Ex-Virginia Tech player Isimemen Etute, 19, is CLEARED of beating male Tinder date, 40, to death during fight after hook-up had lied and said he was a woman. In Fridays closing arguments, prosecuting attorney Patrick Jensen condemned Etutes claims of self-defense, according to the Times. "He has a tremendous amount riding on this trial," Jensen had said during his closing argument hours earlier Friday, The Roanoke Times reported. }); EVENTS On Wednesday, Etute was charged with second-degree murder, according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY Sports. In the case of a felony arrest, the university has the authority to place a student on immediate interim suspension, the university added. The story received widespread attention when the news first broke of the incident in 2021. According to the report, Etute arrived at the same apartment on May 31st for another potential encounter. CHRISTIANSBURG A now suspended Virginia Tech football player told police he punched a sexual partner five times in the face and stomped on him after discovering the person he thought was a woman was actually a man, according to arguments presented Wednesday in a Montgomery County courtroom. On Wednesday, Etute was charged with second-degree murder, according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY Sports. The linebackers parents and sister attended Wednesdays hearing, as well as a dozen Virginia Tech football players, most of whom were wearing team gear, according to the report. Isimemen David Etute, a freshman who was recruited to play linebacker at Virginia Tech, was hit with second-degree murder charges in the death of Jerry Paul Smith in May. Quite frankly, I dont think it was applicable anyway, under the facts of the case, Turk told Oxygen.com. Turk expanded on that point outside the courtroom. Circuit Judge Mike Fleenor didnt preclude the gay panic defense that was the subject of a law passed by the General Assembly last year on a procedural basis. Etute did not speak to reporters after the trial ended, but Turk said he hoped this case would provide a lesson for people using social media apps in the future. Along with teammate Da'Shawn Elder, Etute went to Smith's Blacksburg apartment on April 10 under the assumption that he was meeting a woman. Isimemen Etute, 19, stands accused of the 2021 murder of Jerry Paul Smith, 40, who Etute met under the name "Angie." (Smith's family has identified the victim as a gay man, according to ABC. Management Entrepreneurs Summit Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. A Virginia Tech football recruit is in jail facing murder charges for beating his Tinder date to death after learning he was a man and not the woman he met online. Etutes parents and sister attended the hearing in a packed courtroom that also included members of the Hokies football team, according to reports. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Turk, Etute's lawyer, made arguments that Etute could not be convicted of second-degree murder because there was no malice in his actions and that he should be found not guilty by reason of self-defense, based on his fear that Smith had hidden a weapon. env: 'prod', But what I'm telling you is this was not self-defense.. Ismemen David Etute of Virginia Beach was arrested and charged with second-degree murder June 2 in the death of Smith, a Blacksburg restaurant worker. aid: '724714', Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! INFORMATION Etute said he went to Angies Blacksburg, Virginia apartment, where the pair engaged in oral sex for which his partner also paid Etute $50. playerId: 'be5717b5-2a7b-4fde-8c19-21cbbff0cd95' Isimemen Etute, 18, was. Upon the prodding of friends who suspected Angie was a man, Etute returned to the apartment on May 31, 2021. ", Former Hokie Etute found not guilty of murder, The final 2022 college football Power Rankings, Police: Speed a primary cause in fatal UGA crash, U-M's Weiss on leave amid police investigation, Reports: UF QB commit Rashada wants release, Miami QB Garcia in portal, has 3 eligible seasons, TCU WR Johnston, RB Miller entering NFL draft, Potential top-5 pick Stroud leaving OSU for NFL, Star Trojans WR Addison declares for NFL draft, Colorado QB Shrout leaves Deion, heads to portal, College football's Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2023, What Garrett Riley's big move means for Clemson, Dabo and TCU, Ex-Va. Tech player pleads not guilty to murder, Sugar Bowl moved to Dec. 31 to avoid NFL game, Georgia set to extend Kirby Smart's contract. While Etute is hoping to move forward, hes not completely clear of any potential legal woes. Gay panic refers to claiming, in court, that the reaction to finding out someone elses sexual orientation or gender identity justifies violent acts. Isimemen Etute had the most horrific year of his life after connecting with whom he believed to be a woman on the dating app Tinder in April of 2021. given the abuse/deception of which Etute was the victim. First published on May 28, 2022 / 10:23 AM. Criminologist Tod Burke, who is a former police officer and retired criminal justice professor, said its not unheard of for the federal government to pursue charges despite a not guilty even in state court. url: 'isimemen,etute,a,virginia,tech,recruit,beat,tinder,date,to,death,after,learning,he,was,a,man', aid: '724714', There was a problem saving your notification. Both players initially left, but Etute returned to the apartment, and testified that he received oral sex and a $50 gift from Smith. A judge gave Etute a $75,000 secured bond due to him meeting all the requirements to prove hes neither a flight risk nor a danger to society. Under the agreement, Etute was allowed to be at his parent's house under house arrest and electronic monitoring. }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; } Isimemen Etute, 19, stands accused of the 2021 murder of Jerry Paul Smith, 40, who Etute met under the name "Angie." (Smith's family has identified the victim as a gay man, according to ABC affiliate WSET, and Smith is not listed on the Human Rights Campaign's compendium of transgender and non-conforming people killed in 2021 .) Isimemen Etute, 18, was released on $75,000 secured bond per Judge Randal Duncan's ruling and placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring, Commonwealth's Attorney Mary Pettitt said in. targeting: { div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', cat: 'news', Etute testified that he then believed Smith reached for a weapon under his bed, causing Etute to strike Smith with a fist several more times. Prior to the incident, In 2020, Virginia Tech recruited the 63 185LB athlete from Cox High in Virginia Beach. - For people to unapologetically and fearlessly walk in their purpose. Turk ended his arguments in tears, calling Etute "one of the finest young men I've ever had the experience of meeting" and noting that the entire situation came about only because of Smith's "deliberate, wicked sexual ruse.". pos: 'right_rail_1', The Commonwealth exercised its statutory right to appeal that . The then 18-year-old was accused of fatally beating Smith, an openly gay man who had posed as a woman on the dating app Tinder to initiate a sexual encounter. Etute said he punched Smith five times and kicked him to gain time to escape the apartment. Registry of Corporate Directors. The Virginia Beach native, who was out on bond while awaiting trial, was facing a second-degree murder charge that carried a prison sentence of from five to 40 years upon conviction. Etute testified that he left the April 10 encounter still believing Smith was a woman, but teammates later began teasing him that his sexual partner could have been a man. According to testimony, Etute first connected with Smith in April 2021 on the dating app Tinder, with Smith posing as a woman going by the name "Angie Renee." Upon confronting Smith, Etute testified that Smith grabbed at Etute's genitals, causing Etute to strike Smith in the face with the back of his hand. However, this time he would be surprised to discover that Angie Renee was really a 40-year-old man restaurant employee named Jerry Smith. Plays Football. Etute did not speak to reporters after the trial ended, but Turk said he hoped this case would provide a lesson for people using social media apps in the future. CHRISTIANSBURG Former Virginia Tech football player Isimemen Etute was found not guilty Friday in the beating death of Jerry Paul Smith foll. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Please answer some questions in this short survey about professional soccer and the 2022 Men's FIFA World Cup. Etute had been a rookie linebacker for the Virginia Techs Hokies football when he was arrested for Smiths murder, resulting in his suspension from the team. tude.cmd.push(function() { Isimene Atute, a Virginia Tech football player was indicted Wednesday for murder. UPDATE 6:14 p.m.: The Virginia Tech football player facing a second-degree murder charge, Isimemen Etute, will be allowed out on bond under a new agreement. Etute was accused of beating his Tinder date Jerry Smith to death after mistaking him for a woman last year. It had to.. A suspended Virginia Tech football player charged with second-degree murder was granted bond during a hearing Wednesday morning in Montgomery County General District Court in Christiansburg, Va., as reportedly sordid details emerged surrounding the case. } Etute attended middle school at TS Great Neck Middle School in Virginia Bech. Etute was arrested June 2 and charged with killing Jerry Paul Smith, a restaurant worker in Blacksburg, Va. All the bones in Smiths face were broken, teeth were missing and he suffered cranial fractures, an autopsy report revealed. The last request came in December 2021. Sept. 23, 2021 Etute appeared in court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021. Isimemen Etute, his legal team, and his family were relieved when the not guilty verdict was revealed, which sent everyone into a happy emotional state. Etute returned on May 31 and realized that Smith and Angie were the same person. It isnt about reasonable doubt, I like to say they have to prove their case by 50.1%, Burke said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Etute, according to court arguments, reportedly told police he had punched Smith five times in the face and stomped on him after discovering the person he thought was a woman was a man. Isimemen Etute, 19, was found not guilty of second degree murder by a Montgomery County jury on Friday for the beating death of Jerry Smith, 40, according to the Roanoke Times. Prosecutors say the suspended Virginia Tech football linebacker beat Smith with his bare hands - breaking every bone in Smith's face - after learning the victim, who he'd met on . In the case of a felony arrest, the university has the authority to place a student on immediate interim suspension, Virginia Tech said in the statement. Isimemen David Etute is accused of killing Jerry Paul Smith. "It should be an eye-opener not just for college athletes, but any young people using these social media platforms," Turk said. The questions Turk had for Isi Etute were of a similar nature. Please subscribe to keep reading. Hes going to get his life back, and Im hopeful, Turk said. It has made us stronger and strengthened our faith., We will continue to include the Smith family in our prayers. The university told CNN it cannot disclose if Etute has been suspended from the university as the information is a confidential part of the students record. Etute, who is charged with second-degree murder, was arrested on June 2. BE 100s He has been suspended from the team, according to a statement from the university, which has authority to suspend any student charged in a felony arrest. Etute was charged with second-degree murder and held in at the Montgomery County Jail, police said. Ismemen Etute is seen on a Fox 46 broadcast. }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; At his bond hearing on June 9, the judge granted Etute a $75,000 bond, which prosecutors originally appealed, but that was quickly dropped. pos: 'right_rail_3', cnx.cmd.push(function() { Etute testified that he then believed Smith reached for a weapon under his bed, causing Etute to strike Smith with a fist several more times. Two Virginia Tech football players and family hug after the Isimemen Etute hearing in Christiansburg Wednesday. The Roanoke Times have made multiple attempts to contact both parties. They were interviewed by a group that included multiple federal agents and a Department of Justice attorney. The young man met Smith under the name Angie while on the Tinder dating app. The order restricts Etute from returning to Montgomery County except to consult with his attorney or to attend court proceedings. Isimemen Etute was later charged for the incident. subcat: '', Watch Isi Etute's videos and highlights on Hudl. Smiths family was in attendance. Virginia Tech announced that Isimemen Etute has been suspended from the football team immediately, and the university will aid police as they carry out their investigation into the suspected homicide. The argument wasnt made by the attorneys on either side. Charges - Arrested A freshman on the Virginia Tech Hokies football team has been charged in a homicide investigation. Along with teammate Da'Shawn Elder, Etute went to Smith's Blacksburg apartment on April 10 under the assumption that he was meeting a woman. A statement from Virginia Tech said Etute was a member of the football team but, has been suspended from the team, effective immediately.. And you let people CHOOSE to love it or not.. Thats just wrong.. The victim is Blacksburg resident Jerry Smith, 40. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, College Football Playoff may finally expand, Giants fans know how to handle this playoff test, Close-knit Giants have so many reasons to believe: 'Feel the love, The WWE sale circus is only just beginning, The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, Amazin' But True: A NY Mets Baseball Podcast, Gangs All Here: A NY Jets Football Podcast, Wife of 'Boy Meets World' star William Daniels details 'painful' 'open marriage', I went to McDonalds drive-thru for lunch but left with bags of cash instead. Virginia Tech football player charged with second-degree murder of local man and had participated in the team's 2021 spring practices. Etute, 18, will now be under house arrest and electronic monitoring at his parent's house in Virginia Beach, according to prosecutors. Etute and Hampton, along with a third teammate, Jordan Brunson, decided to return to Smith's apartment to determine Smith's gender. }); !function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest. The Blacksburg (Va.) Police Department responded to a welfare check Monday night where officers discovered a deceased male victim, according to the city's website. cat: 'news', According to the U.S. Justice Department, a federal hate crime is defined as an illegal, violent act is driven by bias against people of a certain group, which can be defined by race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity, among other categories. Im trying to stay strong for the people that support me, I feel like Ive let a lot of people down. There was a problem saving your notification. Prosecutors stated the investigation was ongoing when they asked a U.S. magistrate judge to keep the documents under seal for 90 days on multiple occasions. Instead, the jury believed a self-defense argument that Etute feared for his life after seeing the victim "make a reach" toward his bed where a knife was later found. Isimemen David Etute at the end of his trial in Montgomery County Circuit Court in Christiansburg on Friday. Etute was arrested June 2, 2021, and charged with the May 31 murder of Jerry Smith, a local Blacksburg man who had posed as a woman online to meet straight, college-aged men. We ended up presenting a defense which included, to a great extent, completely self-defense. However, a follow-up encounter with the two ended with a fatal tragedy. ]); To reports, was members of the Hokies football team, according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY.. School at TS Great Neck middle school in Virginia Bech was accused of killing Jerry Paul Smith foll of case. Same apartment on May 31, 2021 Etute appeared in court for woman! Angie Renee was really a 40-year-old man restaurant employee named Jerry Smith, 40 to appeal that the hearing a... Pos: 'right_rail_1 ', the Commonwealth exercised its statutory right to appeal that second-degree murder, to. His trial in Montgomery County Circuit court in Christiansburg on Friday the report, Etute was with. 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