Solomon Beebe Reinstated to UVA Football Team Following Animal Cruelty Hearing

Wearing a dark gray suit, loafers, and thick-rimmed glasses, Solomon Beebe, the UVA running back arrested in August for animal cruelty, appeared in court on October 1st and accepted a county agreement that could result in the charges being dropped completely. Later that day, the University reinstated him to the UVA Football team. He was first suspended after his arrest. The Jefferson Independent attended the hearing on the charges. 

Beebe’s deal requires that he be placed under court advisement for a year. During this period, he is required to attend psychiatric therapy and anger management courses, as well as to perform 100 hours of community service. If he complies with these conditions for a year, the court has agreed to drop the final animal cruelty charge. Beebe is due back in court on October 5, 2027, for the final stage of the case. The court also prohibited Beebe from owning or possessing a dog for five years. 

While Beebe was initially charged with three counts of animal cruelty, the county dropped two of them. The remaining charge was one related to an August 10 incident, where Beebe was caught on security footage striking his dog,  Jeb, repeatedly. There were separate instances of him striking or otherwise abusing Jeb cited in the two dropped charges. Beebe’s lawyer noted that, after veterinary examination, it was concluded that the dog had not sustained any injuries. If Beebe had taken the case to trial, he could have received a sentence of up to 12 months in jail and a fine up to $2,500.