Prosecutors had earlier told the jury that Etute, then 18, became enraged and fatally beat Smith when he discovered Smith was a man. Etute, who is charged with second-degree murder, was arrested on June 2. He further says it has only helped him become much smarter, wiser, and stronger, with a new outlook on life in his journey moving forward.. He is required to live with his family and wear an ankle monitor. It has made us stronger and strengthened our faith., We will continue to include the Smith family in our prayers. I never tricked a man and never will its just wrong and disrespectful TO YOURSELF ASWELL !! According toThe Roanoke Times, attorney Jimmy Turk argued that Etute was the real victim.. One of the next steps they mentioned will be figuring out the best avenue for him to pursue a collegiate degree and resume his football career. (Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Virginia's Blacksburg Police Department announced on Wednesday that Virginia Tech freshman linebacker Isimemen Etute has been arrested. A jury on Friday acquitted a former Virginia Tech football player who had been accused of fatally beating a man he says he initially believed from a Tinder match to be a woman. CHRISTIANSBURG Former Virginia Tech football player Isimemen David Etute and his parents, Nichelle and David, issued a statement to The Roanoke Times on Saturday through his defense. A jury on Friday acquitted a former Virginia Tech football player who had been accused of fatally beating a man he says he initially believed from a Tinder match to be a woman. !function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); Etute was later released on bond while placed on house arrest. Defense attorney Jimmy Turk told the jurors earlier Friday that the commonwealth's evidence was circumstantial, while the defense's evidence, which included the testimony of Etute, was direct. According to CBS News, Smiths family promptly exited the room. Subscribe On Youtube. Instead, the jury believed a self-defense argument that Etute feared for his life after seeing the victim "make a reach" toward his bed where a knife was later found. The defendant pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, claiming he acted in self-defense. Hampton and Smith then both made contact with Etute, with Smith encouraging Etute to "put in a good word" with his teammate. Watch Isi Etute's videos and highlights on Hudl. The Commonwealth exercised its statutory right to appeal that . Listen ! He had just signed his letter of intent in December before enrolling at Virginia Tech in January. The prosecuting attorney, Montgomery County Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Patrick Jensen, declined comment and referred questions to his boss, Commonwealth's Attorney Mary Pettitt. Instead, the jury believed a self-defense argument that Etute feared for his life after seeing the victim "make a reach" toward his bed where a knife was later found. Jensen had maintained that Etute had not acted in self-defense. Etute claimed that, after he asked why, Smith reached for his crotch with one hand and down the side of the bed with the other. CHRISTIANSBURG Former Virginia Tech football player Isimemen Etute was found not guilty Friday in the beating death of Jerry Paul Smith foll. Blacksburg police caught the 18-year old linebacker and suspended him from the college and group. We are relieved and thankful that God has helped guide us through this extremely hard and punishing journey, the family said. playerId: '31d84b62-a3ea-4274-9349-1b7ccedbd1d7' Fleenor would have read an instruction to the jury precluding the defense had the law been in place on May 31 when the crime was committed, but the instruction wouldnt have mentioned gender identity or sexual orientation as agreed to by the prosecution. Theres a long history in the masculine world we live in to say I dont want to be perceived as gay, or feminine or weak or less than, Cobb said. The Roanoke Times reports a jury acquitted Isimemen Etute on a second-degree murder charge for the death of 40-year-old Jerry Paul Smith.The jury reportedly deliberated for about three hours following the trial that lasted . Subscribe to Newsletter Etute had been a rookie linebacker for the Virginia Techs Hokies football when he was arrested for Smiths murder, resulting in his suspension from the team. A freshman on the Virginia Tech Hokies football team has been charged in a homicide investigation. Etute then returned to the apartment on May 31 for another meet-up, at which point he discovered the person he had matched up with this time was male, according to Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Jason Morgan, citing details the now-suspended linebacker told cops. Smith eventually died from blunt force injuries to the head. url: 'isimemen,etute,a,virginia,tech,recruit,beat,tinder,date,to,death,after,learning,he,was,a,man', Isimemen David Etute his hugged by his father David Etute at conclusion of the trail in Montgomery County Circuit Court in Christiansburg, Va., Friday, May 27, 2022. I was just shocked and in disbelief that someone had tricked me and lied to me.. In his testimony Thursday, Etute had testified that Smith reached for what Etute thought was a gun. Isimemen Etute celebrates in Montgomery County Circuit Court Friday, May 27, 2022 in Christiansburg Va. Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP, Pool, Illinois woman's remains found over 5 years after she disappeared. LA-based Host/Writer. Relatives of Smith, meanwhile, reportedly declined to comment after the hearing. One of the prosecutors said at closing arguments Friday that Etute gave different versions of events to police and the jury, and that the charge may have been enough for him to change his testimony. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. } A suspended Virginia Tech football player charged with second-degree murder was granted bond during a hearing Wednesday morning in Montgomery County General District Court in Christiansburg, Va., as reportedly sordid details emerged surrounding the case. subcat: '', The statute of limitations in Virginia would give the family up to two years to file a claim, but whatever happens Turk will be in Etutes corner. The suspect in the killing faces a prelimary hearing in Montgomery County September 23. url: 'isimemen,etute,a,virginia,tech,recruit,beat,tinder,date,to,death,after,learning,he,was,a,man', The jury deliberated for approximately . "He's going to get his life back, and I'm hopeful," said Jimmy Turk to reporters. Ismemen David Etute, 18, is charged in the death of Jerry Smith, 40 Smith had posed as a woman named Angie on Tinder and had performed oral sex on Etute when they met in April, Etute's attorney . Thats just wrong.. In the case of a felony arrest, the university has the authority to place a student on immediate interim suspension, Virginia Tech said in the statement. cnx.cmd.push(function() { I started when I was 16 and I haven't looked back. Theres also the possibility the Smith family could file a civil suit, which Burke said would require their attorneys to prove based on a preponderance of evidence that Etute was liable. More than a dozen football players most of them clad in Virginia Tech gear were there in support of Etute. Under the agreement, Etute was allowed to be at his parent's house under house arrest and electronic monitoring. They would reportedly meet on April 10th, when the 18-year-old male received an act of pleasure from his Tinder date at the latters apartment. Ismemen David Etute of Virginia Beach was arrested and charged with second-degree murder June 2 in the death of Smith, a Blacksburg restaurant worker. Etute was granted bond in a hearing Wednesday morning in Montgomery County General District Court, but Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Patrick Jensen filed an expedited appeal that would have kept Etute in jail for up to five more days. Isimemen took to Twitter to simply say, God is good. This was his first tweet in nearly one year. Etute collapsed in tears as the verdict was read, with cheers erupting from a contingent of about 30 family members, supporters and former teammates. 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We ended up presenting a defense which included, to a great extent, completely self-defense. Etute returned on May 31 and realized that Smith and Angie were the same person. A statement from Virginia Tech said Etute was a member of the football team but, has been suspended from the team, effective immediately.. Graduated in 2021. Isimemen Etute, 19, stands accused of the 2021 murder of Jerry Paul Smith, 40, who Etute met under the name "Angie." (Smith's family has identified the victim as a gay man, according to ABC. Hes going to get his life back, and Im hopeful, Turk said. Etute said, at that point, he feared Smith was going for a weapon, a notion Etute failed to mention in his initial 2021 interview with police, according to the Times. Reaction continued to spread to the murder charge against former Hokie linebacker Isi Etute and to his attorney's saying that the victim was wrong to pose online as a woman. tude.cmd.push(function() { Isimemen Etute, his legal team, and his family were relieved when the not guilty verdict was revealed, which sent everyone into a happy emotional state. The last request came in December 2021. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', Like seriously just be honest, there are plenty of men who dont mind, another wrote. Etute attended middle school at TS Great Neck Middle School in Virginia Bech. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Virginia Tech football player granted bond as details emerge in murder case. Immediately after the verdict was announced, Smith's family quickly left the courtroom. The suspended Hokie football player is accused of killing Jerry Paul Smith. An autopsy report by the medical examiner showed nearly all the bones in Smith's face were broken, he suffered bleeding of the brain, and had teeth fragments missing. tude.cmd.push(function() { He was the number 36 prospect in Virginia and 45 inside linebacker in the country, according to 247sports. In a strange sort of way, it kind of gives people who think its OK to beat up gay people, it kind of gives them permission to do that, Cobb said, in a pained voice. According to the U.S. Justice Department, a federal hate crime is defined as an illegal, violent act is driven by bias against people of a certain group, which can be defined by race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity, among other categories. Isimemen Etute had the most horrific year of his life after connecting with whom he believed to be a woman on the dating app Tinder in April of 2021. }).render('94bb55df4cdf465b83a6067603cd42e5'); The suspended Virginia Tech football player is scheduled to stand trial in May. Someone is waiting for you. In the case of a felony arrest, the university has the authority to place a student on immediate interim suspension, the university added. This also trickled down into the young football star being suspended from both the Virginia Tech Hokies team and the university. Yes. Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Virginia Tech football player Isi Etute told police he punched victim after meeting for sexual encounter. The sexual encounter reportedly occurred on April 10, 2021, in Smith's apartment. Virginia Tech football player charged with second-degree murder of local man Etute admitted that Smith did not fight back and he heard a bubbly and gurgling noise while leaving the home. Cobb said he was heartbroken that Fridays verdict left him with a similar empty feeling. Two of the defendant's friends waited in the hallway of the apartment complex during the violent attack and the three left together. aid: '724714', Etute did not speak to reporters after the trial ended, but Turk said he hoped this case would provide a lesson for people using social media apps in the future. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Under the agreement, Etute was allowed to be at his parent's house under house arrest and electronic monitoring. tag: 'mandc,isimemen-etute', On July 1, 2021 -- just more than a month after Smith's death -- Virginia passed a bill restricting the use of the so-called gay panic defense, in which a defendant accused of homicide could receive a lesser sentence by saying they panicked after finding out the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', The Times also reports that his parents broke down in tears following the verdict while his father collapsed. Etute then was able to have the ankle bracelet from the house arrest removed. In 2021, 18-year-old Isimemen Etute thought he met a 21-year-old woman named Angie Renee, posing as an emergency room physician, according toThe Roanoake Times. Turk, Etute's lawyer, made arguments that Etute could not be convicted of second-degree murder because there was no malice in his actions and that he should be found not guilty by reason of self-defense, based on his fear that Smith had hidden a weapon. Etute, a Virginia Tech freshman linebacker charged with second-degree murder, fatally beat his victim after discovering that . Upon confronting Smith, Etute testified that Smith grabbed at Etute's genitals, causing Etute to strike Smith in the face with the back of his hand. Turk was aware of the federal investigation early on. Police discovered Smiths body in the apartment in the 100 block of Blacksburgs North Main Street on June 1. B.E. Etute told investigators he punched Smith five times in the face and stomped on him, but didnt call police despite hearing bubbling and gurgling from the victim as he left the apartment. Real hard, Etute said. Etute told the police he punched the victim five times in the face and continued punching the victim when the person hit the ground and stomped on him. Isimemen David Etute is accused of killing Jerry Paul Smith. Isimemen Etute also took the stand in the three-day trial, where he shared he felt violated and argued that the act was in self-defense. Isimemen Etute, his legal team, and his family were relieved when the not guilty verdict was revealed, which sent everyone into a happy emotional state. Its sad All the way around. "I think he's earned the right to go back to school and further his academic and sports career," Turk said. I do not know a finer 19 year old that Ive ever come into contact with.. Etute practiced with the Hokies during spring camp after enrolling midyear from Cox High School in Virginia Beach. } Sept. 23, 2021 Etute, a Virginia Tech freshman linebacker at the time of the incident in May 2021, had been charged with second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of five to 40 years, and the jury could have convicted him on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Etutes parents and sister attended the hearing in a packed courtroom that also included members of the Hokies football team, according to reports. The law states that juries could not consider such reactions as legitimate justification. Etute said he became suspicious on May 31 when friends of his, including. and had participated in the team's 2021 spring practices. Some have suggested Etute suspected Smith was a dude and went there intending to confront him and potentially retaliate. Virginia Tech freshman football player Isimemen Etute was arrested and charged with second-degree murder Wednesday in connection with the death of a Blacksburg resident, according to a. There are different standards, and they can determine that this case violates federal law.. Isimemen Etute, 19, was found not guilty of second degree murder by a Montgomery County jury on Friday for the beating death of Jerry Smith, 40, according to the Roanoke Times. Those who followed the story celebrated Isimemen Etutes freedom on social media, with many agreeing that Smith should not have been catfishing. Wiki, Biography, Age, Family, Arrested, Charge, Attempted Robbery. Etutes attorneys argued the beating was self-defense during a confrontation last year in which the mans true identity was revealed and Etute perceived that Smith was reaching for a weapon. His attorney, Jimmy Turk, told a judge the case was more than someone just showing up to an apartment and punching someone.. On Wednesday, Etute was charged with second-degree murder, according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY Sports. Eighteen-year-old Isimemen Etute was a 2021 recruit on the Virginia Tech Hokies football team. Masthead. But he finally was able to go to trial in Montgomery County Circuit Court recently. Virginia Tech football coach Justin Fuente has not spoken publicly about Etutes arrest. He has since been suspended from the Virginia Tech football squad, the university said in a Wednesday statement. Thats just wrong.. While Cobb understands there were a lot of variables to this case, he still believes that discrimination was at the heart of the issue, whether Etute knew it or not. Hes obviously relieved as well.. Stand Out. Both players initially left, but Etute returned to the apartment, and testified that he received oral sex and a $50 gift from Smith. 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