Auburn Football: Updyke's Admission to Poisoning Toomer's Oaks Not Surprising

The 18-month saga of Harvey Updyke, the man accused of poisoning the trees at Toomer's Corner in Auburn, Ala. after the 2010 Iron Bowl, took another bizarre turn on Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking to The Auburn Plainsman during a break in his trial, Updyke reportedly admitted guilt.

"Did I do it?" Updyke asked rhetorically to Plainsman reporter Andrew Yawn. "Yes."

And just like that, the story took another strange turn.

Updyke's attorney, Everett Wess, denied the report on Wednesday, according to the Opelika-Auburn News.

Why would a defendant—who already has entered a plea of "not guilty" to charges of criminal mischief and desecrating a venerable object—admit guilt to reporters outside of the courthouse during jury selection of his own trial?

Because he's Harvey Updyke, of course.

It should come as no surprise.

Updyke is the same person that called the Paul Finebaum Radio Network in January 2011 to tell the world that he committed the crime, specifically stating the time frame in which the crime was committed and the chemical used (Spike 80DF).

He subsequently called the program after being arrested to apologize to Alabama (not Auburn), danced on the line of admission (crossing it at various points) and then proclaimed his innocence.

He later alleged that an unknown assailant attacked him at an Opelika, Ala. gas station following a court appearance in April 2011, although the circumstances surrounding that attack were sketchy at best—and that might be an overstatement.

So are you shocked that Updyke would admit guilt outside of his own trial? 

I'm not.

It's par for the course.

Follow @BarrettSallee