Huguely Lawyers Want Wrongful Death Lawsuit Delayed

Attorneys for the former University of Virginia lacrosse player convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend want a wrongful death lawsuit against him suspended until the criminal case ends.

George Huguely's lawyers filed a motion this week in Charlottesville Circuit Court asking a judge to stay the $30 million lawsuit.

If the civil case goes to trial before the criminal case is finalized, the motion argues that Huguely's Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination could be violated, The Daily Progress reported Friday.

Huguely, of Chevy Chase, Md., is seeking a new trial in the criminal case. A hearing on that motion is scheduled for late August, several days before his sentencing for second-degree murder in the May 2010 death of Yeardley Love of suburban Baltimore. He also was convicted in February of grand larceny.

Love's mother, Sharon Love, filed the civil lawsuit April 26. Huguely's attorneys argue "there is little to no prejudice" to Love in temporarily suspending the case.

Sharon Love also filed a second civil suit seeking $29.45 million. It names the commonwealth of Virginia, men's lacrosse coach Dom Starsia, associate coach Marc van Arsdale and U.Va. Athletics Director Craig Littlepage as defendants.

Love's suit claims the coaches ignored Huguely's erratic behavior, including two alcohol-related arrests, frequent intoxication and attacks on another female student, a teammate and a Virginia tennis player.

The lawsuit also cites another incident in which Huguely allegedly choked Love until others stopped him.

The accusations emerged during Huguely's trial as former teammates and friends testified about his volatile relationship with Love, who also played lacrosse at U.Va.

Despite these incidents, the lawsuit says, nobody at the university disciplined Huguely or tried to get him into treatment for alcohol abuse or anger management.

Love was killed in her Charlottesville apartment after Huguely kicked a hole in her door. A coroner concluded she died of blunt force trauma.