Making nat'l news ...
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football coach Marcus Freeman faced a battery accusation over an alleged incident at his son's high school wrestling match.
www.foxnews.com
Notre Dame has denied that Marcus Freeman made physical contact with anyone after the football coach was accused of battery in a police report filed Jan. 3.
www.espn.com
From The Athletic today:
“After reviewing the Mishawaka Police Department’s investigation into this incident, the Prosecutor’s Office has determined that no criminal battery occurred,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. “As such, no criminal charges will be filed against Mr. Freeman.”
During its investigation, which included viewing video surveillance of the wrestling meets, prosecutors determined there was physical contact between Freeman and Fleeger but did not deem it to be intentional, nor did it match Fleeger’s accounting of the incident.
Fleeger told officers that Freeman gave him a “two-handed push” without motivation and did not know the identity of Notre Dame’s head coach at the time of the incident. But in follow-up interviews, Fleeger said he did recognize Freeman, noting that the Notre Dame head coach was “rich” and that Fleeger planned to hire an attorney.
The Mishawaka police interviewed two acquaintances of Fleeger, and each described the incident with Freeman differently. One said Freeman struck Fleeger with an open hand. Another said Freeman struck Fleeger with enough force to send Fleeger backwards. The prosecutor’s office said video of the incident did not support either claim.
Investigators also interviewed Freeman, who acknowledged knowing Fleeger. Freeman said he told Fleeger to stop talking to his son and other wrestlers and that he did not remember making any physical contact.
“Based on a review of all of the evidence, the State would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred,” the prosecutor’s office said. “While the evidence suggests that a touching may have occurred, an inadvertent touching is not sufficient. The State is therefore declining to file any criminal charges.”
Sounds like Fleeger was just trying to cash in. Pretty petty stuff. Gives wrestling a bad name.