It's an interesting question. Because if someone did, they would've seen he had a warrant out for his arrest when he came here. The warrant was for not completing his community service after he was charged with misdemeanors for assault and criminal trespassing. Bobby Hauck wouldn't recruit a kid with a warrant out for his arrest, right?
First, let's start on UM's policy on background checks. This comes from a
Montana Kaimin article after the Jimmy Wilson scandal:
“Our president has made it very clear we will not be doing formal background checks and he was very public in his statement. From a compliance standpoint, our student athletes are to be treated like every other student – no better and no worse – during the admissions process.” - Associate Athletic Director Jean Gee
The most important
what if is what if someone had run a formal background check on Freeman and the staff chose not to pick him up because they saw his warrant? Would any of this crime had happened?
Freeman was at the scene of every violent crime involving a Montana Grizzly within the past six months. He was there when Jimmy Wilson allegedly shot and killed Kevin Smoot, he was at the scene of these robberies and he was there when he allegedly hit one woman outside a bar and when he allegedly choked his girlfriend.
Going off of the affidavit, it looks like Freeman was one of the, if not thee, leader of the robberies. One of the most telling things: when one of victims escaped out the window during the robbery, Freeman slapped Jeramy Pate and called him a "bitch." It's scary thinking about what kind of action Freeman wanted Pate to take. Did he seriously want Pate to shoot him?
An even more disturbing thing to think about: what was Qwenton Freeman's influence on Jimmy Wilson? What was he putting into Wilson's ear in the time leading up to the murder? When Wilson hesitated to act after whatever happened between Smoot and Wilson's aunt, did Freeman slap him and call him names?
These type of things aren't pleasant to think about, but they must be weighed in all of this. When we know an athlete has some kind of criminal history, maybe it's best we do run some kind of background check. After all, these aren't normal students. They come to school for free and represent this university far more than any other individual student.
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I've received a couple calls from Michael Shelton's mother, with her informing me that her son is not related to Qwenton Freeman. I just wanted to pass that tidbit along. There used to be an entry on this page saying that was the case; it's been taken down.
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The players are now -- like just about always-- under a gag order forbidding them from speaking to the media. They must be so used to keeping their mouthes shut that they can't open them when they need to. No guys, this isn't Fritz Neighbor asking you whether or not Cole Bergquist has the number one spot on the QB depth chart locked up. It's the LAPD asking if you can help them figure out who killed someone's dad. Turns out Freeman could be taken into custody if he continues to be uncooperative. Good.