Price gone, no arrest for DGB
An eventful week away from the court and the field continued on Thursday afternoon for Missouri. The Columbia Police Department announced that wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham would not be arrested after an investigation to an incident early on Sunday morning. Minutes later, Mizzou announced that forward Zach Price had been dismissed from the basketball program after a review of his two arrests on suspicion of assault last week.
Price was arrested in the early hours of the morning on April 3rd on suspicion of third-degree assault and domestic assault when police responded to a call. It is alleged Price blocked the vehicle of a male and a female, then exited his car, punched the man in the face and pushed the female to the ground. After posting bail and being released, Price was arrested again, this time on suspicion second-degree assault and domestic assault for having allegedly rammed his vehicle into another vehicle (belonging to the same male involved in the other incident) the day before.
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"Last week's situation was unacceptable and after a review, I have decided that Zach will no longer be a part of our program," head coach Frank Haith said in a statement released shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday. "The off-the-court incidents involving our program over the past few months will not be tolerated. Our program represents the entire university and needs to be an asset. That's my responsibility as our head coach at Mizzou and we'll get it fixed."
Price sat out last season after transferring from Louisville. He averaged 0.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 35 career games. He never played a game for Missouri.
Green-Beckham's status with the Tiger football team is unchanged at this time. He was suspended indefinitely on Monday afternoon in a decision made by Gary Pinkel in consultation with Director of Athletics Mike Alden. Pinkel was asked for further comment on the suspension after practice on Tuesday afternoon.
"I've been doing this for 14 years and I had a release yesterday," Pinkel said. "I've never discussed disciplinary issues for 14 years. Obviously I have 126 players and I'm responsible for every one of them, and I take that responsibility just like I did with the three kids that I raised. Obviously disappointed, frustrated. We run this program with integrity. We teach our players to be accountable, responsible people and when they make mistakes -- and they're going to make some mistakes -- but when they're serious mistakes, that obviously stings. It stings me, it stings the players, it stings our fans and my job is to get that fixed so that's what I intend to do."
The CPD issued a release on Thursday saying the investigation into the incident was over and no arrests would be made. PowerMizzou.com received a copy of the incident report.
The incident report states that Green-Beckham forced his way into an apartment on the 300 block of Old Plank Road while the apartment's resident was attempting to shut the door. "While Green-Beckham was in the house, he assaulted the resident by pushing her down at least 4 stairs onto the floor." Green-Beckham then left the residence with his girlfriend, who also lives in the apartment.
"The victim had slight bruising and swelling of her right wrist and had limited movement of her fingers on her right hand," but refused medical attention at the time, according to the incident report.
The report states that the police applied for a warrant for Green-Beckham's arrest on a charge of first-degree burglary. However, the next night at 7:27 p.m., the victim told the investigating officer she no longer wished to press charges. When asked why, the report states "she was afraid of the media and community backlash since Green-Beckham is a football player for the University of Missouri and is possibly going to be in the NFL Draft soon." The victim further stated she was afraid of being harassed and having her property damaged should she pursue the charges. The report states the roommate declined to press charges to avoid putting her friend "through the mental stress of it, as well as being afraid of retaliation against her and her property."
The incident report also quotes text messages sent from Green-Beckham's girlfriend to her roommate, the alleged victim: "I want to talk to you about what's going to happen. I know you're so upset and I am too. Dorial was wrong in every way and you have every right to be furious. I'm not sticking up for him but football really is all he has going for him and pressing charges would ruin it for him completely. I agree that something should be done- whether that's paying for what he did with money or a different way. I really just want all of us to move past this and not have this happen again by completely being done with him. I can't do this anymore. Now he's hurting my friends not just me. I really am sorry you're in this position and I never meant for this to happen."
Further text messages quoted in the report indicate the girlfriend hoping to arrange a conversation between Green-Beckham's parents and the victim's parents. The victim states that a police report had been filed and stating anything other than what the report said would be a lie.
"It's in your hands tho," the girlfriend wrote, according to the report. "You can do and say whatever you want about this. We just need to move quickly on this before he's arrested and before his warrant is made public. He will be kicked out of Mizzou and the (sic) not qualify for the draft next year. The coached talked to me and explained to e (sic) how serious this is and there's no time to waste."
In a follow-up interview with the police, Green-Beckham's girlfriend said the Missouri coaching staff did not talk to her and that message was communicated to her by Green-Beckham himself.
The report states at 5:30 on April 7th (Monday), the girlfriend's mother contacted the police to tell them not to contact her daughter. The report said that the mother "reiterated her daughter did not want my help, and would live her life the way she wanted to."
A Mizzou spokesman told PowerMizzou.com at 2:45 p.m. that "Dorial's status is unchanged." Missouri practices at 3:30 this afternoon, but there is no scheduled media availability after the workout. Should the school provide any further update on Green-Beckham's status, PowerMizzou.com will pass that news along.