ATHENS - Georgia freshman linebacker Tavares Kearney has been notified that the university has charged him with disorderly conduct for allegedly grabbing a teacher who accused him of cheating on an exam.
Kearney, a linebacker from Tucker, will meet with associate dean of students Kim Ellis later this week in an attempt to resolve the issue. If a punishment is not agreed upon, the case will be forwarded to the University Judiciary for a hearing, Ellis said.
Coach Mark Richt said Kearney would report with the rest of the team Thursday for preseason drills.
In a letter Kearney received Monday from the Office of Judicial Programs, he was accused of violating three disorderly conduct regulations in the university's code of conduct, including disruption of teaching and physical abuse.
An instructor accused Kearney of cheating on a July 15 nutrition exam, then grabbing and twisting an instructor's hand and wrist after she confiscated his cell phone. The instructor, Dawn Penn, dropped an initial criminal charge of simple battery on July 19 but forwarded her complaints to the university.
The cheating allegation is being handled by the office of the vice president of instruction.
Thursday
June 5th, 2025
3:46PM
