Excessive Alcohol Consumption a Recurring Issue at Huguely Trial
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Comstock/Thinkstock(CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.) — Murder suspect George Huguely estimated to a police officer that he had as many as 20 drinks the day that he broke into his ex-girlfriend’s room and, police charge, killed her.
Huguely’s alleged victim, Yeardley Love, had also spent much of that day drinking. An autopsy determined that her blood alcohol level was about twice the legal limit.
Heavy drinking in a culture of elite level college lacrosse — Huguely and Love both played on the University of Virginia’s nationally ranked lacrosse teams — has been a recurring theme during Huguely’s murder trial this past week.
Huguely, 24, is charged with first degree murder as well as five other charges in the death of Love.
Love, 22, was just weeks away from graduation when her battered and lifeless body was found in her bedroom early Monday morning on May 3, 2010, several hours after Huguely paid her an angry visit.
On Sunday May 2, 2010, Huguely began the day drinking at a father-son golfing tournament, where friends said he was already inebriated enough at tee-time to be struggling to hit the ball.
“He was acting different than normal,” Tim Fuchs, one of Huguely’s lacrosse teammates testified. Fuchs said that she saw Huguely at 9 a.m. and could tell he had been drinking.
Fuchs saw him again at 5 p.m. and told the court that Huguely was drunk, slurring his words and making inappropriate jokes despite the presence of his father.
Love had also spent her final day alive drinking.
Caitlin Whiteley, Love’s roommate who discovered her body, testified that Love and a group of friends had been drinking at a brunch at popular UVA burger bar Boylan Heights from noon to 3 p.m. Whiteley said she and Love went back to their apartment to do school work from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. They then returned to Boylan Heights for a friend’s birthday party, where there was more drinking until 10 p.m.
Whiteley testified that Love was “kind of drunk, but not so out of control drunk.” Whiteley went out again and Love stayed home, saying she might meet up with her later.
Love’s blood alcohol level was .16 or .18, according to the defense attorneys. The legal limit in Virginia is .08.
The trial is expected to continue at least through next week.
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