Ex-HS Football Players Sued Over 2011 Assault

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Copyright 2016 Dayton Newspapers, Inc.

Dayton Daily News (Ohio)

 

Three members of the 2011 Trot-wood-Madison High School football team sexually assaulted a freshman with a broomstick, according to a lawsuit filed in county court and court documents obtained by this news organization.

Darco Thompson, Philip Bryant Jr. and Tyler Britt - all now adults - had rape complaints brought against them in Montgomery County Juvenile Court, but not until February 2015. The cases were closed Aug. 7, 2015. The documents do not address the lag between the incident and the charges.

The only punishment listed on the disposition of those cases was for the defendants to write an apology letter of at least 500 words that reflected upon the incident. All three also were put on non-reporting probation.

Trotwood City Schools Superintendent Kevin Bell said Friday the district received notice of the lawsuit on Thursday but wouldn't comment on pending litigation. Bell wouldn't answer questions about whether the students were disciplined in 2011. He also said it would be "premature" to issue any statement to parents of Trot-wood school children.

The 2011 Trotwood-Madison High School football team was 15-0 and won a state championship.

The civil lawsuit brought by the victim and his family in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court names the three players, the Trot-wood-Madison City School District, the district's school board members and then-coach Maurice Douglass as defendants.

The suit said the details of the assault were well-known to students and staff at Trot-wood-Madison and that at no time did an administrator, staff member or coach approach the victim to check on his welfare.

Court records show the incident took place between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30, 2011. Britt was 15 years old at the time of the offense while Bryant and Thompson were 14.

The suit alleges members of the Trotwood football team regularly engaged in insulting and rough-housing behavior, which was known to school officials. The suit said members of the team referred to the behavior as "roasting."

Coaches would often leave the freshman team unattended in the freshman locker room, which is separate from the varsity locker room, according to the lawsuit.

The suit said during the incident that coaches were in the film room while at the same time in the freshman locker room, Bryant and Britt held the victim down while Thompson removed the victim's clothing and sexually assaulted him with a broomstick.

The victim screamed during the incident and said that he was harassed and insulted by other students, according to the lawsuit. "Administrators, staff, and coaches knew, or should have known, about the assault," the suit said.

The lawsuit brings seven counts of misconduct against the various defendants including childhood abuse, damages for criminal conduct, hazing and negligent supervision.

Trotwood-Madison High School's current student handbook states the district "will not tolerate the sexual harassment or intimidation by any staff member, student, visitor, school policy, or practice. Each school has an appointed sexual harassment officer to assist in the enforcement of this policy."

The family's attorney, John Fischer, said he wouldn't comment at this time. Trot-wood-Madison athletics director Guy Fogle and Douglass did not return messages seeking comment.

Contact this reporter at 937-225-6951 or email Mark.

[email protected]

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November 12, 2016
 
 
 

 

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