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CU's Riar Geer avoids jail
Geer: ‘Nothing like this will ever happen again’
BUFFS IN TROUBLE
At least eight current or former University of Colorado football players have had legal trouble this year:
Kai Maiava, a former sophomore fullback, was ticketed June 19 for underage possession and consumption of alcohol.
Nate Vaiomounga, a sophomore outside linebacker, was charged with criminal mischief under $500 on June 19 after police said he broke a window in a residence hall. He also was charged Feb. 16 with underage possession and consumption of alcohol.
Lynn Katoa, a freshman linebacker, was arrested Feb. 16 on suspicion of assaulting a student at an off-campus party. In July, he agreed to a deferred sentence in the crime, meaning the five-star recruit could have his record cleared if he stays out of trouble for three years.
Riar Geer, a junior tight end, was arrested March 14 on suspicion of assaulting two 19-year-old men outside an off-campus party. He was sentenced Monday to two years of probation and 50 hours of community service.
Jake Duren, a former junior linebacker, was kicked off the team in April following an arrest for allegedly smashing a car window.
Jordon Dizon, a former CU linebacker and 2008 Detroit Lions draft pick, was arrested April 20 on suspicion of drunken driving, driving the wrong way on a one-way street and failure to provide insurance.
Bernard Jackson, a former starting quarterback, was arrested in June on suspicion of first-degree burglary, aggravated robbery and felony menacing in connection with a June 5 robbery in an apartment in the 1000 block of University Avenue. He’s scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Oct. 20.
Lionel Harris, a former safety, was arrested in June on suspicion of first-degree burglary, aggravated robbery and felony menacing in connection with the June 5 robbery. He’s due to have a preliminary hearing Oct. 20.
Sources: Camera archives and Boulder and University of Colorado police
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Family members and friends of University of Colorado football player Riar Geer lined up Monday to tell a judge why the tight end’s involvement in an off-campus brawl in March was “very out of character” and why he shouldn’t be sentenced to jail.
Testimony of Geer’s character, and his vows to stay out of trouble, persuaded a Boulder County District Court judge to sentence him to two years of probation and 50 hours of community service — instead of the maximum two years in jail.
“Is this an isolated incident of bad judgment or part of a larger problem?” Judge Maria Berkenkotter asked at the morning hearing. “The court has been persuaded that it’s an isolated incident of bad judgment — a mistake.
“I look very much forward to not seeing you again,” Berkenkotter told Geer. “And I mean that in the best possible way.”
Geer, 21, learned earlier this month that he’ll be allowed to play football for CU this season. The university and coach Dan Hawkins suspended Geer during the spring semester after he was charged with felony assault for his role in the fistfight.
As part of a plea deal in Geer’s case, prosecutors in July dropped the second-degree felony assault charge and a misdemeanor harassment charge in exchange for his guilty plea to misdemeanor third-degree assault.
“This whole incident has put my life in perspective,” Geer told the court. “It was awful to see the pain and embarrassment it caused my parents ... . Nothing like this will ever happen again.”
CU’s Office of Judicial Affairs ordered Geer to serve 50 hours of community service earlier this year, and the court-mandated community service ordered Monday will make it 100 hours total.
As part of Geer’s court sentence, he must attend anger-management classes and stay away from alcohol. Geer also could face suspension of a game or more as further discipline from Hawkins.
He was arrested March 14 after getting into a fight outside a house party on 18th Street and Cascade Avenue. He’s accused of punching Alexander Williams and Hunter Wright, fracturing one man’s jaw and breaking the other man’s tooth.
During Geer’s sentencing, Williams spoke about his broken jaw and how it made his life more difficult.
“I couldn’t eat; they had to blend up all my food,” Williams said. “My school meal plan was pointless after that.”
But Geer’s attorney, Lou Rubino, argued that his client didn’t throw the first punch, that witnesses haven’t provided clear reports on who hit whom and that Geer also suffered injuries.
Rubino called the incident “a classic brawl” that involved as many as 10 people.
“But one young man was arrested — Riar Geer,” Rubino said, hinting that Geer was accused because of his 6-foot, 4-inch stature. “A big, strong young man doesn’t lose the right to defend himself.”
Geer hasn’t been in trouble since arriving to CU three years ago, and his mother — who spoke in court Monday — said many of his younger family members refer to him as “the gentle giant.”
Geer is among at least eight members of last season’s Buffalo squad who have been arrested or cited by police this year.
Posted by CaliBuff on August 25, 2008 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Everyone deserves a 2nd chance. Good luck and stay out of trouble!
Posted by ventman on August 25, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Were Williams and Wright charged with anything? I am weary of a predjudicial holding of athletes to different standards than other students.
Posted by PeabodyFaust on August 25, 2008 at 2:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Let's see how long it takes for someone to whine about kicking him off the team and out of school. My guess is 20 minutes.
Posted by SuperiorBuff6236 on August 25, 2008 at 5:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
finally some good news involving playing time for a CU athlete
Posted by rswright on August 25, 2008 at 9:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ventman asks "Were Williams and Wright charged with anything?"
Hey Ventman, should Williams and Wright have been charged? If so, why? Here is your chance, tell us, why Geer was charged and Williams and Wright weren't.
Posted by GoldenBoy on August 25, 2008 at 9:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CU’s sports information office announced on Monday afternoon that Riar Geer underwent athroscopic surgery on his knee to repair some chronic cartilage damage. The junior tight end tweaked it during practice last week. CU trainers are hopeful that Geer will be back in action for the Buffaloes’ game against West Virginia on September 18th.....
Posted by westernbuff1 on August 26, 2008 at 11:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am also tired of athletes being held to a different standard than the regular student. Albeit, there has been a time or two when a CU football player was rightly accused, but not this time. There just doesn't seem to be enough evidence out there to say beyond reasonable doubt Geer was culpable. In addition, why weren't the 'victims' cited for underage consumption/possesion of alcohol? If I have my facts down, the only person cited for anything was Geer. Where's the fairness/justice there? I know we are not supposed to make the big, strong, football players a victim but it would definitely appear, in this particular incident, Geer was subject to shoddy police work and an over zealous DA.
Hopefully, the kid has learned his lesson.
My vote is with you Mr. Geer. Go show us all proud and GO BUFFS!
Posted by archalon on August 26, 2008 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Charge one, charge them all. The rest of the details aside, that should have been done. If 10 people are in a 'classic brawl' as claimed, charge all 10 and drop charges if necessary. Why only charge 1 ?
It would be nice if the 'crack' staff at the DC could followup on this as well as who might have tasered Katoa's friend.
both sides should be heard, both sides should be considered innocent until proven guilty and both sides should be prosecuted if necessary.
Posted by rswright on August 27, 2008 at 11:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What is it about guilty that you guys don't understand? It's great to claim shoddy police work,prejudice against football players, overzealous DA, innocent until proven guilty, until you plead guilty. Then these claims are out the door. Guilty means you have no defense, no excuse and you are culpable of the crime charged.
Geer had counsel, every right to try the facts and prove he was innocent. There might not seem to be enough evidence for you to say beyond a reasonable doubt that Geer was culpable, but there was for Geer and his counsel. Now who do you think knows the facts better, you or Geer?
Now of course, if you have some facts that indicate that he was innocent, that there was prejudice and he was not culpable, let's hear them. Or like all our other posters, talk alot with no facts. Or like Arch, don't let the facts get in the way. "The rest of the details aside...".
Face it, these guys live a privileged existence and are role models. They disgraced themselves, their team, and along with the other 7 arrests since January made a laughing stock of CU (second place in the Fulmer cup). Stop making excuses for them just because they play football.
Posted by Realist on August 31, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In view of his sentence, it seems to me that this young man is fortunate to be a Buff football player.
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