Massachusetts Daily Collegian

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A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

UMass men’s basketball player arrested Saturday night

Courtesy of UMass Athletics

Massachusetts men’s basketball sophomore forward Cady Lalanne was arrested Saturday night in the Student Union Ballroom on charges of disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting a police officer making a lawful arrest, according to a police report.

UMass coach Derek Kellogg said Monday at practice that Lalanne is suspended from the team indefinitely for “a violation of athletic department policy for his conduct at an on-campus function,” and will not be traveling with the team as the Minutemen prepare for their tilt at Northeastern on Tuesday night.

Lalanne, 20, did not practice Monday and could not be reached for comment. He still remains a student at the University at this time, according to UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski, who said that the dean of students typically reviews cases such as this and then makes a determination on a student’s status.

According to a police narrative written by UMass Police Officer James Sullivan, Lalanne and his friend Clyde Santee – a UMass basketball recruit – were at the HASA/CASA dance late Saturday night when event organizers identified Santee as “not having paid to be at the event and did not have the proper wrist band necessary to indicate he belonged at the dance.”

When Santee, 19, was being escorted out of the dance by staff and police, Lalanne “physically grabbed and latched onto his friend” as he tried to prevent the officers from removing Santee from the event, the narrative states.

Lalanne – who was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol – then continued to state, “You don’t understand were (sic) on the basketball team we are all set,” according to the narrative.

Yelling ensued and Santee refused to leave the event – reportedly drawing a crowd and blocking access in the hallway. As a result, Lalanne was also asked to leave the dance, which he refused to do, and he then physically resisted officers’ attempts to remove him, according to Sullivan’s account.

UMass Police Sgt. Jessica Moore attempted to escort Lalanne – who was still holding on to Santee – by latching onto his arm. Moore, in a written narrative, said Lalanne “wrenched his arm then pushed his arm against my chest and chin.” Moore’s report said Lalanne then pushed her again with his arm against her chest while the officers tried to control him.

Moore wrote that she drew spray and told Lalanne she would spray him if he did not comply.

Two other officers then assisted Moore in handcuffing Lalanne, according to the police report.

According to Moore’s report, while he was being arrested, Lalanne said, “I can break out of these handcuffs anytime I want; I’ll bust right out of them.”

A group of individuals – who the officers believed were associated with Lalanne – pulled out cell phones and videotaped officers as they escorted Lalanne into a transport vehicle. Some of the witnesses began accusing the officers of being “racists” and “only arresting Lalanne because he happens to be a black man,” according to Sullivan’s report.

No one was seriously injured during the incident, Blaguszewski said.

Sullivan included in his report that “Lalanne is significantly taller than Sergeant Moore and I.” Lalanne is 6-foot-9, 250 pounds.

Bail for Lalanne was set at $140 and he was scheduled to appear in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown Monday morning to face the charges, which are all misdemeanors.

This is the second time this season that Lalanne has been suspended from the team. He was also suspended for UMass’ lone exhibition game on Nov. 3 against American International for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

Kellogg said he will monitor the developments of the situation when making his decision on whether or not to extend Lalanne’s suspension beyond Tuesday’s game at Northeastern. Kellogg said a decision should come “in the next few days or so.”

Stephen Sellner can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @Stephen_Sellner.

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  • K

    KrisDec 5, 2012 at 2:17 pm

    What I don’t understand is why everyone else at the dance wasn’t arrested. Weren’t most of the attendees black? Also, if Clyde and Cady are BLACK as the article CLAIMS, why weren’t they arrested BEFORE they went into the dance? Also, is it racist that they were on the basketball team?

    Reply
  • J

    Jack SullivanDec 5, 2012 at 12:26 am

    I always get a huge laugh out of the “he didn’t do anything” or “the cops just arrested him for no reason.” Who really believes the UMass police would arrest somebody for being black? Why do it in front of so many people with cameras? I mean if you really had it in for him wouldn’t you at least wait until he got away from the crowd? It’s beyond unbelievable. It’s plain silly.

    Reply
  • T

    the manDec 4, 2012 at 11:37 pm

    He messed up and it is know in the hands of the court to decide the outcome and the University will do what it has to do. I have had runs in with the basketball team and they are not the greatest group of people to come into contact with they are not that highly educated and the only reason why they are here is to play basketball and make the University money plan and simple no matter how you look at it while the rest of us our here to get a degree and get job and live the American dream. Hate to say it but no one on that team will make the NBA or Pros because they are nothing more than mediocre and a waste of taxpayers money and our tuition dollars. Especially Chaz Williams his famous quote to a girl one night I have kids so you know I am responsible yea OK you were stupid enough to knock the chick you are not responsible you are dumber than dirt.

    Reply
  • J

    Joshua BrownDec 4, 2012 at 10:44 pm

    I’m the #1 UMass fan and Lalanne’s arrest doesn’t surprise me. I pulled Lalanne away from bad situations a couple times. I have to agree with Timothy Johnson. I remember hearing the news about UMass police arresting Jason Vasell, because he defending himself from violent aggressors while they were shouting racial slurs towards him. What’s even worse is that those guys that attacked him were not even UMass students and who did UMass police arrest? Jason, because he was black and it took two years for the DA’s to drop charges against him. I already know that nothing’s ever a problem until a black person does it.

    Reply
  • X

    Xavier R.Dec 4, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    So Timothy Johnson, if a black police officer arrested him then everything would be fine?

    Reply
  • T

    Timothy JohnsonDec 4, 2012 at 7:24 pm

    None of you guys were there, so dont speak about what you don’t know. He didn’t say those things. I saw the whole incident and the police officer literally arrested him for no reason. He was trying to leave until the WHITE police officer aggressively held him. In this country, if you are a Black Man and there’s anything going on with a white police officer, you are automatically seen as the aggressor eventhough you were the one being violated. You are probably a white individual so you obviously don’t know how it is to walk in a Black Man’s shoes.

    Reply
  • D

    DavidDec 4, 2012 at 6:41 pm

    Pulling the “i’m on the basketball team” card isn’t valid until Umass get’s back into the tournament.

    Reply
  • J

    John SmithDec 4, 2012 at 4:55 am

    I hate when people try to pull the race card. Lalanne was arrested for being an idiot not for being black. People need to stop blaming others for their own actions and take responsibility.

    Reply