Black Men XCEL 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. And trying to see what he can do to get re-enrolled in a university and hopefully being able to pursue his college football, which he loves so much.. The commonwealths attorney wont get another shot at Etute, but Turk doesnt know the state of the federal governments investigation into the incident as a possible hate crime. At the time, Etute was a freshman at Virginia Tech, where he also played football as their linebacker. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', With Isimemen Etutes fate held in the balance by a Virginia judge and jury, the young man began to feel support from family, friends, and former teammates. According to those statements, Etute visited the victims apartment April 10 for oral sex after he was matched up with someone named Angie on Tinder. Isimemen Etute was later charged for the incident. "He's going to get his life back, and I'm hopeful," said Jimmy Turk to reporters. Isimemen Etute, 19, was found not . He further says it has only helped him become much smarter, wiser, and stronger, with a new outlook on life in his journey moving forward.. Etute did testify one of his reasons for returning to Smiths apartment was that his close friends had been making jokes that the Angie Renee he had a sexual encounter with on April 10, could have been a dude.. According toThe Roanoke Times, attorney Jimmy Turk argued that Etute was the real victim.. Eighteen-year-old Isimemen Etute was a 2021 recruit on the Virginia Tech Hokies football team. That is willing to work a lot harder than he did before and hopefully hell have the opportunity to get back what his dream has always been.. Plays Football. In closing arguments Friday, the prosecution said Etute's recollection of events did not include a reach toward the area where the knife was hidden until after he'd been charged with murder. Isimemen Etute, a former Virginia Tech football player accused of fatally beating a man who he claims he thought was a woman from Tinder, has . First published on May 28, 2022 / 10:23 AM. The two engaged in sexual activity with Etute not aware of Smiths sexual identity. Virginia Tech football player granted bond as details emerge in murder case. Im trying to stay strong for the people that support me, I feel like Ive let a lot of people down. Jensen said that while Etute was wearing flip-flops at the time of the encounter, those shoes were attached to a "big person" and a "strong person." Theres also the possibility the Smith family could file a civil suit, which Burke said would require their attorneys to prove based on a preponderance of evidence that Etute was liable. Former player. 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. Isimemen Etute is 18 years old. During a police search of the apartment, a knife was found between Smith's mattress and box spring, but Etute testified he never saw the knife, and he did not mention any concerns for his own safety during his initial police interview on June 2, 2021. Former Virginia Tech football player Isimemen Etute was found not guilty of all charges Friday in the beating death of a Blacksburg resident following an online catfishing scheme. Both players initially left, but Etute returned to the apartment, and testified that he received oral sex and a $50 gift from Smith. and had participated in the team's 2021 spring practices. He had just signed his letter of intent in December before enrolling at Virginia Tech in January. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Prosecutors initially filed an expedited appeal that would have kept the 18-year-old from Virginia Beach in jail for up to five more days, but agreed to his release once the two sides settled on . The story received widespread attention when the news first broke of the incident in 2021. If theres ever been a time for someone to be considered for bail, this is it.. According to CBS News, Smiths family promptly exited the room. env: 'prod', 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. During testimony Thursday, Etute said he entered Smith's apartment alone -- both teammates waited outside and were not charged with a crime -- and engaged with Smith on a bed. He was the number 36 prospect in Virginia and 45 inside linebacker in the country, according to 247sports. Etute testified that he stomped on Smith's face as he departed the apartment, leaving a bloody shoe print on Smith's cheek in the process. Etute, 18, will now be under house arrest and electronic monitoring at his parent's house in Virginia Beach, according to prosecutors. Jensen had maintained that Etute had not acted in self-defense. Like seriously just be honest, there are plenty of men who dont mind, another wrote. I hope its not just about his ability to return to football, which I know is an important thing, but I hope it will include him learning and advocating to the LGBTQ community and deterring these sorts of incidents from ever happening again, Cobb said. Also firmly in Etutes corner were his attorney, Jimmy Turk, and Turks family. cnx({ Isimemen Etute, 19, was found. } according to 247sports. Those who followed the story celebrated Isimemen Etutes freedom on social media, with many agreeing that Smith should not have been catfishing. He talked about the strong relationship he had with his siblings, and said his parents were, the strongest people Ive ever known even through this situation.. The young man met Smith under the name Angie while on the Tinder dating app. }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; !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); Isimemen Etute celebrates in Montgomery County Circuit Court Friday, May 27, 2022 in Christiansburg Va. Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP, Pool, Illinois woman's remains found over 5 years after she disappeared. The Times also reports that his parents broke down in tears following the verdict while his father collapsed. Etute then was able to have the ankle bracelet from the house arrest removed. Etute, a Virginia Tech freshman linebacker at the time of the incident in May 2021, had been charged with second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of five to 40 years, and the jury could have convicted him on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. Ive tried more than 100 murder cases in my lifetime, and normally I dont even ask for bail, Turk told the judge with his voice quivering. Etute and Hampton, along with a third teammate, Jordan Brunson, decided to return to Smith's apartment to determine Smith's gender. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Let this be a lesson, wrote one fan on Instagram. Isimemen Etute, a Virginia Tech student now suspended from the university and its football team, is. "I think the school that ends up taking him is going to get probably a lot wiser and a much smarter and an exceptional athlete.". } B.E. Everyone has a unique calling, special gifts, and amazing talent that NEEDS to be unleashed on the world. I live by my mission to Be Bold. Etute confessed to then punching and kicking Smith, breaking every bone in the victims face, knocking out teeth and causing cranial fractures. ABOUT Etute is currently being held in Montgomery County Jail without bond and. Jerry Paul Smith was allegedly beaten to death by Isimemen Etute. The medical examiners office had previously revealed that Smith had died from blunt force trauma to the head. Reaction continued to spread to the murder charge against former Hokie linebacker Isi Etute and to his attorney's saying that the victim was wrong to pose online as a woman. 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. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', cnx({ Gay panic refers to claiming, in court, that the reaction to finding out someone elses sexual orientation or gender identity justifies violent acts. Nobody deserves to die, but I dont mind saying, dont pretend you are something that you are not, Turk told reporters. He compared Etute, an "elite college athlete," to Smith, who weighed 153 pounds (just under 70 kilograms). The Times also reports that his parents broke down in tears following the verdict while his father "collapsed." Entrepreneurs Summit Thats just wrong.. The former football player confessed his feelings of letting people down and said he was truly sorry for his actions. Etute also had no priors at the time compared to Jerry Smiths many previous offenses including including filing a false police report, public intoxication, driving under the influence, and reckless driving among others. Smiths family was in attendance. Etute was a three-star linebacker recruit from Frank W. Cox High School in Virginia Beach and signed his letter of intent in December before enrolling at Virginia Tech the next month. "I think he's earned the right to go back to school and further his academic and sports career," Turk said. The Roanoke Times have made multiple attempts to contact both parties. Sept. 23, 2021 Etute appeared in court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021. Etute, who will stay with his parents in Virginia Beach, is due back in court on Sept. 23, WJZY reported. subcat: '', Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Today's top videos STORY CONTINUES BELOW The law states that juries could not consider such reactions as legitimate justification. This is me Follow. More than a dozen football players most of them clad in Virginia Tech gear were there in support of Etute. Cops found the badly beaten mans body one day later, the newspaper reported. Two of the defendant's friends waited in the hallway of the apartment complex during the violent attack and the three left together. Isimemen "Isi" David Etute is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Jerry Paul Smith, a restaurant worker. Etute testified that if he determined Smith was a woman, another sexual encounter might have occurred, but that if he determined Smith was a man, he planned to flee the apartment. 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. The Smith family quickly left the courthouse on Friday, and Montgomery County Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Patrick Jensen declined comment. 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. Immediately after the verdict was announced, Smith's family quickly left the courtroom. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. During testimony Thursday, Etute said he entered Smith's apartment alone -- both teammates waited outside and were not charged with a crime -- and engaged with Smith on a bed. A statement from Virginia Tech said Etute was a member of the football team but, has been suspended from the team, effective immediately.. tude.cmd.push(function() { page_type: 'article', Stand Out. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()), Who is Mohammed Nuru? Following the gruesome information that was revealed in the trial through witness statements and documentation, it was time for the jurys decision. At Etutes bond hearing in 2021, Turk expressed that while nobody deserves to die, nobody should lead someone into believing that they are something they are not. Turk also emotionally pleaded for Etute to be released on bail. Etute was born in 2003, considering he is only 18 years old. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', Etute told investigators he punched Smith five times in the face and stomped on him, but didnt call police despite hearing bubbling and gurgling from the victim as he left the apartment. Jensen recalled the testimony of medical examiner Dr. Amy Tharp, who Jensen said testified Smith had been the victim of a "brutal beating.". Cobb said he closely followed the proceedings after he read about the incident last year when it happened. Etute said he punched Smith five times and kicked him to gain time to escape the apartment. An autopsy revealed Smith, a restaurant worker, died from blunt force trauma to the head. url: 'isimemen,etute,a,virginia,tech,recruit,beat,tinder,date,to,death,after,learning,he,was,a,man', 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. In a strange sort of way, it kind of gives people who think its OK to beat up gay people, it kind of gives them permission to do that, Cobb said, in a pained voice. Investigators ruled the death a homicide and identified Isimemen Etude as a person of interest. Etute was granted bond in a hearing Wednesday morning in Montgomery County General District Court, but Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Patrick Jensen filed an expedited appeal that would have kept Etute in jail for up to five more days. Etute testified that if he determined Smith was a woman, another sexual encounter might have occurred, but that if he determined Smith was a man, he planned to flee the apartment. Your email address will not be published. Etute was ordered released on $75,000 secured bond under conditions of house arrest and electronic monitoring, the Roanoke Times reported, citing Commonwealths Attorney Mary Pettitt. The suspect in the killing faces a prelimary hearing in Montgomery County September 23. Former player Isimemen Etute, 19, was found not guilty of a charge of second-degree murder in the 2021 death of Jerry Smith, 40, of Blacksburg. Etutes attorneys argued the beating was self-defense during a confrontation last year in which the mans true identity was revealed and Etute perceived that Smith was reaching for a weapon. 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. You have permission to edit this article. The judge in Etute's case ruled that the new legislation did not apply to this case, as it was enacted after the incident took place, though Turk argued it likely would not have altered the outcome of the trial. CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. -- Former Virginia Tech football player Isimemen Etute was found not guilty of all charges Friday in the beating death of a Blacksburg resident following an online catfishing scheme. The suspended Virginia Tech football player is scheduled to stand trial in May. Isi Etute; Add Athlete Photo. He, too, went to the apartment expecting a sexual encounter with a woman, but decided to leave after feeling uncomfortable. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Ukraine's interior minister, at least 14 others killed in Kyiv helicopter crash, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder June 2, Business cycle: Ex-Burlington Coat Factory location considered by home decor company, Roanoke Wasena Bridge project update: log cabin to be removed, replaced by roundabout, Case of Radford child's many hospital visits ends with Alford plea, Former Blacksburg coach Mickey McGuigan remembered for his 'compassion', Christiansburg Marketplace to add second anchor with Academy Sports + Outdoors, Ford plant halted by Youngkin would have created 2,500 jobs in Southside, Roanoke woman charged in U.S. Capitol riots. Etute is currently being held in Montgomery County Jail without bond and scheduled to be arraigned in Montgomery District Court at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. According to the autopsy, all the bones in Blacksburg resident Jerry Paul Smiths face were broken, his teeth were missing and he had multiple cranial fractures. Turk expanded on that point outside the courtroom. There was a problem saving your notification. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). '' to Smith, a restaurant worker spring practices at the time, Etute was born in 2003, he! Not have been catfishing seriously just be honest, there are plenty of men who dont mind, wrote. & # x27 ; s 2021 spring practices incident last year when it happened, Smiths family exited! To then punching and kicking Smith, a restaurant worker, died from blunt force trauma to the apartment a... 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