Latest from mcmurphy.
Interesting that still no answers from the school concerning urbane wife.
Less than two months before Ohio State WR coach Zach Smith was investigated in 2015 for domestic violence and felonious assault against Courtney Smith, Shelley Meyer was a featured speaker at a Birmingham, Ala., conference to draw awareness to the ongoing fight to eradicate domestic violence.
The conference – “College Football Wives 2015” – was in August 2015 and featured eight wives of prominent coaches speaking against domestic violence. The event was part of a public awareness campaign called “Refuse The Abuse” – and came less than two months before Zach Smith’s alleged domestic violence on Courtney Smith on Oct. 25, 2015.
“With our coaching staff and Urban, disrespecting women or any violence toward women is one of the rules of the team that is not acceptable," Shelley Meyer told AL.com on Aug. 8, 2015.
Despite multiple domestic violence allegations against Zach Smith, he remained with the program until he was fired July 23, 2018.
Urban Meyer said last month during Big Media Days that he and his wife, Shelley, “counseled” Zach and Courtney Smith in 2009 after Zach Smith was arrested on domestic violence charges – aggravated assault against a pregnant victim. Courtney was 10 weeks pregnant at the time.
“She’s (Shelley) always weighed in as my best friend and soul mate,” Urban said at Big Ten Media Days on July 24. “She’s been right there with everything. Especially when you’re dealing with – not who’s going to carry the ball on third down, she has an opinion on that too – we chat about people. She has a great spirit. A great love of people. Her heart is always in the right place. She’s phenomenal. Absolutely I rely on her.”
Courtney told me she refused to press charges in 2009 after Meyer’s longtime “life coach” Hiram de Fries convinced her to drop the charges.
Courtney said last month she had multiple conversations and text message exchanges with Shelley about Zach’s domestic violence in 2015. Courtney also shared pictures of her abuse with Shelley.
In a 2015 text message to Courtney, Shelley said she was concerned for Courtney’s safety: ““I am with you! A lot of women stay hoping it will get better. I don’t blame you! But just want u to be safe. Do you have a restraining order? He scares me.”
On Aug. 1, Ohio State announced it was investigating Urban Meyer and the investigation was expected to be completed within 14 days.
In an interview with (614) magazine, published Jan. 5, 2015, Shelley proudly discussed her ability to help people with their “tragic situations.”
“I’m a psychiatric nurse, for God’s sake,” Shelley told the magazine. “All I do is help people problem-solve, help them with their social issues, their personal tragic situations, real life stuff.”
Meanwhile, Ohio State University, since last Friday, has refused to respond to multiple public record requests inquiring about the employment status of Shelley Meyer, who is a part-time instructor of clinical practice at the university’s College of Nursing.
At 12:58 p.m. Monday, Benjamin Johnson and Christopher Davey, of Ohio State’s public information office, assured the information would be provided “very soon.”
As of the publishing of this story Tuesday afternoon, Ohio State has still not fulfilled this public information request concerning Shelley Meyer, a state employee.
Shelley Meyer could have violated the school’s Sexual Misconduct Policy and potentially Title IX, if she did not notify her supervisor of Courtney Smith’s repeated abuse. The school, however, announced Urban Meyer had been placed on paid administrative leave on Aug. 1.