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UM student arrested for domestic violence
31 March 2009 916 views 20 Comments

By Tim Summers
Assistant News Editor

A University of Mississippi student was arrested Sunday morning at the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity house for domestic violence.

According to the report from university police, sophomore Calvert Scott Cordella of Mount Airy, Ga. repeatedly threw his girlfriend into the wall of his room in the Phi Kappa Psi house as well as into the wall of the hallway, causing injuries that included bruises, swelling and discoloration.

The police responded to a call for 911 assistance at the Phi Kappa Psi house around 3 a.m., Sunday. The two unnamed officers arrived on the scene and discovered that Cordella's door had been barricaded from the inside and had been damaged, as though someone had been attempting to kick in the door from the outside. It took a moment to open the door due to the furniture piled on the other side. When inside, police found Cordella's girlfriend crying and holding her left arm. She stated then, according to the report, that Cordella had thrown her several times into the wall, and she had been hurt.

The officers took pictures of the woman's injuries as well as the doorframe of Cordella's room with a digital camera issued by UPD.

The woman, also a student, explained that Cordella (who was not present at the time officers arrived) was highly intoxicated. She said he did not want to take her home or provide a way for her to leave. Cordella was in bed trying to sleep with his cell phone in his hand, the report said.

In order to get his attention, the woman said she pulled the cord of the charger connected to the phone. The phone then fell on the floor, and the battery popped out. Cordella then got out of bed and allegedly threw his girlfriend into the floor of his open closet, the report said.

According to the report, he then took her purse and threw it into one of the men's shower stalls. He returned and told her what he had done and she told him that she wished to go home. The report said Cordella then called her several derogatory terms, then grabbed her keys and wallet, threatening to throw them in a toilet.

The report said the woman then followed him into the hallway where he grabbed her by both arms and threw her into the wall.
He then continued down the hallway as the girl recovered and ran back into his room, locking the door behind her, the report said.

When he returned to the room and found it locked, the report states that Cordella was yelling at the girl through the door, threatening her life and yelling obscenities. He then began several attempts to force his way into the room by hitting and kicking the door. The woman placed a large coffee table in front of the door before calling 911.

Cordella was found by police in another room down the hall and was placed under arrest for domestic violence.

This incident was not the first during their relationship, the woman said in the report.

Detective Mike Houpt of UPD said the arrest was the result of a new addition to the domestic violence laws.

The extension of the law, Houpt explained, allows for arrests for misdemeanor domestic violence to include not just offenses between current or former spouses, household members and persons with a child in common, but now also between a person in a current or former dating relationship, according to a reference guide published by the Mississippi Attorney General's office.

Dean of students Sparky Reardon said because the matter was still under investigation, he could not comment.

Cordella was transferred to the Lafayette County Detention Center (LCDC) on a bond of $286.50 and has a court date for April 14.

The LCDC said Tuesday that Cordella was no longer in custody.

Cordella's family was contacted but refused to comment.

Attempts were made to contact the female victim but a response was not recieved.

The DM does not name those claiming to be victims of sexual or violent crimes.