Well, good morning, everybody.
847, we're breaking into
your coverage this morning.
The University of Texas
head men's basketball coach,
Chris Beard was arrested and
charged with assault on a family
member early this morning.
This is absolutely breaking.
According to the Austin Police Department,
this happened again earlier this morning.
Investigative reporter Tony
Poleski is the one who broke this
news on Twitter this morning
and joins us live on the phone.
Tony, walk me through what you found out.
How you found out?
So Rob, certainly this information
is sending shockwaves throughout
the sports community this morning.
But authorities confirmed that they
received a 911 call at 2:07 this
morning from a hole in Tarrytown.
That call was characterized
as a disturbance urgent call.
That is how police responded.
And when they got there,
we are told that they soon arrested
Chris Beard and charged him with
assault on a family member,
according to police.
This is a thought involves the
choking of a person inside that home.
What I can tell you right now is that
Chris Beard remained in the Travis
County Jail that is in downtown Austin.
Rob he has not yet seen a
judge to have his bond set.
That is a process that can take
several hours once a person
is actually booked into jail.
We know that Beard was booked in
around 4:00 o'clock this morning,
so he will likely remain in
the jail for several hours.
Again until his bond is set and he can
possibly meet the term for his release
and walk out of jail later today.
But again,
we're trying to learn the details,
more about the details about
what exactly is alleged,
we have this morning heard
from the University of Texas.
They do confirm that they are
aware of the situation and that
they are monitoring the legal
process at this time problem.
Are you followed,
obviously several arrests of individuals,
maybe not this high profile,
but what is the normal process?
You know, Bond being said,
is that an instant thing
where they just can get out?
In this case, the coach could possibly
get out as soon as early this morning.
Or is this something that
might take a little bit longer?
Yes. So let me tell you exactly what is
happening inside the jail right now.
Authorities are trying to determine
whether or not coach beard may meet
the term for being released on a
personal bond where he would just pay
a very nominal fee and be released.
It is very typical in situations like this,
particularly involving allegations
of family violence, for a judge to
put strict order on that person.
So for example.
They likely will face a stay away order,
meaning that they are not allowed to have
any sort of contact or being physical
proximity of a of an alleged victim.
In this case that is very typical
and these types of family
assault allegations.
In addition to that he may also have to
in some cases where an ankle monitor.
Again if that is the case he may also they
actually have to pay a bond that is what.
The judge will have to decide sometime
today in which he may have to pay
some some degree of money in order
for for him to be released from jail.
Again, those are the types of
decisions that are being made.
But Rob, it is important to note
that this is a felony charge.
This is a third degree felony charge
by which a person who is convicted can
face up to up to 10 years in prison.
But again. A long way from that.
We're still just in the very early
stages of trying to figure out the
exact nature of the allegations.
Again, this does involve an allegation
of choking,
but beyond that we really do not know
additional information at this time.
It does obviously change it dramatically
going from a misdemeanor to a felony.
Obviously we're speculating being this early,
but the the personal bond,
do you have any,
in your experience you followed this
obviously for years for cases like this,
what that bond would be?
In a felony, for example,
third degree felony like this.
Yeah, it's it's not uncommon at all,
particularly here in Travis County, for a
person to be released on a personal bond.
Obviously, the more serious the offense.
Those are the types of considerations that a
judge would make in terms of whether or not
to issue someone a personal bond and allow
them to be released on a personal bond.
But again, once he is released,
this is a process that could take
some period of time to wind its way
through the judicial system.
Through the criminal justice
system here in Travis County,
to see what an outcome may be,
whether or not there could be a plea,
whether or not it could possibly go to trial.
Again, those are all decisions that
would be made sometime down the line.
We're we're way too early really to be
talking about how this case could go.
But but again,
we know that he does remain in jail
here in Travis County this morning.
Again, again, we're speculating,
but these cases,
if you're talking about felonies,
how long is the process normally
from from start to finish,
if it does in fact go to trial,
for example, in your history,
in your experience.
Ohh, this is a process that
can take some period of time.
We're talking maybe up to a couple
of years and some cases of course,
we also know that because of the COVID-19
pandemic there is now a a traffic jam,
a backlog of of cases in
the criminal justice system.
So it is definitely possible that
this is not something that may be
reach off resolved in in short order.
Depending on on how it goes.
Alright, I also rob,
I also wanna .1 wanna point out
that after a person is arrested,
prosecutors will then review the
information as well to determine how
they want to proceed with the case.
We have seen cases you know be dropped
at that point when when they are
screened by prosecutors that is not typical.
Typically though if if prosecutors
have reason to believe that
if that if probable cause.
Did those cases do go forward?
But again,
this is a process that will
now take a period of time,
potentially a substantial period of time.
Tony Poletski, again breaking the
news this morning that UT basketball
coach Chris Beard was arrested.
Assault on a family member.
That is a felony.
We're going to follow you on Twitter.
He's got the latest, obviously.
Tony Poletski, K's Tony poleski.
Thank you very much.
We're going to go to break and
come back in just a few minutes.
Stay with us.