BAUXITE, Ark. (KTHV) - A special school district meeting is set for Wed., April 11, in Bauxite in the wake of a hazing investigation involving baseball players on a team bus last month.
Three of those players have hired a lawyer and are looking to clear the air after more than a week of rumors and accusations of sexual assault.
“It was just horseplay on the bus,” said John Wesley Hall, the attorney for the three teenaged student-athletes. "It was something that's always happened after every game, win or lose, but more so after a win.”
Hall’s clients have been suspended for 10 days from school. After document requests and accounts made public by the accused on social media, the punishment comes after an incident that allegedly occurred on a bus ride home from a victory in Mena on March 2.
In the four weeks since, rumors of what Hall’s clients call “horseplay” turned into allegations of sexual assault and hazing. Investigators who specialize in crimes involving children were informed, but according to Hall no police agencies are looking into any criminal activities at this time.
That's why he let his clients come forward, including one who shared his story on Twitter and Facebook denying sexual assaults took place. They are calling for video surveillance from the bus be released.
“These young men swear they are not afraid of this video,” Hall said. “We want to see it. We want it public. We're not proud of what we said on the bus, but these are young men who were brought up on the baseball team, used [foul] language amongst themselves and that's all they are ashamed of, is the words they used.”
The two coaches Michael Mattox and Steven Tew are on paid leave from the team but continue to teach in Bauxite classrooms. Hall doesn't represent them, but has sympathy for them.
“My view is that they've been scapegoated because the allegations just blew up and were blown out of proportion,” he said. “They are mandated reporters. If sex assault happened on that bus, they’re obligated to report it. It’s a misdemeanor to fail to report. I submit that it never happened and that’s why there was no report.”
As of Friday evening, Hall had received no formal notice that his clients would have to be at the special-called school district meeting with expulsion hearings on the agenda. He says one of his clients has already been told he wouldn’t face expulsion, but Hall remains prepared if a summons of some kind arrives before Wednesday night.
“I just think that the school district really botched it,” he said of the district’s handling of the case. “They should have been more forthcoming all along saying what happened and what didn't happen. Investigate it internally on their own before they go public.”
Leann Pinkerton, the director of academic affairs for Bauxite schools said the district has fully cooperated with investigators so far and would explore allowing members of the school administration to speak on-the-record after Wednesday’s meeting.