Has Holden Been Reinstated?

[Jemangi]

Oregon Recruiting

 

@duckscrootin

Traeshon adding Oregon pics back to his profiles

 

For ours and this young man benefit.  I hope this info is a fact.

I support Dan Lannings decisions, an even more so if he reverses due to further information.

[DUCKED]

Charges were dropped. That is fortunate for Holden

 

My understanding is that he was in possession of a gun. And, if so, and despite what the law allows, does Oregon allow its players to carry guns? 
 

I’m sure all programs, including Oregon,  have team rules. Wouldn’t that be near the top of the list?

 

If he was, in fact, in possession of a gun, the Ducks should wish him well and be done with him.
 

 

 

 

[EastBayDuckDad]

That would be a very awkward presser by DL. If there is overwhelming proof that Holden was not at fault in the encounter and the firearm component was lawful (tough to imagine), then maybe, just maybe, there is an avenue to reinstatement. 

[Steven A]

Tread lightly on this post.  A similar one was locked due to comments getting off the rails into the political arena.

[Jemangi]

Steven A.   Thanks for the political reminder!  I shall keep my opinion re that to myself for sure and support whatever decision Dan makes regarding his team.

Totally agreed, no political opinion needed on this site.  Let's keep it to football and always try to traverse the high road.  Go Ducks!

[Charles Fischer]

From the Eugene Register-Guard this morning:

 

Former Oregon football player Traeshon Holden will not face charges stemming from his arrest last week. Holden was dismissed from the team after he was arrested Wednesday on charges of alleged unlawful use of a weapon, coercion and menacing. The first two charges are felonies and the third is a misdemeanor.

 

Lane County District Attorney Patricia Perlow wrote in an email Monday morning that after further review, “The evidence does not support charging Mr. Holden with any crime.”

 

Eugene Police responded to a fight outside of an apartment at Gordon Lofts in downtown Eugene just after midnight Wednesday. Police said Holden had a firearm and threatened to shoot after one of two bystanders intervened in the fight. Holden was arrested without incident and officers located a handgun inside the apartment.

 

"Traeshon Holden did nothing wrong," his attorney, Jacob Houze, wrote in emailed statement. "The Lane County District Attorney’s thorough review of the evidence has confirmed that. Now that he has been exonerated, he deserves to have his good name back."

 

 

My comment:

We do not know the circumstances of what occurred; was the player feeling threatened, and the handgun threat was for protection?

 

We don't know, so we hope Lanning makes a good choice.

[woundedknees]

If someone was using pepper spray without just cause it could easily have been that individual who ended up in cuffs...

[Just Ducky]

 I guess my question is was the altercation or his apartment on campus. If either is the case then he is in direct violation of university rules and should not be reinstated. University rules are very clear on this point.

 

 If the opposite is the case and he had an Oregon permit to carry a gun legally and lives off campus then I guess he has that right. Still a very sketchy incident to say the least.

 

 Either way this is a serious problem for DL to face. I’m sure he will make the correct decision.  

Edited February 21, 2023 by Just Ducky

[Augduck]

Word is that the body cam video showed clear evidence TH was NOT the aggressor hence no charges filed.   

 

I don't think the presser (if there is one ) would be awkward.   Lanning has been pretty good about owning mistakes and no one will fault him for saying 'based on facts presented at a specific point in time a decision was made.   New facts and information came to light and I have made the decision to reinstate Holden based on that'.  The other thing is it may not be a presser but a statement issued via the AD.   Just hunches on my part.

[2002duck]

On 2/21/2023 at 12:29 PM, Just Ducky said:

I guess my question is was the altercation or his apartment on campus.

Refer to the Register Guard article Charles posted above. It says the incident happened outside of the Gordon Lofts, which is a fancy condo/apartment building downtown next to 5th St. Market. So, it was definitely not on campus.

 

As a public school, I am unsure if the Football Team or UO Athletic Department could make team rules against athletes owning firearms for self-protection off campus. I am not a lawyer, but that could enter troubled waters because of 2nd Amendment rights.

 

I'm not making political opinions here at all- just speculating on Holden's return. Seems to me that if he's posting Duck stuff he's coming back. I hope he does, and I hope he plays well! 

 

 

 

 

[Drake]

I have only read about the charges in this incident. I have no knowledge of what happened and who started what. The DA dropping charges means to me that he was not menacing with a pistol in hand.
 

Telling someone that you will get a firearm and shoot them is much different. 
 

However, threatening to get a firearm with the intent to shoot/kill someone is not a normal threat either. I would need to know more about what happened before making a decision that impacts his future. 

[woundedknees]

And puts in the effort in practice, the weight room, classroom, as well as life in general to be the best he can become.

Playing well would be a huge bonus at this point.

[JDuck]

I don't think it's political, UO should be upholding the laws the same, particularly as a public university.  The constitution is no exception.  The fact the DA dropped everything is telling.  

[Mudslide]

On 2/21/2023 at 1:20 PM, 2002duck said:

Refer to the Register Guard article Charles posted above. It says the incident happened outside of the Gordon Lofts, which is a fancy condo/apartment building downtown next to 5th St. Market. So, it was definitely not on campus.

 

As a public school, I am unsure if the Football Team or UO Athletic Department could make team rules against athletes owning firearms for self-protection off campus. I am not a lawyer, but that could enter troubled waters because of 2nd Amendment rights.

 

I'm not making political opinions here at all- just speculating on Holden's return. Seems to me that if he's posting Duck stuff he's coming back. I hope he does, and I hope he plays well! 

 

 

 

 

Just spit-balling here, but I'd guess that a number of athletes, especially those from the northwest, hunt and thus possess firearms.  We don't even know what sort of firearm was involved.  Regardless of all that, I hope a fair decision is rendered to TH by the school.

[2002duck]

On 2/21/2023 at 2:07 PM, JDuck said:

The constitution is no exception

It should be noted that universities and various businesses are allowed to ban guns in certain circumstances. Things such as classrooms (or campus in general), at football stadiums, and in Oregon where alcohol is served (with some exceptions).

 

I'd be interested to know what went down. Did Holden have the gun on him when the argument was taking place, and then put it back where he keeps it in his apartment when the dust cleared?

 

Reports say the cops went to get the gun in the apartment, but they could have done that even if he never brandished the gun, and simply threatened to use it. It would be evidence against his "threat".

[Log Haulin]

Holden should be reinstated. He did nothing wrong. He wasn't even in possession of a firearm. Holden was outside, gun was inside. Nothing more to see here.

 

Bo drops back to pass, has Holden in the corner of the endzone, touchdown Oregon!

 

 

[lownslowav8r]

We don’t fully know what happened. He clearly didn’t break criminal law. If he didn’t break university rules or team rules, I hope he comes back. 

[Haywarduck]

If so Lanning owes Holden an apology and a mea culpa. It will be interesting to see how it is handled.

[JDuck]

On 2/21/2023 at 4:14 PM, 2002duck said:

It should be noted that universities and various businesses are allowed to ban guns in certain circumstances. Things such as classrooms (or campus in general), at football stadiums, and in Oregon where alcohol is served (with some exceptions).

This whole discussion may be moot because no charges were filed gun or not.  FWIW if you have a CHL in Oregon a public school's "ban" on guns carries no legal weight.  That goes for Universities and elementary schools alike.  BYU can ban premarital sex and guns alike as they are a private university on private property. 

[EzDucksIt]

A Code of Conduct, would not be limited to what one does on Campus but as a member of the Team.  IE; J Masoli and D Thomas in Springfield by SPD, if I recall correctly.  Suspension, may have been the first consideration, until all the facts vetted.  But the Social Media Storm, went so Negative so Fast, I get the fast response, time to Move On.  Less Distraction to the team.  I too, believe, an honest evaluation needs to be conducted, better done right, than to continue a wrong.  Messages to future Recruits and Staff.

[WiseKwacker]

One thing's for certain in all this: Dan Lanning just got a few more gray hairs on his noggin today...

[noDucknewby]

I've been a hunter since I took my Hunter's Safety Class at 15.  When I was in college and lived on campus my firearms stayed at my parents house, when I moved off-campus they came with me.

 

My point being that having a firearm at an off-campus apartment is not illegal.  That said I was not a member of the football team where a different set of rules apply.  Just because there are no criminal charges against TH does not completely exculpate him from disciplinary action.  Cheating on a final exam is not a crime but can still get you expelled or kicked off the football team.

 

I don't know the specifics of the Code of Conduct for the football team, but if TH didn't violate them then he should be reinstated.

[DUCKED]

Coaches sometimes have blinders on when it comes to guns and athletes. Just yesterday it was revealed that Alabama star basketball player Brandon Miller, a projected top five NBA draft pick, supplied the gun that was used in a murder in January. The gun belonged to a teammate, Darius Miles, who asked Miller to bring it to him. Miles and another person, the actual shooter, have been charged with capital murder.

 

Miller has not been charged....because he just responded to his friend's request to bring the gun.

 

Perhaps the most disturbing reaction to the murder was the comment of Alabama coach Nate Oats, who said, "A team can't control what anybody does outside of practice," and that "Miller was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

 

Wrong place, wrong time? Tone deaf comments.

 

Guns and college athletes......not a good combination.

[Augduck]

Agree that all of this is very difficult.  Again, we don't know what Lanning was initially told that triggered his (and AD and University administration) decision.  We will likely never know all the facts as DL is extremely private about some team matters and rightly so.  

 

Now that the additional information has come to light and Holden is not going to be charged Dan has a decision to make.  Maybe he has already made it and instead of doing some sort of public thing he is just going to move forward.   One thing I have thought (and I have no inside knowledge or intel) is that Lanning may not say anything and when spring practice opens and someone poses the question as to Holden's status Dan may simply say 'he is a part of our team'.  That could be a way of just moving on.  

[Duck Fan 76]

On 2/21/2023 at 12:29 PM, Just Ducky said:

I guess my question is was the altercation or his apartment on campus.

As has been said the incident occurred off campus (right above the Nike store lol).  The lofts are very nice and close to campus.  The charge of menacing wouldn't be valid if he was threatening to stop an assault that was ongoing and at a minimum there was not enough evidence to charge anyone at this point.  That doesn't necessarily mean he's out of the woods with the team however.  The circumstances of the incident could have been legal but still a violation of team rules.  Players are supposed to remove themselves from any circumstances where trouble is likely.    

 

It's all conjecture and I'm certain the team will keep a lid on this so we'll probably never know.  The only way he gets to keep playing as a Duck however is if he was absolutely doing the right thing... like he came out of an apartment and saw an ongoing assault and intervened.  That would be tough for the program as it would mean they dismissed him without all of the facts in hand.

 

My best guess as to how this plays out is that the team will file the exception paperwork with the NCAA allowing him to transfer without losing any play time (win-win).  He get's to go to another school (carrying an NDA on all of this) with less baggage and the school doesn't have the distraction (and media conversation) about him in the 2023 season.  He just wants to get to the NFL so my guess is he goes out of the PAC and to a smaller program where he's the immediate #1 receiver.  Probably UNLV or something.  If he's cooperating with the program then DL will make some calls and get him an opportunity to play and get his best shot at the draft.