Tony Rasmus found guilty of assaulting Russell County player Choose: Program is ‘Culture of Abuse’

PHENIX Town, Ala. (WRBL) – One particular of the most productive large university baseball coaches in Alabama was convicted late Monday afternoon of third-degree assault on a person of his gamers through a video game past time.

Suspended Russell County Mentor Tony Rasmus was found guilty in a bench trial in front of District Courtroom Decide Zack Collins. The decide did not sentence Rasmus to jail time, but did buy a $500 high-quality and that the coach go to an anger management program.

Rasmus’ legal professional Jim McKoon suggests he will attractiveness the verdict.

Collins, who grew up in south Columbus and performed ball at the old Baker Higher School, was troubled by the testimony.

“There is certainly a society of abuse in that system,” Collins claimed just before he announced the sentence.

Rasmus has experienced much more players drafted in the Key League Draft, like two of his sons, than any other mentor in Alabama, but that does not justify placing arms on a player.

The player Rasmus allegedly assaulted, who are unable to be determined simply because he is 16 and a minor, advised the judge that he was straight away yanked from a dwelling game on Feb. 16 versus Rehobeth pursuing an error.

The boy testified that assistant coach Cyle Rasmus, the head coach’s son, explained to him he “sucked” in an expletive-crammed way.

Wayne Cook dinner, an lively duty Military officer who has had three sons and one particular stepson play for Rasmus, instructed the court docket he listened to Cyle Rasmus notify the participant “You aren’t value a f—. Sit down.”

The boy said he then returned to the bench, where by Tony Rasmsus confronted him.

According to the boy, Tony Rasmus accused him of conversing back again and grabbed him by the throat. The boy told the court docket it lasted 10-15 seconds, that it harm and he could not breathe.

Rasmus’s protection lawyer, Jim McKoon, asked the participant about conflicting statements he manufactured to authorities.

The boy told a Sheriff’s investigator he was choked. In an interview at a kid advocacy company, the boy claimed his coach grabbed him by the chin and it damage.

Under direct cross evaluation, the boy informed the court he was choked.

Two former Russell County players instructed the courtroom the player was choked by Tony Rasmus. A further participant and an assistant coach mentioned they did not see Rasmus touch the player.

Cyle Rasmus did not testify.

Through his testimony, Tony Rasmus, who has coached 23 years at the school, stated he got in between his son and the participant for the reason that he assumed it was about to get out of hand.

“Cyle can mouth off as superior as anybody,” Tony Rasmus reported. “Cyle, it’s like he’s one particular of the children.”

The participant did not explain to his mothers and fathers. They ended up informed the following working day by the father of yet another Russell County player.

The boy’s father testified he experimented with to deal with Rasmus just about a week later. Following that dialogue, he instructed the court docket he feared Rasmus would retaliate from his son on the field and with prospective school recruiters. That is why he filed assault rates.

The father told the judge he was involved that Rasmus would retaliate in opposition to his son and price tag him a university scholarship when the time came. He claimed he experienced talked to a former Rasmus player who explained to him Rasmus charge his son a scholarship to the University of Alabama.

Tony Rasmus was suspended next his arrest in early March and did not mentor for the remainder of the period. It is unclear what the conviction will do to his employment status.

Rasmus has two sons, Colby and Cory, who engage in in the main leagues. All 4 of his sons played experienced baseball.

Prepare dinner explained to the courtroom gamers have to be mentally tricky to participate in for Rasmus, who admitted his staff is tough on gamers.

“At some place, he was sure to operate up on someone who was likely to say one thing, and he did,” the judge said.

The player who was assaulted has because transferred educational facilities. Tony Rasmus contended the boy needed to depart to be at the very same faculty as his girlfriend. Two gamers testified that Rasmus encouraged his gamers not to have girlfriends, but did inspire them to have sex with women.