UGA cuts ties with D’Antne Demery after arrest

ATHENS — Georgia announced that football signee D’Antne Demery has been released from his letter of intent after the offensive lineman’s Saturday night arrest on 2 misdemeanor charges, 1 of which was simple battery.

The news came just over an hour after Demery was released on bond from the Athens-Clarke County jail.

Demery was charged with simple battery and criminal trespass after an incident with a woman in downtown Athens. Demery was alleged by the victim to have grabbed the woman by the back of the neck and pushed her against the wall, according to a synopsis provided to the spokesman for the Athens-Clarke County police department.

The statement also said that the victim, who is the mother of Demery’s 1-month-old child, also told police that the player “has been physically violent with her in the past.”

A 4-star recruit from Brunswick, Demery was 1 of 6 offensive linemen signed by the Bulldogs this year. He was due to join the team this summer, and was in Athens after attending G-Day on Saturday.

Demery’s next stop, assuming he takes one, might not be another SEC school: The conference passed a rule last year prohibiting any school from accepting a transfer with a history of sexual or domestic violence.

However, it’s not clear if that rule applies to Demery, who had signed a letter-of-intent but had not enrolled at Georgia. A request for clarification has been sent to the conference office for comment.

The SEC rule, instituted in 2015 and strengthened last year, came after the Baylor situation last year, but was also inspired by the Jonathan Taylor situation: Taylor, a defensive lineman at Georgia in 2012, was accused in Athens of felony domestic assault, dismissed and, after spending a season at a junior college, was accepted at Alabama, despite the Athens charges still pending.

Taylor was then arrested on charges of domestic assault in Tuscaloosa after being accused by a different woman. He was dismissed, and later pled to a reduced charge after the woman recanted her accusations.

The Demery release from UGA:

“University of Georgia football signee D’Antne Demery has been released from his National Letter of Intent according to an announcement by UGA head coach Kirby Smart.  The release follows Demery’s arrest Saturday night on charges of simple battery, criminal trespass-damaged property in downtown Athens.

“The Brunswick, Ga., native signed with UGA in February and was scheduled to report to the University in June to begin classes.”