Did Drugs Factor Into George Huguely's Attack On Yeardley Love?

The Hook News Blog:

Why would a college athlete, a young man from a prominent family with everything going for him, attack and possibly-- as police allege-- brutally murder his former girlfriend? As shock gives way to grief, questions about drugs and sanity invariably arise over UVA student George Wesley Huguely V's fatal altercation with 22-year-old Yeardley Love . Although Huguely has several alcohol-fueled incidents in his past, two doctors say in recent interviews that it's unlikely that intoxicants alone could drive someone to kill.

"If intoxicated, the risk will increase," says Dr. Bankole Johnson, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia Medical School, who also happens to be a forensic psychiatrist, "but in general it is unusual for people to go from nothing to all. Usually there are gradations toward this kind of violence, and there will be clues, even when the person is not under the influence. There's usually a pattern."

Read the whole story: The Hook News Blog

Comments

[bellabeach]

04:41 PM on 05/28/2010

The Govenor says nothing...why are we so reactive instead of pro active...there were many, many signs that George needed help...probably from his early life! A beautiful young women could have been saved if someone had spoken up sooner!!

[MJVs Common Sense]

10:10 PM on 05/20/2010

Ok, I understand the the justified rage that people have as a result of this crime, but isn't our system of justice based on the presumption of innocence until the person is proven guilty in a court of law. I agree that this guy seems like a sleaze and it sounds like there is a pretty good case against him, but he's still on trial in court, which means he should not be on trial in the media. Be angry at him when he's proven guilty, and then lobby hard for whatever punishment you see fit, but until then, just chill and remember the kind of treatment you would want if you were being accused of a crime. And remember that some huge proportion of the people on death row were found to be innocent years later thanks to DNA testing, so even airtight cases can be wrong. Remember also that we don't actually KNOW anything, we are just reacting to what we see on the news which isn't always the whole story and is often laced with the commentator's (Nancy Grace's) opinion as to the clarity of the case. Lets wait for the case to run it's course before we all pass judgement, but once it has feel free to judge away.

[RJSquirrel]

08:30 PM on 05/19/2010

This spoiled rotten brat KNOWINGLY went to this poor young woman's apartment. He KNOWINGLY entered looking for her and KNOWINGLY broke her door down and beat her to death. He had the presence of mind to steal her computer since he must have known there were things on there he didn't want seen. There is no diminshed capacity here, there are no excuses. I don't care what the other "enablers" around him did or did not do, be it his mommy and daddy, teammates, coach or school. He knew exactly what he was doing. He wasn't getting his way and was going to do anything he had to in order to get his way and knew every step of the way what he was doing. Besides everything else stealing that computer shows his scienter and state of mind and should be the key to his death sentence.

[hawhatadick]

06:55 PM on 05/19/2010

ZANNEX

[jcd8822]

05:49 PM on 05/19/2010

That is certainly not the best picture he has every taken. He looks like he just came down off of something.

[Disdain]

02:45 PM on 05/19/2010

Enough with the excuses already. This thug repeatedly hit and slam this young women against the wall until she died.

[FarOutFish]

12:07 PM on 05/19/2010

What a Crock. The only drug the article purported he used was Alcohol, so why are we seeing a return to "Reefer Madness" style alarmist articles.about drugs?

[ItsAD]

12:54 PM on 05/24/2010

Um.. the article actually says the opposite, that drugs can't be blamed. But yea, if it said what you thought it did, you'd be right.

[robXdion]

08:31 AM on 05/19/2010

Yeah, it's not like he's Chris Brown (black or formerly impoverished) or anything. So there MUST be some other rationale or excuse for his behavior? ughhh!! Even the prosecution is trying to build an insanity or incapacitated defense for the defendant.

[thepoliticalcat]

09:43 PM on 05/18/2010

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Po' li'l George might be "ill" or "needing help." He br*t@//y be@t a woman less than half his size until she d!ed. Apparently, he was not too dr*nk to take her computer, with its incriminating emails, just too dr*nk to call an ambulance to help save the poor girl. The Hook piece is clearly PR by the family to ensure that the future jury pool is more concerned with George's fragile mental state than the fate of the poor girl he m*rdered.

[FarOutFish]

06:18 PM on 05/18/2010

He's famous so The Devil made him do it.

[Vernie31]

04:09 PM on 05/18/2010

Hear we go again, why must we make excuses for such horrific behavior? Whatever happened to accepting ones behavior for what it is. He was just a spoiled kid who grew up in a world where it was acceptable behavior for him to throw a temper tantrum whenever he could not have his way. All Yardley said was "No" and he reacted as he always has. Like a spoiled rotten KID that he is. Now that he is
with the Homeboys, he will learn exactly how she felt when she said "NO". Do not worry, He will learn exactly what it means to be a "girlfriend" of a demanding MALE.

[sisyphus93]

03:58 PM on 05/18/2010

Hey George! Having fun in the showers? What color lipstick do you favor?

[kirkland]

02:54 PM on 05/18/2010

While I imagine Huguely was intoxicated on * somthing* -- as Dr. Johnson indicates - his analysis enlightens us little about why batterers, batter. It's a common mistake that many professionals make ( blaming alcohol/ drugs for Domestic Violence/ Family Violence ) --it is far more likely that George was incited by a Narcissistic Personality Disorder or Borderline Personality Disorder and their variations. Most batterers have personality disorders. It is perhaps NOT suprising that this was the first episode , however grandiose , when age is considered. It is often not until the late teens or mid twenties that psycopathy emerges dramatically enough to be seen and diagnosed. It is FAR more likely that George developed a malignant sense of entitlement as he matured (and) this was the first relationship for him that he had invested himself in *fully*. Booze or drugs don't flip the switch. They make it easier for a batterer to batter but they don't elicit violent behavior , but in those who ARE VIOLENT. I would really like to read an article by an expert in dating/domestic/family violence. This is where the meat lies.
It was a murder fueled by a controlling personality who was outraged at being denied. A person who lacks empathy and posseses malignant narcissism. Far simpler that the notion that booze or even nasty meth could turn someone into a killer. I do believe that the good Dr. knows this. I believe that he chose to share only one perspective.

[OB-GYN]

05:44 PM on 05/20/2010

Yes, thank you. Good doctors consider multiple diagnosis, and certainly your post deserves full consideration.

[plaidsportcoat]

01:56 PM on 05/18/2010

How much did the rich family pay the lawyer/pr firm to plant this story??

[kirkland]

02:39 PM on 05/18/2010

my thoughts, exactly- it's a defense oriented strategic move