Assault charges against U of M student Jalysia Thompson were dropped Monday. Thompson, who was suspended from The University of Memphis following her arrest, had been charged with assaulting her ex-boyfriend Van Houston on Nov. 27 during an incident at 3906 Tiger Paw Drive.
Thompson was arrested after University of Memphis Police Services determined that Thompson had been the aggressor in the incident.
Memphis Police further examined the case and the state of Tennessee determined that there was not sufficient evidence to prosecute Thompson.Thompson, a senior communications major who was living on campus, is now appealing that suspension with the office of judicial affairs at The U of M, said her attorney Kamilah Turner on Wednesday.
"We're very happy that the state of Tennessee has dropped the charges," Turner said.
Turner and her client are still concerned about how The University treated Thompson and the different treatment given to Tiger basketball player Jeremy Hunt.
Hunt was charged with domestic violence in January in an off-campus incident, and U of M administrators decided to allow Hunt to continue both his education and to play on the basketball team.
"We definitely feel that there are inconsistencies with the way The University has chosen to handle situations with athletes and situations with non-athletes," Turner said. "Had Jalysia Thompson been on a basketball or other sports team that was making money for The University, she would not have had to go through what she has gone through."
Thompson's arrest occurred at Carpenter Complex on The U of M campus.U of M students agree with Turner's and Thompson's concerns over the way University administrators handled both situations.
"Violence is violence whether it happens on or off campus and whether a star basketball player is involved or not," said Mekesha Green, senior psychology major.
Others see preferential treatment given to student athletes at The U of M.
"It's pure favoritism," said Reginald Kelley, junior communications major. "Some student athletes can walk into class, not do their homework, be rude and obnoxious and get away with it. Someone like me who pays tuition and is not an athlete is held to a different standard."Kelley said if Hunt had not been an athlete, he would have gotten it worse than he did.
"The only right thing to do is readmit her so that she can graduate," he said.
Mekesha Greer also takes issue with The University's handling of the two cases.
"I have a problem with it because Hunt continues to play basketball and continues to take classes," said Greer. "The message they are sending is that athletes won't be held responsible for what they've done."
Kamilah Turner, a graduate of the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, said that she hopes The University will do what the state has done for her client.
"We've already gotten justice on one end and we hope to get justice with The University," Turner said.
Dwayne Scott, associate dean of students for judicial and ethical affairs, said Thursday that he could not comment on Thompson's specific case.
