My last comment I said how I hope he comes back after Purdue for sake of things probably playing out more smoothly that way. I actually change my mind and hope (but know he probably won’t) come back for NW. Purdue without their full student section.
But Imo josh should basically just make this the argument (while adding other necessary or helpful info):
Illinois respects and does it’s best to work with law enforcement and tries to help with ongoing investigations, etc. but at the same time the justice system is NOT set up to weigh and balance student athletes, charges and the impacts these have on their lives. In a dollar value, we are talking millions against someone who hasn’t been charged of a crime. Add in the context and other info to weigh in for tsj’s innocence that he has potentially expressed (hopefully through lawyers so it can be protected) and imo it should be just as controversial he is suspended indefinitely when he is declaring he is innocent.
The system is set up so that the women has a right to fight to defend herself through the courts and what she has to look forward to is justice against a guilty person. It isn’t perfect but at the end she has that. On the flip side, tsj should have JUST AS MUCH of a right to fight for his innocence, and imo I don’t see how this suspension treats both parties fairly. Already punishing him at a cost of possibly millions, not even counting in the cost to his public image.
The last thing I’ll bring up I didn’t see anyone talk about after it was said but one of the guys here mentioned how tsj didn’t force his hand anywhere and how he didn’t force anyone else’s hand anywhere either (maybe this was meant as hypothetical). First of all up until that point the other day I didn’t know there was action coming from both of them, thought it was just by tsj. If there is action that happened from her, while it’s not guaranteed I feel at least in a small way that arguably should bring the burden of proof up from her side ( At least involving the 3 person panel). If you reach your hand into a guys pants or whatever and then later claim you didn’t consent.. you should really be burdened with proving yourself because to me that suggests she was a willing participant. If no evidence is provided that proves he threatened her or made her feel that way, or no evidence or him being psychical in that type of way, indefinite suspension just feels like it goes against almost the spirit of US law which is having our freedoms and there being a burden of proof.
Which is why I’d really love to see any video evidence from the bar or surrounding area. If she is shown to be initiating any of the contact or even just being the one approaching him at any point before or after without him doing anything to trigger that, that’s a good sign for him if he’s trying to prove he is innocent and this girl was free to do whatever she wanted.
