Fiancée Of Texas Basketball Coach Changes Story: He Didn’t Strangle Me, He Acted In Self-Defense

The fiancée of University of Texas head men’s basketball coach Chris Beard said Friday that he did not strangle her and she did not want him arrested, a stark turn around from the story that emerged early this month.

Beard, 49, was arrested on December 12 after the Austin Police Department reportedly responded to a “disturbance hot shot,” which the department says are incidents that “are in progress and are an immediate threat to life and/or public safety (i.e. shootings, stabbings, rapes, riots).”

Fiancée Randi Trew said through her attorney, Randy Leavitt, that she was “deeply saddened” by what has happened and that Beard was acting in self-defense, the Associated Press reported.

“Chris and I are deeply saddened that we have brought negative attention upon our family, friends, and the University of Texas, among others,” Trew said in the statement. “As Chris’ fiancée and biggest supporter, I apologize for the role I played in this unfortunate event. I realize that my frustration, when breaking his glasses, initiated a physical struggle between Chris and myself.”

“Chris did not strangle me, and I told that to law enforcement that evening,” the statement continued. “Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that. I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way. It was never my intent to have him arrested or prosecuted. We appreciate everyone’s support and prayers during this difficult time.”

The arrest affidavit from earlier this month said that Beard and his fiancée were having relationship issues and during a heated conversation, he “snapped” and “became super violent,” according to Trew.

The incident began after Beard refused to communicate with Trew because he was mad at her, and when he came home, he went to the guest room in the house, the fiancée said. She went into the guest room to check on him. He was reportedly lying on the bed, twirling a pair of reading glasses in his hands when she grabbed them and broke them. Things quickly escalated from there.

Beard allegedly went to the main bedroom where he slapped the glasses Trew was wearing off her face. When the two were supposedly lying in bed together, she attempted to retrieve her glasses, and she claims that was when she was thrown off the bed. She attempted to gather her things, but reportedly couldn’t see because she didn’t have her glasses. She claims that he stood behind her and put his arm around her neck.

The woman said that she did not feel safe after “he choked me, threw me off the bed, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around, and going nuts.”

When asked by law enforcement if his choking her “impeded her breathing,” she replied, “yes, I could not breathe, he did it for probably like 5 seconds.”

When Beard was interviewed by police, he said that he had audio recordings that indicated that he was not the primary aggressor. When police asked if he was willing to share the recordings, he said no.

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