Manslaughter Plea Entered in Soccer Ref's Death

A recreational soccer player in Michigan who was charged with punching a referee and killing him during a game has agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors. Bassel Saad will serve eight to 15 years in prison as part of the deal and will plead either guilty or no contest to involuntary manslaughter, according to his lawyer, Cyril Hall. 

The incident in question took place last year during an over-30 men’s league recreational soccer match. Multiple players testified in court that Saad was issued a yellow card by Bieniewicz. Bieniewicz was about to issue Saad a second yellow card for being verbally abusive, which would have resulted in Saad’s ejection from the game, when Saad struck Bieniewicz in the head. Bieniewicz was immediately knocked unconscious and died two days later. 

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