Investigation continues into Notre Dame football player injured in arrest
By ANDREW SOUKUP
News Writer
Though Chad DeBolt was arrested nearly three weeks ago, Jacksonville police are still investigating the football player's allegation that police attacked him after his arrest.
DeBolt, a senior in town for Notre Dame's 28-6 loss to North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl, was arrested Dec. 27 and charged with trespassing after police said he refused to leave a Jacksonville nightclub.
But after DeBolt's booking photo showed the senior with swollen eyes and bruises on his face, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Department launched an internal investigation into DeBolt's arrest.
A police spokesman said DeBolt was not injured either during his arrest or when he was left at the county jail.
According to a police report obtained by the Florida Times-Union, officers used pepper spray and punched DeBolt in the back and the arms after he refused to leave the nightclub. He was uncooperative, intoxicated, yelling and cursing when arrested, the report said.
As DeBolt tried to pull on his jail uniform, the report claimed he told police, "Don't anyone laugh, I'm the Fighting Irish."
Attempts by The Observer to obtain a copy of the police report were unsuccessful.
The Florida State Attorney's office decided Jan. 6 not to launch a formal investigation into DeBolt's arrest.
"Our conclusion was that insufficient evidence to support DeBolt's claims and that a formal state attorney investigation was not warranted," State Attorney Harry Shorstein said, adding the Jacksonville police internal investigation was still in process.
DeBolt was released after spending 11 hours in jail and did not play in the Gator Bowl. He is scheduled to return to Jacksonville for a Jan. 22 court appearance.
Notre Dame officials refused to comment on DeBolt's arrest. Irish head coach Tyrone Willingham only said DeBolt did not break curfew.
Attempts to contact DeBolt were unsuccessful. When contacted by telephone, DeBolt's mother said the family was acting on the advice of its attorneys and not commenting on the case until after DeBolt's court appearance.
DeBolt, a 6-foot-2, 202-pound walk-on football player also played lacrosse for Notre Dame. He had played in 11 games with the Irish this season, mostly on special teams, and made one tackle.
The case is not the first time Jacksonville authorities have been under investigation. In 1999, a 16-year-old claimed police forced a confession out of him. And a federal grand investigation the next year analyzed reports that officers were tipping off drug dealers and possibly participating in murder and robbery.
All News Stories for Wednesday, January 15, 2003
