Suspect in killing of “Last Chance U” coach John Beam in Oakland, California makes 1st court appearance

By Tim Fang

The man charged with murder in the Oakland, California killing of beloved Laney College athletic director John Beam made his first court appearance Tuesday.

An arraignment hearing was held for Cedric Irving Jr., who was charged with murder with a gun enhancement by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. Among those in attendance included Beam’s family, along with Oakland native and former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch.

Irving, 27, did not enter a plea. Public defender Sydney Levin asked the judge to delay the plea until the next court hearing, which is scheduled for Dec. 16.

Irving is accused of shooting Beam at the Laney Fieldhouse on campus Nov. 13. Beam died from his injuries the following day.

Authorities located Irving at the San Leandro BART station following a manhunt. District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson said on Monday that a gun found in Irving’s possession at the time of his arrest was registered to him.

Over a four-decade coaching career, Beam was beloved in Oakland and throughout the Bay Area for coaching thousands of student-athletes. He was the longtime football coach at Skyline High School, where he led the Titans to 15 league championships and four undefeated seasons.

Beam went on to coach football at Laney College, where he gained national recognition in the Netflix docuseries “Last Chance U”. His program at Laney was noted for having more than 90% of his players graduating or transferring to four-year schools, and several of his players have gone on to play in the National Football League.

Irving is being held without bail.