FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[D O.C.]

<of a team still playing>

I learned my lesson about mentioning 3X champ Leavell Coppage when I first learned about his law troubles months after.

[SaintsFAN]

Would have been a virtual non-story if there had been comment provided last night, but it seems as if it were our reporting that informed people that there was an issue.

the school and lawyer didn't have a comment at 9:00 pm when your "story" ran?  how rude

So you assume the calls were made at the time of posting. Not how this works.

I'll add... stories run at all times in this day-in-age... part of the job in PR (lawyer, school, etc.) is to be available at all times in a lot of cases. That is just the way it works now. 11pm news doesn't go on air with no comments when the offices close at 5pm. People respond in the evenings as well.

cool.

more likely is a "story" about the Mount Union QB drives traffic to the website and needs to be posted regardless if there were comments about this "issue" or not.

They don't need to drive traffic during one of the two busiest periods for the website

[Toph]

Why is everyone out to convict this kid without knowing all the facts. Let the process play out. I'm not sure we know only half of the story.

So are you disputing that he failed to appear for battery charges, was arrested the week before last due to that outstanding warrant and was booked for driving on a suspended license, or that he failed to appear this week for the traffic ticket?

No one is trying to convict anyone of anything.  When you are supposed to appear before a court of law, you show up.

[skunks_sidekick]

I am not going to get into the intimate details (because at this point it doesn't matter), the kid is  just somewhat of a dips#$*!

[merlecanlas]

Why is everyone out to convict this kid without knowing all the facts. Let the process play out. I'm not sure we know only half of the story.

So are you disputing that he failed to appear for battery charges, was arrested the week before last due to that outstanding warrant and was booked for driving on a suspended license, or that he failed to appear this week for the traffic ticket?

No one is trying to convict anyone of anything.  When you are supposed to appear before a court of law, you show up.

I know nothing about the FL charges, nobody on here knows anything.  His traffic ticket said he didn't have to appear.  Neither you or I would have shown up to court either.

[Ereraider]

If it was anything serious don't you think he would be in Florida facing charges?  Isn't it possible that there was clerical error that was made by the court that Fulford or the school didn't know he was supposed to appear on Monday?  Just doesn't make sense that if Fulford new, his lawyer knew and the school knew of his court date that he would just not show up.

[AO]

Why is everyone out to convict this kid without knowing all the facts. Let the process play out. I'm not sure we know only half of the story.

So are you disputing that he failed to appear for battery charges, was arrested the week before last due to that outstanding warrant and was booked for driving on a suspended license, or that he failed to appear this week for the traffic ticket?

No one is trying to convict anyone of anything.  When you are supposed to appear before a court of law, you show up.

I know nothing about the FL charges, nobody on here knows anything.  His traffic ticket said he didn't have to appear.  Neither you or I would have shown up to court either.

My best guess as to what happened, Fulford just looked at his speeding ticket which didn't require a court appearance and completely disregarded what he got for driving with a suspended license which almost always requires a court appearance.  Wouldn't the arresting officer and whoever handled his paperwork have made it clear to him verbally about his need to show up for court?

[wally_wabash]

Why is everyone out to convict this kid without knowing all the facts. Let the process play out. I'm not sure we know only half of the story.

So are you disputing that he failed to appear for battery charges, was arrested the week before last due to that outstanding warrant and was booked for driving on a suspended license, or that he failed to appear this week for the traffic ticket?

No one is trying to convict anyone of anything.  When you are supposed to appear before a court of law, you show up.

I know nothing about the FL charges, nobody on here knows anything.  His traffic ticket said he didn't have to appear. Neither you or I would have shown up to court either.

This may be, but he's got attorneys (multiple!) that are representing him, and let's be very frank here, the Mount Union football program on this matter.  Either or both should have been on top of this and known or at least seen the discrepancy between the officer's paperwork and the court docket and made moves to clarify.  This week's flurry of bad press is a direct result of that negligence.  If he goes to court Monday and pleads no contest and catches a fine, there is no story this week.  They blew it.  They blew it for Fulford, they blew it for Mount Union football, and they blew it for themselves.  Total fail. 

[USTBench]

If it was anything serious don't you think he would be in Florida facing charges?  Isn't it possible that there was clerical error that was made by the court that Fulford or the school didn't know he was supposed to appear on Monday?  Just doesn't make sense that if Fulford new, his lawyer knew and the school knew of his court date that he would just not show up.

It makes perfect sense if you've ever represented an 18 year old in criminal court. Believe me. When I had a public defender contract this was the last 5 or so cases of my Monday morning, every Monday morning, for six years: "State v _________. Mr. USTBench, where's your client?" "I don't know your honor." "Bench warrant will be issued for Mr./Ms.______."

99% of the time they knew damn well when they had court.

You're typically given the court date when you're arrested or given the ticket. Sure, it's possible that he wasn't told about it, and his lawyer has every right to believe what his client tells him, but I think we're giving too much credit to Fulford here. 

[PurpleTide]

Why is everyone out to convict this kid without knowing all the facts. Let the process play out. I'm not sure we know only half of the story.

So are you disputing that he failed to appear for battery charges, was arrested the week before last due to that outstanding warrant and was booked for driving on a suspended license, or that he failed to appear this week for the traffic ticket?

No one is trying to convict anyone of anything.  When you are supposed to appear before a court of law, you show up.

I know nothing about the FL charges, nobody on here knows anything.  His traffic ticket said he didn't have to appear.  Neither you or I would have shown up to court either.

Merle, I don't agree with your logic. However, I applaud you for your tenaciousness. If you played football, I bet you played on the defensive side of the ball. Cornerback perhaps?

[merlecanlas]

Why is everyone out to convict this kid without knowing all the facts. Let the process play out. I'm not sure we know only half of the story.

So are you disputing that he failed to appear for battery charges, was arrested the week before last due to that outstanding warrant and was booked for driving on a suspended license, or that he failed to appear this week for the traffic ticket?

No one is trying to convict anyone of anything.  When you are supposed to appear before a court of law, you show up.

I know nothing about the FL charges, nobody on here knows anything.  His traffic ticket said he didn't have to appear.  Neither you or I would have shown up to court either.

My best guess as to what happened, Fulford just looked at his speeding ticket which didn't require a court appearance and completely disregarded what he got for driving with a suspended license which almost always requires a court appearance.  Wouldn't the arresting officer and whoever handled his paperwork have made it clear to him verbally about his need to show up for court?

there is no chance that the officer in Podunk, OH made a mistake on the ticket.  You obviously were there, so just tell us what happened and why the misunderstanding

Why is everyone out to convict this kid without knowing all the facts. Let the process play out. I'm not sure we know only half of the story.

So are you disputing that he failed to appear for battery charges, was arrested the week before last due to that outstanding warrant and was booked for driving on a suspended license, or that he failed to appear this week for the traffic ticket?

No one is trying to convict anyone of anything.  When you are supposed to appear before a court of law, you show up.

I know nothing about the FL charges, nobody on here knows anything.  His traffic ticket said he didn't have to appear. Neither you or I would have shown up to court either.

This may be, but he's got attorneys (multiple!) that are representing him, and let's be very frank here, the Mount Union football program on this matter.  Either or both should have been on top of this and known or at least seen the discrepancy between the officer's paperwork and the court docket and made moves to clarify.  This week's flurry of bad press is a direct result of that negligence.  If he goes to court Monday and pleads no contest and catches a fine, there is no story this week.  They blew it.  They blew it for Fulford, they blew it for Mount Union football, and they blew it for themselves.  Total fail. 

I don't know why the program or anyone would have insisted that he appear in court on Monday when his ticket said that he did not have to appear.  I think the Mount football program would rather have him in class on Monday instead of a court room where he wasn't supposed to be. 

[Toph]

Why is everyone out to convict this kid without knowing all the facts. Let the process play out. I'm not sure we know only half of the story.

So are you disputing that he failed to appear for battery charges, was arrested the week before last due to that outstanding warrant and was booked for driving on a suspended license, or that he failed to appear this week for the traffic ticket?

No one is trying to convict anyone of anything.  When you are supposed to appear before a court of law, you show up.

I know nothing about the FL charges, nobody on here knows anything.  His traffic ticket said he didn't have to appear.  Neither you or I would have shown up to court either.

I am so tired of you.  You've danced every possible way around this and you really just need to stop.  I know that he was charged with felony battery in Florida, and so do you.  I know that he was supposed to appear in court for those charges and failed to, and so do you.  For someone who says he knows nothing about the charges in Florida you're quick to dismiss them as "hazing" (also, this is 2017, we don't just chalk hazing up to boys being boys anymore).  So which is it...you know nothing about the charges or it's hazing? 

Finally, his lawyer (because everyone has legal representation for a traffic violation) says that "[Fulford] was not of the belief that he had to appear in court.  That was something that was marked on his ticket."  The lawyer never actually said the ticket wasn't marked correctly.  Read his statement again.  You read that the ticket was mismarked.  But that's not what the lawyer said.

Just go back to suggesting that maybe Fulford's lawyer told him not to appear, that sounds reasonable.

[AO]

My best guess as to what happened, Fulford just looked at his speeding ticket which didn't require a court appearance and completely disregarded what he got for driving with a suspended license which almost always requires a court appearance.  Wouldn't the arresting officer and whoever handled his paperwork have made it clear to him verbally about his need to show up for court?

there is no chance that the officer in Podunk, OH made a mistake on the ticket.  You obviously were there, so just tell us what happened and why the misunderstanding

I'm not saying there was a mistake on the speeding ticket.  I'm saying there was probably a separate notice to appear for driving with a suspended license.  Go re-read what Bench wrote.

[jamtod]

I know nothing about the FL charges, nobody on here knows anything.  His traffic ticket said he didn't have to appear.  Neither you or I would have shown up to court either.

I am so tired of you.  You've danced every possible way around this and you really just need to stop.  I know that he was charged with felony battery in Florida, and so do you.  I know that he was supposed to appear in court for those charges and failed to, and so do you.  For someone who says he knows nothing about the charges in Florida you're quick to dismiss them as "hazing" (also, this is 2017, we don't just chalk hazing up to boys being boys anymore).  So which is it...you know nothing about the charges or it's hazing? 

Finally, his lawyer (because everyone has legal representation for a traffic violation) says that "[Fulford] was not of the belief that he had to appear in court.  That was something that was marked on his ticket."  The lawyer never actually said the ticket wasn't marked correctly.  Read his statement again.  You read that the ticket was mismarked.  But that's not what the lawyer said.

Just go back to suggesting that maybe Fulford's lawyer told him not to appear, that sounds reasonable.

The D3football.com article and the lawyer's statement is a bit confusing, but I believe the lawyer's comments are intended to mean that the ticket was marked, noting that an appearance was not required. I assume they were able to present the ticket in court showing that.

According to Max Haupt, Fulford's attorney, Fulford's failure to appear in court was because the ticket Fulford received was marked that he was not required to appear in court. It is not clear why the ticket and the court records were in conflict. Haupt said he believed, based on the ticket, that Fulford would be able to pay the fine and was not aware of a court date.

"That was an error, and because of that, he was not of the belief that he had to appear in court," Haupt told D3sports.com "That's something that was marked on his ticket. That's where things got messed up.

[merlecanlas]

Why is everyone out to convict this kid without knowing all the facts. Let the process play out. I'm not sure we know only half of the story.

So are you disputing that he failed to appear for battery charges, was arrested the week before last due to that outstanding warrant and was booked for driving on a suspended license, or that he failed to appear this week for the traffic ticket?

No one is trying to convict anyone of anything.  When you are supposed to appear before a court of law, you show up.

I know nothing about the FL charges, nobody on here knows anything.  His traffic ticket said he didn't have to appear.  Neither you or I would have shown up to court either.

I am so tired of you.  You've danced every possible way around this and you really just need to stop.  I know that he was charged with felony battery in Florida, and so do you.  I know that he was supposed to appear in court for those charges and failed to, and so do you.  For someone who says he knows nothing about the charges in Florida you're quick to dismiss them as "hazing" (also, this is 2017, we don't just chalk hazing up to boys being boys anymore).  So which is it...you know nothing about the charges or it's hazing? 

Finally, his lawyer (because everyone has legal representation for a traffic violation) says that "[Fulford] was not of the belief that he had to appear in court.  That was something that was marked on his ticket."  The lawyer never actually said the ticket wasn't marked correctly.  Read his statement again.  You read that the ticket was mismarked.  But that's not what the lawyer said.

Just go back to suggesting that maybe Fulford's lawyer told him not to appear, that sounds reasonable.

I'm not dancing.  I generally don't think hazing in HS is that big of a deal.  I must be a monster.  I do not know the specifics of the FL juvenile charges, would you please fill us in with the details. 

per d3football.com

According to Max Haupt, Fulford's attorney, Fulford's failure to appear in court was because the ticket Fulford received was marked that he was not required to appear in court. It is not clear why the ticket and the court records were in conflict. Haupt said he believed, based on the ticket, that Fulford would be able to pay the fine and was not aware of a court date.

If the Stark County court can accept the explanation, then maybe those in the glass houses in University Heights can accept them the same.