MormonLeaks recently received a video which depicted an interaction between the Provo Police Department, Francis Bernard, and other unidentified individuals. The video was recorded on December 4, 2016. In the video we learn that this is the second visit from the police that night and one of multiple visits they have had to make over time to Mr. Bernard.
Sources tell MormonLeaks that Mr. Bernard regularly had loud parties with alcohol and members of the opposite sex present after curfew, both being against the BYU Honor Code. In the video, references are made to habitual honor code violations, but the specific nature of those violations are not mentioned.
Upon receiving the video, MormonLeaks discussed as a team as to whether or not there was any value in releasing the video to the public and if doing so helps advance our mission. Other than the threats made at the end of the video and the fact that the partygoers were so loud the police had to be called, we are not aware of them breaking any laws or engaging in any kinds of activities that would not be normal for adults of their age range.
Having said that, it is well known that BYU has a very strict Honor Code policy and it is sometimes unclear how that policy is or is not enforced. This video, Mr. Bernard’s suspension from the 2016 Poinsettia Bowl, and the fact that he has recently been forced to red shirt the 2017 season, give the public some insight as to how the Honor Code is applied to student athletes.
MormonLeaks releases this video in hopes that it sheds light on this matter and can help in improving the public’s awareness regarding how the Honor Code is enforced. Just this past year, the Salt Lake Tribune won a Pulitzer Prize for their reporting that exposed mistreatment of sexual assault victims on BYU campus. It is our belief that there is even more abuse surrounding the implementation and enforcement of the Honor Code. There have been many claims and accusations made concerning students being expelled or suspended for less than what Mr. Bernard and his colleagues admit to in this video. If you have any further evidence supporting these claims, we encourage you to submit your documentation here and we will help your story come to light.
*Note: The audio has been edited and enhanced to protect some of the individuals in the video.