By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Last June as I watched D’Antne Demery commit to The University of Georgia at a ceremony at Brunswick High School and I was overcome with pride as ‘Big Man’, as we call him, became the first Pirate to sign with UGA right out of high school at a position of need for the Bulldogs which is offensive line.

Now 10 short months later I read this on the internet posted by several UGA media sites copied from Police Reports:

On 04/22/17 at approximately 2115 hours, Downtown officers were dispatched to the area of the Waffle House, in reference to a black male choking (strangling) a female. Upon arrival, both individuals had left the area. Moments later, the victim called 911; advising that she wished to press charges against D’Antne Demery for hitting her. Contact was made with the victim in front of Boars Head. She stated that she and Demery got into an argument; he began to get loud, she started to walk off, he told her “walk off again, and Imma show you”. She began to walk away again, at which point, Demery came from behind her; grabbing her on the back of her neck; pushing her against the wall, and also grabbing her by the hair. They were eventually separated by friends. Demery was eventually able to reconnect with the victim, in which he threw her; causing her glasses to fall off, and her phone fell out of her hand; causing it to hit the ground which resulted in a crack to the screen. The victim and Demery are dating and have a one month old child together. They came to Athens to attend the G-Day game. Contact was eventually made with Demery who admitted to having physical contact with the victim. There was also an independent witness who saw the incident take place. The victim advised that Demery has been physically violent with her in the past. They are from Brunswick, Georgia. Demery was placed under arrest for the above charges; placed inside the Transport Van, and transported to the Clarke County Jail without incident.

If you ever have met D’Antne he comes across as a nice kid. He will always speak to you with a smile on his face. He is hard not to like and I followed his entire football career at BHS while I broadcasted his games.

I like D’ Antne, but he made a huge mistake here and UGA really had no other choice but to release him from his Letter of Intent.

Demery has made a serious mistake and you just can’t go around assaulting women. That is unacceptable and will never be accepted in our society. He would be to first to tell you he made a very serious mistake.

What happens now for Demery? First off, some anger management counseling would be a good place to begin. In life you have to be able to control your emotions. Demery will as he grows older and matures as a man.

D’Antne has made some very poor choices lately, but current circumstances do not become a life sentence. I would tell him that your current circumstances don’t determine where you go from here they just determine where you start. We live in a very judgmental society and Demery will be judged harshly by many, but he has a chance to make up for this and turn his life around.

Forgiveness is the foundation of our faith. D’Antne now needs to press forward and make good life choices. I think he has that in him. I know he has that in him.