Introduced at Ole Miss, Chris Beard sidesteps arrest questions

OXFORD, Miss. — Mississippi on Tuesday introduced new basketball coach Chris Beard, who repeatedly declined to discuss specifics regarding his December domestic violence arrest that led to his eventual firing at Texas.

«Respectfully, Randi [Trew] and I have agreed not to talk about the details of what happened, not only that night, but in the nights we went through during this process,» Beard said. «But what I can tell you is that much of what was reported is not accurate, and that has been proven with the case being dismissed and the charges being dropped, and also Randi's statement on Dec. 23. I think that statement speaks for itself.»

Beard's two-year tenure at alma mater Texas ended abruptly in January, though felony domestic charges were ultimately dismissed on Feb. 15. A prosecutor said his office determined that the charge of assault by strangulation/suffocation-family violence could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Texas suspended Beard after his Dec. 12 arrest and fired him three weeks later when Texas officials told Beard's attorney he was «unfit» to lead the program. Beard was arrested when his fiancée, Randi Trew, called 911 and told officers that Beard strangled, bit and hit her during a confrontation in his home.

Trew later said that Beard didn't choke her, and was defending himself, and that she never intended for Beard to be arrested and prosecuted.

When asked specifically about the injuries documented on a police affidavit from the night of Dec. 12, Beard again declined to get into specifics.

«Again, I am certainly not trying to avoid the question, but Randi and I have agreed not to discuss the details,» Beard said. «There was a timeframe of what was reported and what was proven factual and not