|
Mon Mar 07, 2005, 07:53am
|
|||
|
|||
In addition to being a coach and (mostly former) official, I am a high school athletic director. Last night, at another school, I witnessed a very ugly situation following a grade school (5th grade) girls game in which a game official was assaulted by supporters of one of the teams. The incident quickly became a melee involving a number of adults and at least one high-school aged student. The AD at the host school is a friend of mine, so I helped manage the situation; it wasn't pretty.
I know some states have adopted laws in which assaulting a sports official is an immediate felony. Do any of you no whether that is the case in Illinois, and, if so, could you point me to the relevant statute? In a side comment, most high school officials are quick to get out of the heated situation after a contentious finish. While it certainly wasn't this official's fault that the situation arose, once it looked like it would die down, he did re-ignite it by attacking one of the fans who'd allegedly struck him. It reminded me of the importance for officials to make every effort to get some physical separation from angry fans and coaches at the end of each game. Finally, please - if you know who I am or where this happened, please do not reveal it. There was absolutely no fault or negligence on the part of the host school, and the game staff managed the situation professionally and efficiently. No need for this to be a black eye on the school - their people did a great job in a difficult situation. I just want to know if anyone here knows the law in this matter. 
|
|
Mon Mar 07, 2005, 08:46am
|
|||
|
|||
|
5th grade !!! The world is going to hell in a handbasket.
__________________
"Some guys they just give up living, and start dying little by little, piece by piece. Some guys come home from work and wash-up, and they go Racing In The Street." - Springsteen, 1978
|
|
Mon Mar 07, 2005, 09:11am
|
|||
|
|||
Illinois Law
Here is a recent article discussing just that (from Illinois). I have one other article I am still looking for.
Travel Information / Updates How Illinois is addressing sports violence By John Patterson Daily Herald State Government Editor Posted 1/6/2005 http://www.saa-online.com/sections/i...BSECTION_ID=66 SPRINGFIELD - In his experience as a suburban youth sports commissioner and coach, John Lawson has seen some horrendous behavior. Fans going after game officials. Police called to break up fights between players' moms. "Just last year we had an instance where the high school players were threatening the umpire," said Lawson. In fact, Lawson says he often sees worse behavior at youth sporting events than in his other line of work, which is telling given that for 19 years he's been a police officer in Roselle. Hoping to thwart the growing nastiness at sporting events, Lawson, a sergeant with the Roselle police force, worked with local lawmakers last year to offer added legal protection for sports coaches and officials. The resulting law hit the books Jan. 1 and elevates any attack on an official or coach to an aggravated assault punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine, the same penalties as those prescribed for assaulting a teacher or police officer. Someone need not actually hit a coach or official to be prosecuted. Assault occurs when someone's conduct makes the victim believe he or she is at risk of being physically attacked. Actually hitting a coach or official is battery, which carries the same penalties. So now, angry fans yelling threats at a coach or umpire or stalking after an official following a game could be prosecuted as if they'd physically attacked the coach or umpire. It comes on the heels of highly publicized incidents of sports and fan violence at almost all levels of sports in recent months. In Naperville a youth sports official said a players dad threatened him. In college football, Clemson and South Carolina aren't going to bowl games this year because of a massive melee at the end of their game. And in professional basketball, Detroit prosecutors are pursuing charges against players and fans for an erratic brawl that had players going into the stands and fans coming onto the court. "We've all seen examples of it. Most people are fed up with it and don't think it should be tolerated," said state Rep. Paul Froehlich, a Schaumburg Republican who sponsored the new law. "And those who can't control themselves need to face some pretty strong consequences." Across the country a growing number of states are taking action in an effort to stem the rising tide of sports violence. At least 17 other states have laws specifically prohibiting abuse of sports officials. The Illinois protections for officials follows another recent law stiffening penalties for fans who trespass on playing fields, a move prompted by repeated fan violence at White Sox games. William Ligue Jr. and his teenage son attacked Kansas City Royals first base coach Tom Gamboa in September 2002. Ligue received probation, a sentence Gamboa said was far too lenient, but quickly ran afoul of the law again. Only seven months after the Ligues attacked, Eric Dybas ran on to the field at a White Sox game and tried to tackle field an umpire. Dybas was sentenced to six months in jail. Before that incident, arguably the most prominent case of an official being abused came in 1996 when Baltimore Oriole shortstop Roberto Alomar spit in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck. That same year, Chicago Bull Dennis Rodman head-butted an official and Nick Van Exel of the Los Angeles Lakers pushed a referee over the scorer's table. Barry Mano, president of the Racine, Wis.-based National Association of Sports Officials, applauded Illinois' latest effort to take sports violence seriously, but admits mixed emotions. "On another level," said Mano, "it's kind of a sad commentary."
|
|
Mon Mar 07, 2005, 09:20am
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
Ironically, I think it may actually be more likely to happen at a grade school game in some ways. High school games have some advantages in this regard. We generally have security personnel with at least one off-duty police officer working every game. We also have more experienced officials who are more likely to take measures (leaving the playing area quickly without chatting to fans and coaches, for instance) to ensure their own safety. It is sad, sad, sad.
|
|
Mon Mar 07, 2005, 09:26am
|
|||
|
|||
|
Another article:
For Release July 16, 2004 Contact: Bill Topp(262) 632-8855 E-mail: [email protected] Illinois and Delaware Support Officials' Protection Legislation RACINE, Wis. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed two sports officials' protection bills into law July 9, making Illinois the 19th state to pass legislation specifically protecting referees and umpires, according to the National Association of Sports Officials. The new laws increase the penalties for those who commit assault and/or battery against officials. The assault law (HB 4023) makes it aggravated assault to attack a sports official or coach at any level in Illinois. The law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2005, classifies that the violation is a Class A misdemeanor. The law that covers battery of umpires and referees in Illinois (HB 4120) went into effect immediately with the governor's signature. Regardless of jail-time, it provides that a court impose a minimum fine of $1,000 for a first offense and $2,000 for a second or subsequent offense upon anyone convicted of or placed on supervision for battery of a sports official or coach at any level of competition. The bills were filed by Rep. Sidney Mathias (R-Arlington Heights) and Rep. Paul Froehlich (R-Schaumburg) and sponsored by a number of representatives and senators. Now passed, the laws affect more than 8,000 sports officials in Illinois, working games from recreational levels to professional contests. Delaware, already among the 19 states that have laws protecting officials, is in the process of adding to its existing legislation. Delaware's Houseof Representatives and the Senate recently approved HB 382 that defines crimes against sports officials and increases protection. The bill passed the Senate June 29 and is currently awaiting the signature of Gov. Ruth Ann Minner. "The support of legislation by lawmakers in Illinois and Delaware sends a strong message of support for officials," said NASO President Barry Mano. "Those states, along with others that have passed similar legislation, have stepped up to recognize that an assault on a sports official is a serious offense. I hope that their legislative efforts will aid with officiating recruitment and retention efforts in those states." Delaware's new bill provides that an individual is guilty of abuse of an official if he or she commits any of the following crimes against a sports official: reckless endangering, assault, terroristic threatening and criminal mischief. The bill also states that cases involving abuse of officials would go directly to the Court of Common Pleas, where the official would have a court-appointed advocate. According to the synopsis of Delaware's HB 382, "The General Assembly views crimes committed against sports officials as an 'offense against the public' because sports officials are recognized authority figures and because a large segment of the population, including children, routinely attend and/or participate in organized sporting events." Delaware's bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Bruce Reynolds (R-Bear), a high school football coach for 27 years, and Rep. Biff Lee (R-Laurel), a veteran high school football referee. For more information about legislation protecting sports officials, visit http://www.naso.org. THE ACTUAL CRIMINAL CODE FROM ILLINOIS: HB4023 Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by changing Section 12-2 as follows: (720 ILCS 5/12-2) (from Ch. 38, par. 12-2) Sec. 12-2. Aggravated assault. (a) A person commits an aggravated assault, when, in committing an assault, he: (17) Knows the individual assaulted to be a sports official or coach at any level of competition and the act causing the assault to the sports official or coach within an athletic facility or an indoor or outdoor playing field or within the immediate vicinity of the athletic facility or an indoor or outdoor playing field at which the sports official or coach was an active participant in the athletic contest held at the athletic facility. For the purposes of this paragraph (17), "sports official" means a person at an athletic contest who enforces the rules of the contest, such as an umpire or referee; and "coach" means a person recognized as a coach by the sanctioning authority that conducted the athletic contest. b) Sentence. Aggravated assault as defined in paragraph (17) of subsection (a) of this Section is a Class A misdemeanor. HB4120 Section 5. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by changing Section 5-5-3 as follows: (730 ILCS 5/5-5-3) (from Ch. 38, par. 1005-5-3) Sec. 5-5-3. Disposition. a) Every person convicted of an offense shall be sentenced as provided in this Section. (11) The court shall impose a minimum fine of $1,000 for a first offense and $2,000 for a second or subsequent upon a person convicted of or placed on supervision for battery when the individual harmed was a sports or coach at any level of competition and the act causing harm to the sports official or coach occurred within an athletic facility or within the immediate vicinity of the athletic facility at which the sports official or coach was an active participant of the athletic contest held at the athletic facility. For the purposes of this paragraph (11), "sports official" means a person at an athletic contest who enforces the rules of the contest, such as an umpire or referee; "athletic facility" means an indoor or outdoor playing field or recreational area where sports activities are conducted; and "coach" means a person recognized as a coach by the sanctioning authority that the sporting event. Hope this helps.
|
|
Tue Mar 08, 2005, 03:29pm
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
Please keep us updated on the outcome. I doubt this is the first problem that has occured in IL since the new law, but it's the first I've heard about and I think it's very important to see what the outcome is and see how serious they are about this new law. Thanks
|
|
Tue Mar 08, 2005, 03:49pm
|
|||
|
|||
|
JoeT,
Remember, just because the law exists doesn't mean it's an automatic conviction. There was a discussion earlier about an attack on an official in PA: http://www.officialforum.com/thread/18394 The short story is the "attacker" didn't realize the other person was an offical, and the "attacker" was an otherwise good person. Therefore, no conviction. It's still up to the system (law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, juries).
__________________
M&M's - The Official Candy of the Department of Redundancy Department. (Used with permission.)
|
|
Tue Mar 08, 2005, 04:17pm
|
|||
|
|||
|
My Situation Last Weekend
Hi All, it has been a while since I've been on. I haven't read the above situations yet, but I will after my midterm tonight. I just wanted to forward my experience regarding this matter that I emailed my mentor.
*~*~*~* I was doing an all-day tournament on Sunday. The second game of the day, with approximately one minute left in the last quarter, I went to check my table for routine foul checks, time-outs, etc. A parent came to the table and blantantly accused me of cheating. I gave him the opportunity to leave, including putting a stop sign in his face, and let the site administrator know the situation. He left the table and returned to the stands. The administrator "kept his eye on him" for the remainder of the game. After the game, which the parent's team won in overtime, I was talking to the administrator in more detail about the situation when the parent approached the both of us, again at the table. He was saying how he felt disrespected when I "stop signed" him and if we wanted to "step outside." I'm thinking to myself, "What the *&^*???" On top of that, the administrator was frozen. I repeatedly told him he was not to be at the table. He then said to me, "If you apologize to me, I'll apologize to you." While I was fuming inside, I felt that that was the easiest and safest way out of a bad situation that could have gotten worst. So, I did apologize (though, im NOT sorry), and so did he, and he left. When I talked to my table crew, they were telling me how ready they were to call University Police. Too late now (admittedly, probably my fault too). I told all the "uppers," including the assignors, league district bureaucrats...and I got the same answer, "You should not have to put up with that; we'll take it up at the next board meeting, etc etc." Quite honestly, it was not very comforting. I know I should have ejected him for even being at the table, not even having an exchange with him in the first place. But I remembered what a college official said to us during one of our meetings, "Don't make a mountain out of a mull hill." Like I said, this situation could have gotten a whole lot worst than a verbal exchange. Though I did not feel threatened (I can take care of myself), I know that it was a direct threat, not only physically, but towards my integrity. I also remembered one thing you (mentor) told us, "We're so worried about getting it right, it would impossible for us to cheat." My question is this. I know that there are special laws protecting sports officials exclusively. But as an official, how much may I defend myself, besides a threat against my life? Stipes on or off. Especially when an administrator does nothing! Thank God it did not go that far. We talked a lot about legal liabilities in our meeting that we officials face. But, I just wanted to know and be prepared for anything, including the ability to explain to these people the criminal penalties for threatening a sports official. *~*~*~*~* Look forward to your feedback. Thanks All!
__________________
"Always Remember Your First Game" -Victor M. Susanto
|
|
Tue Mar 08, 2005, 04:22pm
|
|||
|
|||
|
Forgot to mention...
Sorry, I forgot to mention that this is in California.
Anywhere I can start looking for law here? Thanks.
__________________
"Always Remember Your First Game" -Victor M. Susanto
|
|
Tue Mar 08, 2005, 05:51pm
|
|||
|
|||
|
Yes I'm sure there are laws that protect officials in CA, Luv4Asian8. I don't know where you could find them however.
One thing, I think you did a good job defusing the situation however if anybody comes out of the stands comes to the table (and accuses me of cheating) it's going to cost them a trip to the parking lot.
|
|
Tue Mar 08, 2005, 06:09pm
|
|||
|
|||
|
I live in VA, where, to my knowledge, we don't have any laws specifically addressing officials. However, I did a game last year where a parent of an injured player stormed out of the stands at me and my partners. He proceeded to put his finger in my partner's chest and verbally assault him. Luckily, there were about 4 sheriff's duputies there to tackle the man and take him out of the gym. He was charged with simple assault, and the VHSL banned him from sporting events for a year.
Three officials in our association were confronted and pushed by a fan a few weeks ago. That man was also arrested. Around here, at least, the authorities do a good job of protecting the officials.
__________________
-RESPECT THE GAME-
|
|
Tue Mar 08, 2005, 06:17pm
|
|||
|
|||
Found It!!
Quote:
Anyway, I found it! Being a law student really helps!  California Penal Code Section 243.8 provides: (a) When a battery is committed against a sports official immediately prior to, during, or immediately following an interscholastic, intercollegiate, or any other organized amateur or professional athletic contest in which the sports official is participating, and the person who commits the offense knows or reasonably should know that the victim is engaged in the performance of his or her duties, the offense shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment. (b) For the purposes of this section, "sports official" means nay individual who serves as a referee, umpire, linesman, or who serves in similar capacity but may be known by a different title or name and is duly registered by, or a member of a local, state, regional or national organization engaged in part in providing education and training to sports officials. Still need a chance to read the above situations, but gotta run to the midterm! Thanks!
__________________
"Always Remember Your First Game" -Victor M. Susanto
|
|
Tue Mar 08, 2005, 08:49pm
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Found It!!
Quote:
It also sounds like the law doesn't cover people who don't belong to an association of some sort. What about the kids umpiring summer baseball or guys who just work rec ball? What about college kids working intramural ball? Does their employment qualify them as belong to an "organization engaged in part in ...."Seems like it potentially leaves a lot of officials uncovered. Maybe they should be encourage to join NASO or some similar organization, just to get covered?
__________________
"It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and then do your best." - W. Edwards Deming
|
|
Wed Mar 09, 2005, 12:19am
|
|||
|
|||
|
Yeah, a measley $2K and/or a year! Sucks! But, this is only a criminal penalty. A civil penalty should definitely also be in order (assault&battery, pain&suffering, emotional distress, etc etc.) Many avenues here too!
Your interpretation seems to be correct, though I still need to read the case law that have applied this Code. The law seems to be applicable to "registered" officials, but I'm sure a good attorney can manipulate something. However, in delving into the CA law a bit more, if an assault (officials not as a separate class though) occurs on a school campus, fines can reach up to $10,000 and/or 3 years imprisonment. A little better. I'll keep you all updated as to my findings. 
__________________
"Always Remember Your First Game" -Victor M. Susanto
|
 |
| Bookmarks |
|
|
Linear Mode
