Wrestler Anthony Knox Jr. was cleared late Wednesday to compete at the NJSIAA Wrestling Championships, one day after he was charged with simple assault for his role in a bleacher brawl involving his father last month.
As reported by the Asbury Park Press, a motion to remove a temporary restraining order — preventing the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association from barring Knox from the tournament — was denied by Mercer County Superior Court Judge Patrick J. Bartels in a ruling issued just hours before wrestlers were due in Atlantic City for Thursday morning weigh-ins. A higher court also stood down, saying an emergency appeal to the appellate court “does not concern a threat of irreparable injury, or a situation in which the interests of justice otherwise require adjudication on short notice,” Stephen Edelson of the Press reported.
On Tuesday, Knox, who wrestles for St. John Vianney High School, was charged by Collingswood police with simple assault for allegedly punching a minor multiple times during a brawl that erupted in the stands at the NJSIAA’s District 25 tournament Feb. 22. The incident prompted NJSIAA executive director Colleen Maguire, to suspend Knox for the remainder of the season as of Feb. 25. Maguire ruled Knox had violated the NJSIAA's “sportsmanship policy and its disqualification rule for leaving the bench area during an altercation,” maintaining there was “uncontradictory video evidence” showing Knox entering the stands and throwing a punch during the fight.
However, Edelson reported, "a virtual hearing Feb. 27 in front of Bartels, Knox attorney Patrick J. Jennings argued that a temporary restraining order should be issued because the NJSIAA had violated his clients right to due process during the investigation, that there was no 'bench area' to leave at the district tournament as the NJSIAA claimed as a rule violation, and that Maguire had overstepped her authority in unilaterally suspending Knox."
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Bartels, according to Edelson, "leaned heavily into the assertion by Knox's attorney that the NJSIAA did not afford Knox due process by failing to inform him of the investigation, or provide his defense teams with all evidence in a timely manner."
“This Court followed its equitable mandate to issue a temporary restraining order and continues to follow its mandate by denying a stay," the decision read, as reported by the Press. "This Court is not merely concerned with how NJSIAA’s action affect Plaintiff, but how such qualifications reflect public confidence. Here, this Court held that upholding the NJSIAA’s ruling, without initially notifying the Plaintiff, could undermine public confidence in NJSIAA procedures.”
The NJSIAA has stated publicly that it stands by its decision to suspend Knox, a three-time state champion who will take his 143-1 record into this weekend's competition. He is seeking a fourth state championship, a distinction held by only four wrestlers in NJSIAA history.
Knox is scheduled to appear in court in Collingswood on April 2 at 10:30 a.m. The complaint by Collingswood Police alleges Knox, "did commit assault by purposefully, knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury to a juvenile, herein identified as S.C. specifically, — the defendant did enter the opposing team's designated section of gymnasium bleachers during the District 25 wrestling tournament s section, where he proceeded to punch S.C. about the head and face repeatedly," Edelson reported.
In court filings Tuesday, Knox's attorney said his client would "not only plead 'not guilty,' but will challenge 'probable cause.' "
