This story origninally appeared in the online edition of The Houstonian on Dec. 15, 2008.
At the impeachment trial in the Mafrige Auditorium on Dec. 9, the Student Government Association senators voted not guilty to all three charges served to Vice President Christopher Yancy.
Yancy was served a petition for impeachment at a regular Tuesday SGA meeting on Nov. 18. The trial was postponed to Dec. 9 after the original date of Dec. 1.
“I thought it went very well,” SGA President Michael Perkins said. “Both sides were treated fairly. They both got a chance to present their cases equally and respectfully. I think they did a really good job of keeping things civil.”
The three charges presented were malfeasance, dereliction of duty and gross inefficiency.
“I figured the only one I was really severe on was the dereliction of duty – that was something that they had really firm ground,” Yancy said. “The other stuff I had a really strong sense that it didn’t have any grounds for impeachment.”
Yancy recruited the Sam Houston State Debate Team to act as his defense. Members working for him at the trial were coach Adam Key, Adesuwa Omoruyi, Addison Reed and Clayton Goss.
“When I first heard about what they were going to be doing to Chris Yancy, I was appalled,” Key said. “This kind of thing reflects on everybody and at that point I knew the debate team would get involved.”
The jury was formed from the SGA Senate, including ten who signed the petition for impeachment.
“I was pleasantly surprised at the results. With all the personal biases, we were pleasantly surprised that they came back with a not guilty verdict,” Key said.
After the delivery of the verdict and the completion of the trial and all its official motions, Yancy will continue his duties as Vice President of SGA.
“I think this severely damaged our public relations with the university administration and the potential to recruit on campus,” Yancy said. “I think office politics will always be there – I don’t think you can get rid of that. I hope this will allow people to realize there’s other was to work out problems in a more professional or political way.”