An Oyler High School basketball player was ordered to court-mandated anger management counseling after officials say he kicked a New Miami player in the head during a January game.
On Monday, Butler County Juvenile Justice Center director Robert Clevenger confirmed the 17-year-old Oyler student appeared in court with counsel on March 9 and entered a "true" plea to the assault charge. A "true" plea is equivalent to a guilty plea in adult court, Clevenger said. The Oyler student was charged with the misdemeanor in early February.
The teenager was ordered to attend anger management counseling and to have no contact with the New Miami student he kicked. Clevenger says a disposition is scheduled for June 15 before Judge Erik Niehaus.
Oyler players and coaches who were at the Jan. 13 game told The Enquirer that New Miami players and spectators used racial slurs and derogatory language towards them before the Oyler player committed the hard foul – but those accusations were not substantiated in one district's investigation.
New Miami Local Schools rejected the claims entirely in a February statement: "At no point during the game or prior to the departure of Oyler did any person allege that racial slurs, inflammatory statements, or any other unsportsmanlike behavior was committed by any person other than the Oyler player who was ejected for kicking a New Miami player."
More: New Miami: Investigation, video don't 'substantiate the allegations' of racial slurs at Oyler game
The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) was made aware of the incident and Cincinnati Public Schools also conducted an investigation, which resulted in prohibiting the Oyler student-athlete from participating in basketball for the rest of the year.
Frances Russ, CPS communications officer, said the district provided a statement to OHSAA regarding the incident and is no longer investigating.
CPS' statement first outlined the "unsportsmanlike act" of the Oyler student: The Jan. 13 game was called during the third quarter after the New Miami player, who was laying on the ground, was kicked in the head by the Oyler player.
"CPS also is aware of reports of racial comments directed toward Oyler players," the statement reads. "CPS has followed up with its own players, coaches, and administrators who attended the game and communicated with representatives of New Miami. Oyler and CPS are committed to moving forward in a positive manner and consider this matter closed."
CPS officials haven't responded to The Enquirer's repeated requests for comment regarding the allegations of racist behavior. The news organization is seeking CPS' files on its investigation by filing an Open Records Act request.
Tim Stried, director of communications for OHSAA, told The Enquirer Friday that OHSAA did not have an active investigation into the situation.
"The officials who worked that game did not hear any racial comments, and the New Miami players and coaches denied the accusation," Stried wrote to The Enquirer in an email.
The only case that remains open regarding the incident is the case of the Oyler player in Butler County's juvenile court.
Source link
