"Those guys taught me so much about getting through and persevering through such a place full of hatred and violence, and racists. "I've got this opportunity to seize to play football," Kelley told ESPN in February. But even in the middle of the nightmare, he found bright spots. Then he was accused of molesting a four-year-old boy and his life fell apart. Kelley started playing varsity footballat Leander High School in Texaswhere high school football on Friday rivals church on Sunday as a religiouspracticewhen he was a sophomore. That case is pending. As of now, the Big 12 hasn't canceled football season due to COVID-19, unlike some of the other major college football conferences. [4], Pat Kondelis is also the director of Disgraced, a 2017 Emmy Award winning Showtime documentary about the 2003 murder of Baylor University basketball player Patrick Dennehy and the attempted, related cover-up of NCAA violations rampant in the Baylor basketball program by Coach Dave Bliss. "I am excited to announce that I have ", He added, "The heartache and division it has created in our town is something that should never happen.". As "Outcry" points out, McCarty's initial lawyer was close friends with the McCarty family and she declined to look at himas a potential subject. A second boy also came forward but later recanted his accusation against Kelley. However, he did not see any game action last season. But, when one of the children at the McCarty daycare accused Kelleyof molestation, his college football dreams as well as his entire life fell apart. Give me a shot.' Kelley enrolled at the University of Texas in January with the hope of walking on with the Longhorns. All rights reserved. In 2013, Greg Kelley, a high school football star, was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a four-year-old. He entered the transfer portal, and within two weeks, he was an Eastern Michigan Eagle. Greg Kelley went from a football hero to a wrongfully convicted sex offendersentenced to25 yearswithout parole. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. ", He calls his wife, Gaebri Anderson, "totally unreal," adding, "I don't think there's a woman out there that can compare to the amount of heart and faith she hasI would be a damn fool to ever try to let that go. "The physical was taken away from us," Gaebri, a cheerleader in high school who now teaches at a dance studio near Cedar Park, told thePost. Before he was incarcerated, he was verbally committed to play safety for the University of Texas at San Antonios football team, which meant that he had to have been really good. "You really start looking at Greg and realize not only can this kid move well, he'll probably play on Saturdays at a big-time program. It appears he will end his Eastern Michigan career before playing a single game. "It was an honor being able to be given this as I shook the hand of the current principal and was given a tour of a school where I once created wonderful memories. There was no way he was going to get convicted on the evidence they didn't have. The couplemarried in January 2019. According to the lawsuit filed in May and obtained by the Austin American-Statesman, Kelley alleges that Daileydid not verify Kelley's location the day of the assault, did not investigate other suspects, falsified information about when the assault happened and deleted emails about the case. Kelley started playing varsity football at Leander High School in Texaswhere high school football on Friday rivals church on Sunday as a religious He had been fighting to overturn his conviction ever since it was handed down, but the campaign really picked up steam when Shawn Dick, a newly elected Williamson County district attorney, reopened the case. That commitment came during Kelley's junior year of high school. His name wasn't cleared yet, but the young man was feeling hopeful. (In an unrelated case, Johnathan was sentenced to four years in prison last yearafter pleadingguilty to unlawful restraint and drug charges. As Outcry shows,Kelley moved to New York City with his longtime high school sweetheart turned wife Gaebri, who supported him throughout the whole ordeal, before his conviction was officially vacated while she attended the Broadway Dance Center. An attorney for Cummings told theAmerican-Statesmanthatshe didn't have any evidence against this third person when she was on the case, but "it is significant that they are now saying that he is the one who did this. Kelly Gregg was born in Wichita, KS. 'sJust the Sip, available wherever you get your podcasts, Why Alonzo Brooks' Death Needed Further Investigationand Not Just From, 'Mandalorian' star Pedro Pascal, creators on new Grogu revelations and 'Last of Us' comparisons, Saved by the bell: Contestant ordered to keep mask on, in historic 'Masked Singer' first, Chris Pine admits 'it does look' like Harry Styles spit on him but this is what actually happened, Rebel Wilson 'collapsed' after Ramona Agruma proposal: 'I was so overwhelmed', Amy Grant recalls being 'so scared' to return to touring following serious bike accident. This was not a situation where we felt sorry for him. "It breaks my family's heart because I don't deserve that, they don't deserve that. But he's also busy simply enjoying his freedom. Greg Kelley may soon get a new trial after his sexual-assault conviction. And once he was convicted, those who had assumed he was guilty figured they were merely being proved right. We had to fall in love with each other's hearts through these letters.". But if anyone has the patience and strength to wait it out a bit longer, it's Kelley. The handsome young Texas football star seemingly had a Kelley started playing varsity footballat Leander High School in Texaswhere high school football on Friday rivals church on Sunday as a religiouspracticewhen he was a sophomore. Greg Hansen column: Wolfgang Weber's last three Salpointe boys soccer teams have gone a combined 57-5-3. "When you're in there as a pedophile you're already the scum of the earth." Schumann returning to Georgia. In early November, when the appellate court agreed Kelley's conviction should be overturned, Hampton told reporters that prosecuting someone else for the crime would be a tricky case no matter what. "Football is a love of mine, something that I feel like has been given to me to love and to cherish and to experience," he told E! Greg Kelley to play football for Eastern Michigan after exoneration for wrongful conviction In 2014, a judge sentenced Kelley to 25 years in prison for child "I want to give back," he said. The lawsuit states that the investigation for his case was incompetent, in bad faith and fundamentally flawed and that he is seeking monetary damages for mental anguish, emotional distress, and the impairment of his reputation, among other things. We had to fall in love with each other's hearts through these letters.". They tied the knot in Austin this past January. Kelley had publicly expressed his hope that Dailey and Mannix would be fired, telling reporters outsideBurnet City Hall,"The reason why we wanted this to happen guys is because it's not about me, it's about the next person. "You really start looking at Greg and realize not only can this kid move well, he'll probably play on Saturdays at a big-time program," Hills said. Dan Graziano reports from the NFL combine on the possible repercussions Jalen Carter could face from the league. "Picked up my long overdue high school diploma yesterday at Leander High School," he wrote on Instagram. Fortunately, Greg has been able to look forward in life. ", Catch Justin Sylvester's interview with Greg Kelley on the Aug. 19 episode of E! Support local journalism, and subscribe here. Kelley wrote her letters with drawings of hearts all over themfrom prison. Between Kelley, his family and his fiance, the tears wereflowing. Binge These True Crime Shows and Documentaries, Why Alonzo Brooks' Death Needed Further Investigationand Not Just From. During it, the prosecution got an indictment that pushed back the date of the assault from July 12, 2013, to as on or about April 15, 2013, a time period wherein Greg was physically present as a resident of the McCarty house and was around the daycare. In May 2017, newly elected Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick agreed to reopen the investigation, and that August, Kelley was released on a $50,000 bond. We all agree that if [this person] committed the offense, then Greg's conviction should certainly be reversed.". WebA five-part documentary series examining the gripping story of high school football star Greg Kelley and a quest for truth and justice. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Greg Kelley went from a football hero to a wrongfully convicted sex offender sentenced to 25 years without parole. It gave me a little bit more hope. Between Kelley, his family and his fiance, the tears wereflowing. Kelley and wife Gaebri his high-school sweetheart who stuck with him during his entire ordeal made the two-day move from Texas late last week. "Still to this day, it doesn't get easier," Kelley told E! The last football game Kelley played was in the Texas state playoffs. News. All the while, he insisted he was innocent. [9], The Hollywood Reporter said it was, "An effectively indignation-inducing true crime tale. I hit the jackpot. Exonerated Kelley, 25, will play for E. Michigan, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, The Turnover Luck Index: Rating every 2022 team, from USC to Rutgers, ACC boss: Rule changes backed by FBS leaders, Stoops: QB Leary (pec) 'close to full go' for UK, Hall of Fame coach Ault named to CFP committee, Top draft prospect Carter charged in fatal crash, New NCAA president readies for NIL, legal issues, Ex-Vols staffers agree to show-cause penalties, UNC hires ex-Browns HC Kitchens as assistant, Kiper's updated NFL mock draft: Who's moving up for a QB? He is going to explore smaller-school options, Eastern Michigan head coach Chris Creighton said. Greg Kelley, a former Texas high school football player who was legally exonerated last November following a wrongful conviction in 2014 in a child sexual assault case, has signed with Eastern Michigan on a football scholarship. [11], Decider considered whether to "Stream It Or Skip It" and called to "Stream It" as did 73.5% on their Twitter poll. Based on the boys outcry, the police suspected that the incident occurred on July 12. I want to be free. Kelley was accused by a 4-year-old boy of sexually molesting him, even though some of the boys testimony pointed to another person living in the house - Johnathan McCarty - who was a couple of years younger than Kelley but had a striking resemblance to Kelley. But Kelley and wife Gaebri recently decided they wanted to move closer to home in Texas. "Me and my family, that nightmare that we went through, is something I don't wish on my worst enemy. Having previously maintained that he conducted a thorough investigation in the Kelley case, Dailey had yet to comment. "Imagine not being able to kiss or hug the person you love. Saying things they can't and they won't take back and, still to this day, I continue to get persecuted, and it breaks my heart. Almost two years later, the appeals court agreed, sent their decision back to the district court to formally dismiss the indictment, and King declared an emotional Kelley "formally exonerated.". Can the Lions fix their defense? Kelley signed with Eastern because of a prior relationship with defensive coordinator Neal Neathery, who got Kelley to commit to Texas-San Antonio when he was on the staff there. An attorney for Cummings told theAmerican-Statesmanthatshe didn't have any evidence against this third person when she was on the case, but "it is significant that they are now saying that he is the one who did this. On June 11, Greg moved back to his place, but more than a month later, a woman came forward and told the authorities that her son said that Greg had assaulted him. In 2013, in the sprawling Texas suburbs of Leander, north of Austin, a standout high school football star by the name of Greg Kelley was charged for the sexual assault of two children, under the age of 5, who attended the daycare in the home where he was living. A presumption of innocence until proven guilty may be the law, but that's not often the way people think. Its been hard to just even live everyday life with the fear of being torn away from my family. Former Texas running back Jeremy Hills, a trainer with clients including Earl Thomas III and Landon Collins, has been training Kelley since he moved back to Austin last fall. Kelley's case was documented in this summer's five-part Showtime documentary, "Outcry.". And once he was convicted, those who had assumed he was guilty figured they were merely being proved right. Weeks later, a new judge in the Texas district court where Kelley was originally convicted held a hearing and said, "I declare you innocent, and you are fully exonerated.". Texas is my dream school, Kelley told Horns247. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! It really does. "Me and my family, that nightmare that we went through, is something I don't wish on my worst enemy. Shama McCarty, Johnathan's mother, ran an in-home daycare, the scene of the alleged sexual assault. They're holding off on having kids though, Anderson said, so that her husband can focus on school. We actually had a trip planned for the next day.". At that time, Gregs father was hospitalized due to a stroke and his mother was suffering from a brain tumor, so his teammate and friend, Johnathan McCarty, offered his place for him to stay. They both may have had too much confidence in the system, but at least in the end, her faith and trust in Greg was not misplaced. Kelley was released on bond in 2017, with his attorney filing that another man had admitted to the crimes and evidence showing there were many faults in the investigation -- the kids who accused him of the crimes were never shown photographs to confirm Kelley's identity, for example. I myself was losing hope, but all these people started believing in me and they started to say, 'Hey, Greg, we're here for you man, we love you, we're gonna get you through this.' "When you're in there as a pedophile you're already the scum of the earth." Kelley, who signed last year to play football at Eastern Michigan, entered the transfer portal earlier this week. [12], Lawyer Robert Barnes highly recommends Outcry, stating, "What's also still unsettling is that even Texas Rangers and high-ranking law enforcement officers still don't know how to prosecute a child abuse case."[13]. Defensive Back. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned Kelley's conviction last November, writing that "the system failed him, for it convicted an innocent man." His case gained popularity thanks to "Outcry," a five-hour Showtime documentary series released in July that focuses on his conviction and the six-year attempt to overturn it. I said it in the documentary, Hills said. Kelly Gregg weighed 320 lbs (145 kg) when playing. 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