A judge has dismissed all charges against three African-American star high school basketball players who were arrested at 8:45 AM the day before Thanksgiving for waiting for a school bus. The trio of teens were handcuffed and arrested even after they explained to Rochester, New York police officers why they were waiting on the sidewalk.
Some claimed racism was at the core of the arrests. Parents were forced to pay about $200 for each teen’s bail, so they wouldn’t spend Thanksgiving Day in jail.
City Court Judge Teresa D. Johnson today dismissed all disorderly conduct charges today, after Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley last week said she would not press charges. “After reviewing the facts associated with these arrests, I have decided to dismiss the charges in the interest of justice,” Doorley told reporters.
Indeed, as the school bus with their coach and fellow players pulled up to pick the three high schoolers up for a practice match, the police still refused to believe or release the teens. Even after their coach, Jacob Scott, spoke with police, they insisted on arresting the teens.
Coach Scott (in video, below) had told reporters that police threatened to arrest him as well, and had been joking around about taking the entire team to the police station.
At least one teen hired an attorney. There is no word on if the city will pay the attorney fees.
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