Five Kentucky football players file federal lawsuits against Lexington Police Department

At the beginning of the 2021 college football season, six Kentucky football players were involved in an altercation at the fraternity Alpha Sigma Phi where a fight ensued. Alcohol and racial slurs were reportedly involved, and all players involved were cleared by a grand jury in September of 2021, which said the evidence against the players was false and fabricated.

One year later, and five of the six players involved in the incident have now filed federal lawsuits stemming from the case.

Andru Phillips, Vito Tisdale, Reuben Adams, JuTahn McClain, and Joel Williams filed separate lawsuits against the Lexington Police Department, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Police Chief Lawrence Weathers, and two individual police officers alleging malicious prosecution, fabrication of false evidence, failure to intervene, conspiracy to deprive constitutional rights, and defamation, according to LEX18.

“It is shocking how Officer Cory Vinlove, in spite of objective evidence and the University of Kentucky’s thorough investigation, damaged so many lives,” said Elliot Slosar, one of the players’ attorneys, via KSR’s Tyler Thompson. “As the lawsuits demonstrate, these five young black men were targeted by a white officer with an axe to grind and determined to make a name for himself.” 

“The false initiation of charges stripped these players of their innocence and prevented them from enjoying college and playing football for the University of Kentucky, a program they love. Plantiffs bring this lawsuit to get justice for the damage caused and to hold Defendant Vinlove and others accountable for their egregious misconduct.”

You can read a part of the lawsuit below, provided by Jason Riley of Louisville’s WDRB.

"Vinlove fabricated evidence in a sworn affidavit, ignored evidence exculpating the players, and testified falsely to intentionally mislead the judicial system. The Lexington PD later issued a nationwide press release including the fabricated allegations against the teammates." pic.twitter.com/V5aU6mp4y5

— Jason Riley (@JasonRileyWDRB) September 21, 2022

Earnest Sanders, who was involved in the incident as well, has since transferred to Saginaw and did not file a lawsuit Wednesday. Joel Williams transferred to Memphis and Reuben Adams to Georgia Tech. Three of those in the lawsuit remain active members of the UK football roster.