Split - Welsch article on MSU/murder

GOKATS · Post by **GOKATS** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 1:52 pm

For those who haven't seen it, Pres. Gambles' remarks from yesterday.

> MSU News
Gamble expresses distress, concern

June 29, 2006

MSU President Geoffrey Gamble

Montana State University president Geoffrey Gamble today expressed distress and concern at the news that two former student athletes were arrested and charged with deliberate homicide.

The arrests were in connection with the shooting death of Jason Cody Wright, 26, whose body was found June 23 on MSU's Arthur Post Agronomy Farm west of campus.

Former student athletes Branden Miller and John LeBrum, both 22, were arrested Thursday, June 29, in Bozeman by the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office and charged with one count each of deliberate homicide.

"I was saddened last week at the death on MSU's Post Farm. My thoughts continue to be with the victim's family," Gamble said. "Today I'm even more distressed to learn that former students have been arrested in connection with the crime.

"Our campus police are cooperating with the sheriff's office, and we will do everything we can to support the ongoing investigation."

Both Miller and LeBrum are in custody, and Gallatin County Sheriff Jim Cashell said the investigation into Wright's death continues. More arrests are possible, he said.

Miller, 22, withdrew from MSU last April. A former member of the MSU men's basketball team, Miller began his basketball career in fall 2004 as a guard. He became academically ineligible to compete last December in accordance with NCAA rules and was dismissed from the team, according to Rolf Groseth, vice president for intercampus affairs.

Groseth is handling student issues while student affairs vice president Allen Yarnell is away from campus.

LeBrum redshirted with the MSU football team in 2003 but was dismissed from the team in August 2004, according to MSU athletic director Peter Fields. He has not been enrolled at MSU for some time, Groseth said.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:09 pm

So I assume that came out before this ran in the Chroncle:

http://pioneer.olivesoftware.com/Reposi ... kin-custom

FYI, Welsch wrote it -- the byline there is a mistake.

GOKATS · Post by **GOKATS** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:21 pm

Bay Area Cat wrote:So I assume that came out before this ran in the Chroncle:

http://pioneer.olivesoftware.com/Reposi ... kin-custom

FYI, Welsch wrote it -- the byline there is a mistake.

I was thinking the same thing when I read Welschs' article this morning.

bobcatgrad2005 · Post by **bobcatgrad2005** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:31 pm

It seems to me that its easy for people outside of college athletics to point fingers and place blame on a school. The truth of the matter is that, for the most part, all of us "civillians," are only responsible for outselves, or our children, while coaches and associated staffs bear the reposibility of riding herd on 300+ college kids between the ages of 18 and 24. People need to remember the mistakes they made between those ages, and have some compassion for the administration that is certaintly shaken by this.

oldcatfan · Post by **oldcatfan** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:34 pm

Again, as I said this morning, the Chronicle got the release from MSU at the same time the TVs, Gazette and everyone else did who ran the comments YESTERDAY. Very poor reporting/writing/whatever on the part of the Chronicle

GOKATS · Post by **GOKATS** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:38 pm

Bay Area Cat wrote:So I assume that came out before this ran in the Chroncle:

http://pioneer.olivesoftware.com/Reposi ... kin-custom

FYI, Welsch wrote it -- the byline there is a mistake.

Found this also in an article in the Belgrade News.

MSU President Geoffrey Gamble said in the News Service statement Thursday: “I was saddened last week at the death on MSU’s Post Farm. ... Today I’m even more distressed to learn that a former student has been arrested in connection with the crime.”

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:50 pm

bobcatgrad2005 wrote:It seems to me that its easy for people outside of college athletics to point fingers and place blame on a school. The truth of the matter is that, for the most part, all of us "civillians," are only responsible for outselves, or our children, while coaches and associated staffs bear the reposibility of riding herd on 300+ college kids between the ages of 18 and 24. People need to remember the mistakes they made between those ages, and have some compassion for the administration that is certaintly shaken by this.

Exactly. Mr. Welsch, people are responsible for their own actions when they become adults. It is NOT .. I REPEAT NOT the responsibility of MSU to babysit every student/student athlete that they have enrolled in their university. To couple this blame on MSU (even before the individuals involved haven't been proven guilty yet) is totally out of line in my opinion. If it turns out that they are guilty, then yes they will be punished accordingly to our laws. Just another cheap shot way to take another shot at MSU again. If you think it was MSU's fault then give us some examples on where the MSU and their leaders/faculty were on that dark night earlier in the week when this happened. Should they have had 4-5 shaparones around Miller 24 hours a day?

The fact is these individuals are all adults and are responsible for their own actions. I am pretty sure that MSU will not be a defendant in court on this Mr. Welch ..... pretty certain of that. So why don't you keep your MSU cheap shots to yourself and quit pointing fingers as it is NOT CALLED for in this case.

Drugs are the downfall of the American Society and this is just another example to the bounds people will go to keep getting their fix.

Cat Grad · Post by **Cat Grad** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:51 pm

A large part of me wants to unleash on Welsch right now; however, I don't want to be every bit as guilty as him of jumping to conclusions. Yes, all of this will ultimately fall under the Athletic Directors scope of responsibility and perhaps institutional control--but that's a real reach. We still need to bear in mind these are former members of the basketball team and please let the proper authorities provide the information as to whether or not a 19 or 20 year old college sophomore is somehow involved or whether or not a former college player/coach...

Right now, we are all making assumptions without all the facts, just as a rag writer whose closest ties to athletics until this job was probably getting a case of athletes foot is guilty of providing all that's wrong in an institution over the course of four years...and bear in mind, I believe he once covered OSU athletics about the same time Dennis Erickson was there. Perhaps there's an ulterior motive, I can't speak for the continual venom this paper in general and this writer specifically spews at MSU. If he does in fact get found out about false reporting, we all know he will go down the same road as so many within our athletic department he so despises have gone before this happened. A positive would be that our college's hometown paper could finally get decent coverage by unbiased reporters and another would be that the Belgrade paper takes over the subscribers of the Comical. I firmly feel our administration and coaches have responded to any and all disciplinary issues in a timely, just and fair manner.

I again implore ya'll to not be hasty in pointing fingers, being overly defensive and read reputable writers, such as Scott Mansch for the Great Falls Tribune. We all know he does not report something just to be writing.

PapaG · Post by **PapaG** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 3:09 pm

Bay Area Cat wrote:So I assume that came out before this ran in the Chroncle:

http://pioneer.olivesoftware.com/Reposi ... kin-custom

FYI, Welsch wrote it -- the byline there is a mistake.

Completely irresponsible article by Welsch. Now isn't the time for "gotcha" journalism. Especially when the entire theme of the article is laughably/tragically incorrect.

I know Welsch lurks here. Let's hear an explanation for why he jumped the gun and smeared the entire athletic department. The statement was yesterday and other media outlets received it. Why didn't Welsch?

Just since 2003, MSU has:

Seen an assistant head football coach, Joe O’Brien, imprisoned for distribution of methamphetamine. Immediately let go.

Fired a women’s basketball coach, Robin Potera-Haskins, amid a player revolt. Again, let go.

Dismissed the starting point guard on the basketball team, Frank Brown, after his arrest on rape charges. Dismissed from team before guilt

Seen Miller charged with partner assault and criminal mischief five months after he was dismissed from the basketball team. Dismissed from team prior to assault.

And now, murder. Allegedly by former players.

I'm not sure if Welsch knows what a university can and can't do. When I took a semester off from school in '94, I don't recall anyone from the university telling me I couldn't stay in Bozeman to work.

CatFamily · Post by **CatFamily** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 3:30 pm

Welsch's article is typical of one of todays biggest problems with the media.... grandstanding to sell newpapers! It was a disgusting article which he and the Chronicle should go into hiding over... or come out with a letter of apology! To point fingers at MSU and then bring in two young people, who have not in any way been implicated or charged with anything, and say they are part of the tragic events is a total lack of responsible reporting and shows absolutely no integrity on the part of Welsch or the newpaper! This is a tough situation... let it work its way out before starting you slaughter reporting Welsch.

Cat Grad · Post by **Cat Grad** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 3:31 pm

Sorry, I can't let it go. From now on I simply want to refer to Jeffy as Son of Sam...

Cat Grad · Post by **Cat Grad** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 3:42 pm

When I compare the tone of this article by a paper one would naturally assume would employ someone with Welsch's venom toward the principal reason most in the Gallatin Valley are able to live and work in the area, namely MSU (thought I'd better spell it out as the Comical has been known to troll in here and has even gone so far as to print without paying any fees to the moderators entire threads or posts in sarcastic articles about us) it only serves to make me angrier.

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006 ... orts02.txt

MSU01 · Post by **MSU01** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 5:17 pm

I simply cannot see how the MSU Athletic Department should be blamed for the actions of former athletes. I don't know anything about Lebrum, but from what I recall, Miller had no criminal record before showing up in Bozeman and stayed clean until several months after being dismissed from the team. Mr. Welsch seems to be ignoring the 99.9% of current/former athletes who haven't been arrested for murder, and holding MSU accountable in some way for the 0.1% who have.

MSU isn't at fault here; Miller, Lebrum, and whoever else was involved are. You can try all you want to only recruit "good kids", but nothing you can do is going to result in a 100% success rate, nor should that be expected.

Also, I'm not sure why he decided to toss in Potera-Haskins with people who have been arrested on drug and murder charges.

GOKATS · Post by **GOKATS** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 5:57 pm

MSU01 wrote:I simply cannot see how the MSU Athletic Department should be blamed for the actions of former athletes. I don't know anything about Lebrum, but from what I recall, Miller had no criminal record before showing up in Bozeman and stayed clean until several months after being dismissed from the team. Mr. Welsch seems to be ignoring the 99.9% of current/former athletes who haven't been arrested for murder, and holding MSU accountable in some way for the 0.1% who have.

MSU isn't at fault here; Miller, Lebrum, and whoever else was involved are. You can try all you want to only recruit "good kids", but nothing you can do is going to result in a 100% success rate, nor should that be expected.

Also, I'm not sure why he decided to toss in Potera-Haskins with people who have been arrested on drug and murder charges.

As far as Potera, it was obviously the only other dirt he could come up with.

crazycat · Post by **crazycat** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:52 pm

A lot of what Welsch printed is very well done and accurate if you consider his plight with getting information from the school. He's obviously frustrated with the school for not saying something, anything. Even if it was the standard mumbo-jumbo, MSU should've come forth with some kind of statement beyond what Gamble issued. But Welsch went overboard in my opinion in an attempt to paint the school in a bad light with his 'the silence is deafening' portrait, or however he put it.

He's right the school should be prepared to make statements during difficult times.

He was doing his job in printing what he knew based on the police reports.

His use of the term 'involved' is correct. Yes, Wilson is involved. He may not have played a part in the killing, but he's involved in that his was the locker with the guns in it. Just like if you're riding in the back seat of a car and it goes off the road. You may not have a thing to do with the wreck, but you were involved in a wreck.

But the laundry list of problems at MSU that he listed is what you would call a coincidence, not something that has a scientific correlation. These problems aren't related in any way. Joe O'Brien's meth problem had nothing to do with Robin Potera's conduct, which had nothing to do with Frank Brown's rape case, and that didn't lead to the murder of Wright.

What's the common denominator here? If there is one, Welsch needs to reveal it, because I'm sure we'd all like to know.

I think Welsch is just pissed that no one talked to him, and rightfully so, but he should've just focused his story on how the school didn't communicate in a manner consistent with a crime like this. That is a story itself.

But let's not let Welsch's mistakes lead us into making the same mistakes in our posts. One poster already said something to the effect that all JC players do is cause problems. This just isn't so. There is no correlation with that either. This isn't a racial thing or a MSU thing, it's a national problem and seeps into every walk of life. It's just that when it gets into something high profile (yes, college hoops in Montana is high profile, relatively speaking), it cause a bigger stir than when its just gangsters doing gangster crime.

profisme · Post by **profisme** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 1:33 am

Simply put this article should have been in the opinion section rather than the Sports section. The only person alleging that Jacques and Aaron Rich are involved in the killing is Welsch himself. No other article or evidence states that either is implicitly involved in the murder, whether directly or indirectly, unless you count a vehicle that looks like Aaron Rich's or a locker that belonged to Jacques Wilson.

The police stated they were satisfied that Jacques had nothing to do with the incident so what in the blazes does Welsch do? (this is a rhetorical question) He goes ahead and states that Jacques is allegedly involved in the murder. I was disappointed with the article by Ted Sullivan, but Mr. Welsch decided to try and make a massive and controversial story out of speculation, old news stories, and a lack of response by MSU athletics. Sorry Mr. Welsch but you are no MacGyver. Only he could build a bomb out of duct tape, a safety pin, and three rubber bands.

The idea that MSU Athletics is somehow responsible for these individuals making poor choices is bogus. If you wish to stir up controversy please go to Washington where writers like that are welcomed. MSU and Bozeman may not be perfect, but we are far from jaded like yourself nor are we naïve enough to be fooled into believing that you truly are objective.

crazycat · Post by **crazycat** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:56 am

profisme wrote:Simply put this article should have been in the opinion section rather than the Sports section. The only person alleging that Jacques and Aaron Rich are involved in the killing is Welsch himself. No other article or evidence states that either is implicitly involved in the murder, whether directly or indirectly, unless you count a vehicle that looks like Aaron Rich's or a locker that belonged to Jacques Wilson.

The police stated they were satisfied that Jacques had nothing to do with the incident so what in the blazes does Welsch do? (this is a rhetorical question) He goes ahead and states that Jacques is allegedly involved in the murder. I was disappointed with the article by Ted Sullivan, but Mr. Welsch decided to try and make a massive and controversial story out of speculation, old news stories, and a lack of response by MSU athletics. Sorry Mr. Welsch but you are no MacGyver. Only he could build a bomb out of duct tape, a safety pin, and three rubber bands.

The idea that MSU Athletics is somehow responsible for these individuals making poor choices is bogus. If you wish to stir up controversy please go to Washington where writers like that are welcomed. MSU and Bozeman may not be perfect, but we are far from jaded like yourself nor are we naïve enough to be fooled into believing that you truly are objective.

The article by Welsch is not a report, it's a column. So profisme is right, it should/could be in the opinion section, but since it's a column it's definitely OK for it to be on the sports page. When a writer puts together a column it is his opinion. Usually a writer will support his opinion with facts. In terms of Wilson and Rich, Welsch does this. While the article may have weaknesses in other areas, it isn't weak in the area of Rich and Wilson. The column is about his opinion that the school used poor communication skills in this case, it's not about Wilson and Rich aiding and abetting a murder.

He notifies the readers that this is a column by saying:

I am commenting this morning

In the following statement he does not allege that Wilson and Rich are key players in this, but that they are involved. And they are involved. Involved does not mean you commited a crime. And the context of which Welsch is using this information isn't to implicate them as criminals, it's to reinforce why he thinks the school should've been more open about the case. It's his opinion that the school should've made a statement greater than that of Gamble'.

tragedy involving Branden Miller, John Lebrum, Jacques Wilson and Aaron Rich for

The next line isn't an accusation or opinion, it's information from the DA's affidavit. Since it leads anyone to surmise that the guns are in Wilson's locker (Who wouldn't think they were in Wilson's locker?), then Welsch feels the school should say something, but he's certainly not pointing a finger at Wilson. Again his point is that given this evidence, the school should say something, the point is not to imply that Wilson is a cooperating player in this crime.

Never mind that the alleged murder weapon was found, according to a district attorney’s affadavit, in an MSU basketball locker labeled “1 Wilson,” which would lead one to surmise that the locker belongs to sophomore-to-be Jacques Wilson.

Again in this next line from his column, Welsch is not saying that Rich did anything, he's just pointing out that this information is in the police report, but the school still isn't commenting.

And never mind that tires on a vehicle belonging to Rich, who played on the 2001 Big Sky Conference championship basketball team, were matched to tire tracks where Wright’s body was discovered in a wheat field west of Bozeman.

Welsch's point is that the school should've made a more substantial statement. Personally, I felt what the school said was enough. Maybe I'm right and he's wrong or maybe I'm wrong and he's right. But that doesn't matter. It's his column and he's free to express himself.

Welsch's point wasn't to say that Wilson or Rich were aiding and abetting the person that killed Wright. And what Welsch says does not say in anyway that they were aiding and abetting the killer.

It's very unfair to condemn Welsch as a false accuser, especially in a piece that is ripping the communication skills, or lack thereof, of MSU.

Hell's Bells · Post by **Hell's Bells** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 11:39 am

profisme wrote:Simply put this article should have been in the opinion section rather than the Sports section. The only person alleging that Jacques and Aaron Rich are involved in the killing is Welsch himself. No other article or evidence states that either is implicitly involved in the murder, whether directly or indirectly, unless you count a vehicle that looks like Aaron Rich's or a locker that belonged to Jacques Wilson.

The police stated they were satisfied that Jacques had nothing to do with the incident so what in the blazes does Welsch do? (this is a rhetorical question) He goes ahead and states that Jacques is allegedly involved in the murder. I was disappointed with the article by Ted Sullivan, but Mr. Welsch decided to try and make a massive and controversial story out of speculation, old news stories, and a lack of response by MSU athletics. Sorry Mr. Welsch but you are no MacGyver. Only he could build a bomb out of duct tape, a safety pin, and three rubber bands.

The idea that MSU Athletics is somehow responsible for these individuals making poor choices is bogus. If you wish to stir up controversy please go to Washington where writers like that are welcomed. MSU and Bozeman may not be perfect, but we are far from jaded like yourself nor are we naïve enough to be fooled into believing that you truly are objective.

the espn article i found cleared j.wilson of any wrongdoing..

grizzh8r · Post by **grizzh8r** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 2:13 pm

Hell's Bells wrote:the espn article i found cleared j.wilson of any wrongdoing..

Do you have the address??

couloir41 · Post by **couloir41** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 3:25 pm

this isn't meant to be a joke...welch=coulter...just on a smaller scale...