This just in: Former Eagle forward James Still was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison for his involvement in an assault on a Providence College student in 2010. The blog Eagle Totem broke it first and the story can also be found on WPRI-TV in Providence, R.I.

Still was dismissed from the team back in November after pleading guilty to the assault charge, but the sentence wasn’t handed down until Jan. 22.

As has been pointed out in many different circles, whether it be blogs like Eagle Totem, or talking to fans of the basketball team, the question remains: Exactly why was Still allowed on the team, knowing full well that school policy would disallow a player from participating, with the felony charges looming over his head?

This case has yet to concretely answer any questions, instead it has left many people scratching their heads asking “why?”

Other interested parties around campus are asking the same question and until the EMU Athletic Department gives a comment on the situation, which they have yet to do at this point, we’ll all be in the dark together. One thing holds true in this entire mess: even if there aren’t any answers besides the generic “X and Y will have no comment on this matter,” we all deserve to know why Still was allowed to play in the first place.

Stick with The Echo for more on this ongoing story.

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