence Tuesday with a statement e-mailed to the media. Her son is charged with murder in the slaying of UVa. student and lacrosse player Yeardley Love, whose beaten body was found May 3 in a pool of blood at her off-campus apartment.
Don Petersen, AP
Marta Murphy, the mother of the University of Virginia lacrosse player accused of murdering Yeardley Love, leaves a courthouse on May 4.
"Though my pain is great, it will never come close to the anguish felt by the Love family," Murphy said in the statement. "Along with my family, I am devastated and confused. We are all trying to understand and cope as best we can."
Also Tuesday, UVa.'s president, John Casteen, met with Gov. Robert McDonnell to discuss requiring police departments to notify colleges when their students are arrested. The proposal came after it became known that Huguely was arrested in 2008 on a charge of resisting arrest and public intoxication and had threatened to kill the arresting officer, according to published reports.
Love, 22, was a UVa. senior.
"I got to know her as George's mom," wrote Murphy, of Chevy Chase, Md., in her statement. "We also know her mother, Sharon. The pain she and her family are suffering is something that no family should ever have to endure. No parent should have to bury a child, and not a moment goes by when they are not in our thoughts and our prayers."
She also stood by her son. "Also as a mother, I hope that people can understand that both George's father and I love our son," she said. "We will support George in whatever way we can -- just as any mother or father would do for their child."
Huguely, who is being held without bond, was said to have been in a relationship with Love that recently ended. His lawyer, Francis Lawrence, called Love's death an accident, The Associated Press reported.
Police say Love died in an altercation with Huguely, according to published reports. Love was found with her face bruised and a swollen right eye. Police are said to be looking into whether the pair had other fights, including one report that they fought at a bar before she was found dead, the AP said.
In Huguely's 2008 arrest, the officer said the student, who is 6 feet 2 inches and 209 pounds, threatened to kill her and was so intimidating she needed to use a Taser on him, according to published reports.
Casteen said Huguely would have been suspended or possibly expelled had the university known of the arrest two years ago.
"I would like to know if one of my students has threatened to kill a police officer," Casteen said.
He and the governor acknowledged potential difficulties in a notification law, such as how police would know somebody is a student and how they would verify that information.
McDonnell says he's looking into the matter, having his staff conduct a full review and recommend possible legal changes for when the General Assembly returns next year. He added that people have a responsibility to report suspicious behavior.
"It brings the larger question of the obligation of all of us in our society," McDonnell said on ABC's "Good Morning America." "If we see things that look wrong or strange behavior or violent behavior -- to really be more involved, to be our brother's keeper and to report that to the appropriate authorities."