Background
In the early morning of February 17, 1996, a Ford Explorer driven by either Taylor or Traylor, depending on the source, went out of control while returning along M-14 from a party in Detroit, 40 miles (64 km) east of Michigan's campus in Ann Arbor. Among the passengers was high school star Mateen Cleaves, who was on his official recruiting visit. When an investigation revealed that the trip included a visit to Ed Martin's home, the University investigated his relationship with the basketball program. Martin was reportedly returning to Ann Arbor from Detroit with Traylor, Taylor, Cleaves, Willie Mitchell, Bullock, and Ron Oliver after a party that included drugs, strippers and alcohol. Accounts of the party vary. By some accounts the party was hosted by Martin, but by other accounts Martin's house was a stop on the way to a party at Detroit's Westin Hotel. Martin, a retired Ford Motor Company electrician, provided all the players with money. During the rollover accident, Traylor broke his arm and was lost for the season. Mitchell transferred from Michigan to the University of Alabama-Birmingham after his junior season (1995–1996). Bullock, Cleaves (who eventually signed with rival Michigan State), Taylor, and Traylor all went on to be drafted by National Basketball Association (NBA) teams. Bullock played in various foreign leagues but never in the NBA.
The NCAA uses a statute of limitations of four years. Thus, at any time the NCAA can open or re-open an investigation for an infraction occurring within the last four years. However, NCAA convention is to date violations based on when they learned about the infraction. Thus, events that had occurred far more than four years prior to the investigation came under its purview. The initial accident reports revealed several inconsistencies and violations that induced expanded investigation.
Michigan admitted to the secondary NCAA violation of transporting a recruit more than 30 miles (48 km) from campus. Questions were immediately raised about whether Taylor actually owned the sport utility vehicle. The NCAA asked for leasing documentation of Taylor's vehicle and Michigan investigated the registrations of its players' vehicles. The University soon required that all the vehicles driven by its players be part of a special vehicle registration program.
Read more about this topic: University Of Michigan Basketball Scandal
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