On March 25, Tennessee offensive lineman Coleman Thomas was charged with felony theft after he allegedly attempted to sell an XBox and three video games that had been reported stolen. On Wednesday those charges were dismissed.
After close to three weeks of investigation, the Knox County District Attorney’s office found no evidence Thomas knew the items were stolen.
“The evidence suggested the opposite actually, that he had no idea the item was stolen,” Deputy District Attorney Kyle Hixson told the Associated Press.
Thomas was removed from team activities following the arrest. A Tennessee spokesman told the Chattanooga Times Free Press Wednesday afternoon that Thomas had officially been reinstated.
Thomas’ attorney, Don Bosch, wasted no time wagging his finger at the law enforcement.
“It appears that a rush to judgement was made charging Coleman Thomas with this offense,” Bosch said. “Mr. Thomas did not commit any crime, and was unaware that the XBox and three video games in question had been stolen. He fully cooperated from the first minute he was notified by law enforcement, and it was unfortunate that such a hasty decision to charge Mr. Thomas was made solely by the University of Tennessee Police Department.”
Thomas played in 11 games with five starts as a freshman in 2014.
(Photo credit: Tennessee athletics)