|
|
||
Charges against Caroline football coach dismissed Date published: 12/2/2009
BY PORTSIA SMITH Caroline High School's football team lost most of its games this year, but head football coach Ben Boyd scored a personal victory in court yesterday when two felony charges he faced were dropped. Boyd, 53, had been charged with forging a public document involving his employment application to Caroline County Public Schools. More specifically, he was accused of not disclosing a 1991 federal misdemeanor conviction for misbranding and illegally dispensing anabolic steroids. But Judge Horace A. Revercomb III ruled during yesterday's pretrial hearing that he would not allow evidence of prior employment applications submitted by Boyd. The decision reversed an earlier decision the judge made, allowing them as evidence. Without those applications, Commonwealth's Attorney Tony Spencer said, he didn't think he could get a conviction from a jury. He nolle prossed the charges, meaning they would be dropped. "Mr. Boyd lied outright about his convictions on his 1997 application to Greensville County schools and again in his 1999 application to Gloucester County schools. When his attempts to conceal the truth were revealed in a 2006 newspaper article, Mr. Boyd realized that he had to lie in a more nuanced way, which is what he did in his application to Caroline County Public Schools," Spencer said. "Based on Judge Revercomb's evidentiary ruling, however, I cannot prove that Mr. Boyd lied intentionally on his 2009 application to Caroline Public Schools."
The hearing included motions from defense attorney Morgan Griffith that Revercomb recuse himself from the case because of his professional relationship with Caroline Sheriff Tony Lippa. Griffith argued that Lippa had a personal motivation to bring these charges because his son-in-law was one of the 24 persons who applied for the coaching position. Since Lippa's office provides security for the judge, it could create an appearance of partiality. Griffith alleged that Lippa made comments to the school superintendent that "he wouldn't want his grandbaby to have to move out of town because his son-in-law didn't get the job." Lippa denies making that statement. He also alleged that Lippa contacted the State Board of Education to have Boyd's teaching license revoked. No action was taken on that matter, Griffith said.
Those that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.Boyd might have lied on his app. but, Tony Lippa wears a lie on his sleeve every day.The only Sheriffs that could where as many hash marks are O.J. Moore and Homer Johnson.Ofcourse, little lippa includes other service on his sleeve but, he was not a long time Sheriff!Lippa wear the right number of hash marks to represent Caroline service and stop lying to make up for your lack of height!
This is a sad day for our justice system. The decision handed down by the judge failed to send a message that everyone is accountable for their actions. I believe that those who practice unethical behavior and unjust acts should be punished. What kind of role model is this coach for our community and kids that live there. How can one be a great leader if they can't follow the rule of law themselves. Where is the accountability? Law within our society is a social instution of power and social control.
|
|
||||||||||||||
