Threatening and accosting

[Buster12489]

Tonight we called a semi-pro game, we had a player take a swing and a miss at our head-linesman with his helmet. He then told him he would catch him after the game. Should we pursue him even thought the commissioner said he was gone. And assured us he would not play in the league any more.

[BktBallRef]

I would pursue criminal charges.

[Snake~eyes]

Originally posted by BktBallRef
I would pursue criminal charges.

Absolutely.

[Texas Aggie]

You MUST pursue criminal charges.

[Buster12489]

WOuld we be able to go to our state association for assistance on this issue or go to a private attorney.

[Snake~eyes]

Originally posted by Buster12489
WOuld we be able to go to our state association for assistance on this issue or go to a private attorney.

State association and the police, not sure why you'd go to a private attorney since its criminal.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Absolutely report it to whatever association administers games and to the police. It definitely is a criminal offense. Both acts--swing and threeat--constitute criminal assault, I believe. If you want, I can put you in touch with an attorney who is an expert in the field and specializes in assault against officials. But first report it and get it on record.

[JugglingReferee]

The only option is to pursue criminal charges.

It sucks, but ya gotta do it.

[JasonTX]

Just curious what team this was. We had a game earlier this year where a player tried to throw a punch at one of our officials but he blocked the punch. He was ejected and the league commisioner banned him from the league and he told the official go press charges.

[Buster12489]

The game was between Oklahoma (Lawton) Rebels and Joplin Crusaders at Lawton. The player was from Joplin.

[PAUMP]

We had a similar situation about 10 years back where the player said he should go get the gun out of his car. fortunately for the crew the referee and linesman were police officers at which point they grabed him by the arms and said let go for a walk.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by Buster12489
Tonight we called a semi-pro game, we had a player take a swing and a miss at our head-linesman with his helmet. He then told him he would catch him after the game. Should we pursue him even thought the commissioner said he was gone. And assured us he would not play in the league any more.

The fact that he took off his helmet makes this an attempted assault with a deadly weapon -- his helmet. Helmets today weigh several pounds and have the potential to cause severe injury.

File criminal charges.

What happens if he finds another league to play in?

[JPF]

I found an interesting article on the NASO site, at http://www.naso.org/rprt1.htm . It's a few years old; but even then, Oklahoma already had a law on the books regarding assaults on officials. From the NASO article:

The statute in Oklahoma provides for significantly more jail time for anyone convicted of assaulting a sports official than for anyone simply convicted of assaulting an ordinary person. The jail time increases from 30 days (for anyone convicted of assault) to 90 days (for anyone convicted of assault and battery) to one year (for anyone convicted of assault and battery to a sports official). The fine is the same for an assault and battery of a sports official and an ordinary person ($1,000). Statute Ann. Tit. 21, Section 650.1 provides: Every person who, without justifiable or excusable cause and with intent to do bodily harm, commits any assault, battery, assault and battery upon the person of a referee, umpire, timekeeper, coach, official, or any person having authority in connection with any amateur or professional athletic contest is guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year or by a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) or both such fine and imprisonment.

My advice is the same as everyone else's: get your HL to file a police report and let them take it from there.