EDITORIAL: The Brilliant and Tragic Life of Dan Doyle
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL: The Brilliant and Tragic Life of Dan Doyle
The headlines were tough. "Convicted Embezzler.”
He was.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTBut, Doyle was one of the biggest visionaries ever in Rhode Island and his demise was tragic.
He created things. Big things. Dreamt big. He had more accomplishments than ten people have in a lifetime.
To understand how big Doyle thought, when he was an assistant basketball coach at Brown University in the 1970s, he saw Sugar Ray Leonard fight in the Olympics and thought that he could help him start a pro boxing career.
Doyle called Leonard when he returned from the Olympics and convinced him to be part of Leonard’s promotional team. He put together big fights and pay-for-view boxing matches — all while working in the basketball office of the now-demolished Marvel Gym.
He went on to help create the Belfast United sports program, which was cited in the Nobel Peace Prize recognizing the peace accord.
Then he created the World Scholar-Athlete Games, which brought thousands of the world's best and brightest youth to Rhode Island to compete with one another and not against one another.
The concept behind the games was brilliant. The games included not just athletes but artists and musicians.
They brought speakers like Bishop Desmond Tutu, former President Bill Clinton, and General Colin Powell.
Doyle helped to create a national day of sportsmanship that became a phenomenon.
He made the lists that ranked the most influential people in sports in the world.
And, on and on, it went.
He wrote not just books, but wildly interesting books, and yet, it went wrong.
Then, he was indicted and convicted of multiple financial crimes. He used the money to pay for his children’s tuition and made financial gifts. He raided Paul to pay Peter.
It was ugly.
He died at home on Father’s Day. He had served his time.
Dan Doyle dreamt and did big things, and he was flawed.
Rise and Fall of Dan Doyle
Early Years
Doyle’s Sports Accolades
A graduate of Bates College, Doyle had an illustrious sports pedigree, having served as assistant men’s basketball coach at Brown, and head coach at Trinity College, where he earned New England Coach the Year in his last season coaching. In addition he served as the Irish National Coach and was one of the promoters of boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard.
1986
Institute Founding
According the IIS website, Doyle founded the international sport organization on July 1, 1986. During Doyle’s trial in Rhode Island, much was made of the first (and alleged “only”) board meeting having taken place at the Trump Towers in New York City.
In the early years Doyle attracted top level national support including U.S. Senators Bill Bradley (D-NJ) and Bill Cohen (R-ME) as well as Congressman and baseball great Jim Bunning.
1997
Genesis and Growth of the Games
After starting the Belfast United program in Northern Ireland, the IIS launched its first World Scholar Athlete Games at URI in 1993. A Rhode Island Scholar-Athlete Games is launched in 1995, and a second World Scholar Athlete Games is held at URI in 1997, followed by a third in 2001.
Institute's Own HQ
Building the Center on the URI Campus
The IIS got a grant from the State of Rhode Island to build a new building for a Center for Sports Leadership at URI.
The building -- and lack of construction progress -- would prove to be the tipping point in the fall of Doyle.
2008
Global Leaders
Former President Bill Clinton headlined the Fourth World Scholar Athlete Games in 2006, where former Senator George Mitchell gave an address. In 2008, the U.S. World Scholar Athlete Games featured Gen. Colin Powell as keynote.
“Dan Doyle and his team are on a historic mission toward world peace.”
- General Colin Powell, during his Keynote Address at the 2008 United States Scholar-Athlete Games
2008
Global Model
“The remarkable work the Institute for International Sport is doing, and Dan Doyle is spearheading, is very important for the participants and for the societies in which they live. I know of no organization that does more to help young people on a worldwide basis than the Institute for International Sport.”
- U. S. Senator and Former Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME), during his Launch Address at the 2008 United States Scholar-Athlete Games
2011
Financial Troubles Begin to Emerge
The fifth World Scholar Athlete Games are moved to the University of Hartford in 2011. A whistleblower on the URI campus questions why the new building hasn’t been completed five years after receiving a $575,000 grant from the state, leading to the Rhode Island State Auditor to step in to review the IIS’s financials. Both the Rhode Island and Connecticut State Police seize documents and records from Doyle’s work and residences.
2013
Indictment Comes Down
Doyle is arrested in May 2013 and charged on 18 counts of embezzlement, forgery, filing false documents, and obtaining money under false pretense, among others. Doyle threatens to sue the Hartford Courant and WPRI for libel, eventually suing WPRI 12. Doyle engages in protest and a hunger strike.
2016
Trial Begins
Leading up to the trial, Doyle holds a press conference in the summer of 2016 addressing what he believes are shortfalls in the state’s case against him. The trial beings in September, before Doyle lands in the hospital and is released early November. The state calls 53 witnesses to testify and presents the jury with nearly 400 exhibits.
2016
Closing Arguments
Closing arguments were heard on Monday November 28 at Washington County Superior Court in the State of Rhode Island’s case against Dan Doyle.
“You promised you’d hold the state to burden of proof — as to each and every element of the crimes charged,” said Doyle’s attorney Michael Blanchard to the jury. “Trials are about fact and law. You have to put personal feelings aside and decide case solely on the facts.”
Read the coverage of the closing arguments here.
2016
Doyle Found Guilty
Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Daniel Doyle (age 67), of West Hartford, CT, was found guilty on December 5 by a Washington County Superior Court jury on all 18 counts charged in the Institute for International Sport embezzlement case. Doyle was found guilty of seven counts of embezzlement, one count of obtaining money under false pretenses, five counts of forgery, and five counts of filing a false document.
2016
Next Steps
Doyle’s attorney Mike Blanchard told GoLocal the following on Monday.
"The judge has asked the AG and myself to schedule a status conference. At the status conference, a schedule will be set for post trial motions. The post trial motions will require Memoranda of law and it is expected that the court will issue a written Memorandum of Decision as to any such motion(s). Also at the status conference the issue of a pretrial sentence memorandum will be discussed and scheduled as well. The pretrial sentence memorandum will address sentencing issues for the courts consideration, these include Mr. Doyle's history as well as any potential mitigating information. Once the defendant is sentenced, the appeal period commences. There is still much work to do before then."
