The woman who told Austin Police that Chris Beard injured her during a violent altercation earlier this month is now saying that the University of Texas men’s basketball coach may have acted in self-defense and that he never strangled her.
Randi Trew, who lives with Beard and is engaged to marry him, said she doesn’t believe the coach was trying to harm her and that she didn’t want him to be arrested. Her statement, given to the Austin American-Stateman and the Associated Press on Friday evening, was Trew’s first public comments on the matter since the Dec. 12 incident.
“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. “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.
“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.”
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The comments appear to weaken the criminal case against Beard, who was taken to jail and faces a third-degree felony for family violence. Trudy Strassburger, first assistant in the Travis County District Attorney’s office, which is prosecuting the case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Beard, in his second season at UT, remains indefinitely suspended, without pay, by the university.
“We are reviewing the statement from Randi Trew,” the university said Friday. “This matter is the subject of an internal investigation and the university does not comment on pending investigations.”
Police said they were dispatched to Beard’s house in the Tarrytown neighborhood around 2 a.m. on Dec. 12 after Trew called 911 to say the coach had attacked her. According to the arrest affidavit, Trew said the couple had been arguing about their relationship for several days. She told police she approached Beard in a guest bedroom and, after Beard ignored her, she became frustrated and took his eyeglasses from his hand and broke them.
The woman said she left the guest room and went to the master bedroom. About 10 minutes later, Beard entered the bedroom and slapped the woman’s eyeglasses from her face, she said. He threw her to the ground from the bed and choked her from behind for five seconds, impeding her breathing, she said. The woman also said Beard bit her.
“I just did not feel safe,” the woman told police when they asked her why she called 911.
Beard, while police were on scene, said he had audio recordings of the incident that show he was not the primary aggressor. Police said Beard was not willing to share the recordings.
The affidavit lists several injuries to the woman: bite mark to the right forearm, abrasion to the right eyebrow, abrasion to the left leg from the knee to the foot, and a cut to the left thumb with dried blood.
Beard, 49, was booked in jail Dec. 12 and released later in the day after posting $10,000 bail.
Perry Minton, a lawyer representing Beard, issued a statement after the arrest saying Beard is innocent and that the woman wanted all charges dismissed. But, until Friday, Trew had not made any statement supporting Beard.
On Friday, Minton issued a second statement in response to Trew’s comments.
“Randi is a smart and independent woman,” Minton said. “I think everyone should allow her to have her voice in this matter.”
A UT alumnus, Beard returned to the school 20 months ago after leading Big 12 rival Texas Tech to historic success, including a runner-up finish at the 2019 NCAA Tournament. After a promising first season at UT under Beard, when the program snapped an eight-game losing streak in the NCAA Tournament, the Longhorns are poised for even greater success this year, with marquee wins against Gonzaga and Creighton.
Beard last coached a game on Dec. 10 in a win at home against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Longhorns, 10-1 overall and ranked seventh nationally in their first season in the Moody Center, have won the three games they’ve played without Beard under acting head coach Rodney Terry. UT hosts Texas A&M-Commerce on Tuesday.
In the days after the arrest, UT officials invited Beard and his representatives to lay out a case for why they should not fire him, according to multiple people familiar with those conversations. If UT brings him back, the situation may be uncomfortable with potential backlash from students and faculty, and from donors and season ticket holders.
The school is already dealing with the fallout of a pending family violence case against Arterio Morris, a freshman guard from Dallas who was arrested last summer after an incident with a former girlfriend. Morris, who has a court appearance next month in Denton County, has appeared in all 11 games this season.
Beard, the 2019 Associated Press National Coach of the Year, signed a seven-year contract with UT in April 2021 for around $5 million a year.