Coach sentenced to probation for punching referee

[KFDM COOP]

Coach sentenced to probation for punching referee

02:20 PM CST on Friday, January 19, 2007

Associated Press

GRAPEVINE - A volunteer high school football coach was sentenced to 15 months' probation for punching a referee when his son's team was losing.

As part of a plea deal with prosecutors Thursday, Charles Kirkland, 47, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault and was sentenced to probation with deferred adjudication, which means it will be cleared from his record if he successfully completes the terms.

Kirkland also was fined $680 for assaulting referee Culley Phillips of Arlington during a seven-on-seven football game in June at Grapevine High School.

Phillips, who suffered a split lip, said it was the first time he had been assaulted in 30 years as a referee.

"I'm glad it's ended," Phillips said. "It was about what I expected."

Wylie was losing against Lewisville Hebron when Kirkland punched Phillips in the game's second half. The two men wrestled to the ground before others separated them and the game was stopped, police said.

Because of the assault, Kirkland's team, on which his son plays, had to forfeit two games.

Kirkland's attorney, Todd Shapiro of Plano, told The Associated Press on Friday that accepting the plea deal was a difficult decision for his client but that he is active in the community and "didn't want to drag people into a trial."

 

[tvc184]

Coach sentenced to probation for punching referee

02:20 PM CST on Friday, January 19, 2007

Associated Press

GRAPEVINE - A volunteer high school football coach was sentenced to 15 months' probation for punching a referee when his son's team was losing.

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Kirkland's attorney, Todd Shapiro of Plano, told The Associated Press on Friday that accepting the plea deal was a difficult decision for his client but that he is active in the community and "didn't want to drag people into a trial."

 

You have to love lawyers and their comments that they are paid to say to show their client in the best light possible.

I love that he is such a good person that he really didn't want to drag people into trial. That is a riot.  ;D

Let's see, he was mad at the ref and according to the news report he split the ref's lip probably in front of 100 witnesses. Hmmmm...... I guess that had nothing to do with a plea deal to stay out of jail. It was just his good nature of not wanting people to have to defend his innocence... ROFL!!