One year ago today, UVA student and lacrosse player Yeardley Love was found dead in her 14th Street apartment building—a slaying that led to the arrest of Love’s on-and-off boyfriend and fellow UVA student, George Huguely. In the ensuing year, Love’s death made national headlines and prompted UVA officials to reinforce requirements that students self-report arrests, with particular attention to student athletes. Huguely, held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, was indicted on charges that include first degree murder, and received a February 2012 trial date.
During the same time, Love’s family launched the One Love Foundation, a nonprofit organization that will help administer scholarships in Love’s honor, as well as build a turf field named for her. However, according to a new report from Sports Illustrated, neither Love’s mother nor her sister speak about Huguely or follow news reports about Yeardley.
"It doesn’t change anything," Sharon Donnelly, Love’s mother, tells Sports Illustrated. "It drags you down, so why get into that?" The entire story is available here.
While Huguely’s trial is slated for February 6, defense and prosecution will meet in court on November 7 to discuss any additional motions. Last month, Huguely’s attorneys told media that their client had "no intention" of killing Love.
"From the beginning, we said this case was a tragedy, but not an intentional criminal act," said Rhonda Quagliana, one of Huguely’s two defense attorneys. Read C-VILLE’s coverage of Love and Huguely here.