A football player for the University of Tennessee was exposed in a bad light after video showed him using profanity with UT Police following his September arrest for an outstanding traffic warrant.
Jeremy Banks, a student with UT who is a key player, used profanities and veiled threats against the officers, asking what they would do if they didn’t have powers of arrest.
“What would you do without that badge, though? That’s all I want to know,” Banks said.
Banks was openly belligerent, and even admitted that he should have tried to outrun the police.
“I should’ve ran, test y’all’s speed,” Banks said. “Y’all would’ve never catch me. That’s what I should’ve did. Next time, I am, I promise you. Never again y’all boys will take me to jail. Not UT police.”
Not satisfied with just how deep of a hole he was digging for himself, Banks then made threatening remarks to a woman who was on a ride-along with the officers.
“Ma’am, I don’t think you want to be an intern, because where I’m from, we shoot at cops. I’m from Memphis, Tennessee,” he said.
Once booked, Banks was released on a $500 bond and likely given a chewing out from Vols Coach Jeremy Pruitt.
He eventually apologized for his actions a day or two after the arrest. “I want to sincerely apologize to my family, the University of Tennessee and the law enforcement community,” Banks said in a statement obtained by Knox News. “I deeply regret my language and attitude in the video. I have great respect for our policemen and women, and I am embarrassed by my actions that night. That’s not who I am. I promise to be a better representative for the University of Tennessee moving forward.”
Banks was initially stopped after making an illegal U-turn, and the traffic stop revealed the outstanding warrant, which was for failure to appear in court, the charges being related to driving while his license was suspended.
Pruitt, who Banks called while he was being arrested, was less than understanding when police got on the phone and explained that Banks had to be booked into jail because of his active warrant.
“This is the silliest s*** I’ve ever seen in my life,” Pruitt said during the phone conversation with police. “I’ve got it. I understand. I’ve worked at four places, and I ain’t ever had no crap like this except for here. Because the people usually say, ‘Hey, something’s not right here.”
Pruitt later backed down.
“Go ahead. Do your civic duty, man,” he said.
It is unknown if Pruitt will face any discipline from the University, though he has since stated he will work with Banks on being a better person.
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He meant what he said, he even stated he’s hated cops all his life. He should have been released dismissed from the team and UT should take any scholarships they may have given him because his attitude towards authority will not change. Children without discipline will never learn if they are continued to be let off the hook for their bad behavior.
“To him to whom much is given, much shall be required.” If this young man has a talent, then he has a responsibility to himself, to mankind, and to God, to stand up and make the world better. If he was treated like a god because he can play football, then people did him a great disservice. One day he will be old and sick, if he has the luck to live that long. Or he will sit in prison because he ignored the warning signs of where his life was headed.
If I was the athletic department at the University of Tennessee, I would say thanks for your services they are no longer needed here
Real class act. Nice teeth … should be suspended.
The only thing they do where he is from is suck at football.
If I was his coach and he wound up in jail, he’s still be there, any team I’m coaching does not need jailbirds on the team.
So the coach is a piece of shit too
Right before he said “y’all bitch and a half” they said over the radio there’s alcohol involved. So he didn’t get a DUI in his brand new mustang. He then went to jail for a simple warrant which he would be released immediately, which he did not man up and get it taken care of. Now he’s talking to cops like that.. they did him EVERY favor in the world, but he’s entitled and it shows a lot about the University of Tennessee.
Why isn’t the thug suspended?
He should suspended at least if not kicked off the team….tolerance of this attitude and fake required apologies could be one of the many underlying problems of this team. The coach should take charge and not let thugs run the program….RESPECT should be a priority of anyone on his team and if he can’t manage that maybe we need to look for yet another coach
Both Pruitt and Banks need to be cut from the team and banned from the college circuit for their actions. I understand about freedom of speech but you cannot go around making veiled threats of violence against anyone and wtf is with Pruitt’s remarks about having privelege because of sports affiliation? That sort of mentality is exactly what one of the things is wrong with society today. And it’s a double standard to boot. Folks bitch about the fact that it exists, get mad when someone who is white does the same thing yet here is the perfect example of it being used and people want to look the other way and say, yeah! Why can’t you just remand him into the custody of the coach? Hypocrisy at its finest.
I think he and the coach should be suspended, fired, removed, and released. These players, at this level and, think they are above the law. They are so conceited and their egos inflated, to the point they think they are “special”. Yes, some may have some talent, but obviously, from his misuse of the language, he is skipping English class. These young men have no respect. I believe his apology was fake and false. Someone forced him to do it. Granted, he needed to apologize. Also, the bail was really low. They arrested him for an outstanding warrant for driving on a revoked licenses and failure to appear. What crime revoked his licenses? DUI? Unpaid other fines? This is not what needs to be happening. To me, the statement of saying, “Where he comes from they shoot cops”, is a threat and a hate crime. Possibly someone needs to check in his background….maybe his is involved in some of the massive murders in Memphis. If the lawyers and judges do not start making people responsible for their actions, this world is in dire straights. Parents used to do this , but not so much anymore. These fellows may get away with all of this now,…but God sees all. God does not like ugly. Repent or you get , well you know.
Goach trying to tell the officer what he is doing what he is doing. The University of Tn. needs to Terminate the coach’s contract, Revoke the player’s Scholarship, put him out of the University of n. and serve him a Trespass Notice.
I don’t give a Rat’s behind how good a player he is.
That seems to one problem that we have now, accepted Demeanor form a athlete that is is great in football, basketball, and Baseball.
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