USC working again Kenan Christon held a press conference Tuesday outdoor the Galen Center alleging the university had discriminated towards him in its handling of a student conduct violation.
Christon apologized for his conduct all the way through the incident, in which he and another scholar got into a verbal altercation prior to Christon put the opposite pupil in a headlock. For this incident, Christon has been suspended from the football and monitor and field groups until Dec. 14, 2022.
Christon has now not performed in a unmarried soccer recreation for USC this season, and has now not been allowed to observe with the workforce.
“It was a big false impression between me and the other pupil. I simply need to say once more I’m sorry,” Christon mentioned, family and teammates from the track team standing at the back of him. “Overall, it kind of feels like that is just stopping my future. It doesn’t seem fair. It doesn’t look like that is about who’s right and who’s flawed, I think like as a result of I'm an individual of colour.”
Added social activist Najee Ali, “We’re not making this racial, but it is what it is. The white scholar walked away with not anything happening to him, but the black student-athletes have been suspended and had punishment imposed upon them that is very harsh.”
In the incident, as described in a replica of Christon’s attraction of his punishment obtained by the Southern California News Group, Christon had requested the opposite scholar to forestall speaking with Christon’s girlfriend. Christon and his female friend requested for the opposite student’s address so they might meet and get to the bottom of the situation, but the other student supplied a faux address Sept. 4.
The subsequent day, Christon and the opposite student met in the parking space of the scholar’s condominium development. Christon maintained this assembly was once coincidental, while the opposite pupil alleged that Christon used to be waiting for him to look.
Andrew Barton, the officer who investigated the incident for USC’s Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards, concluded it was “more likely” that the opposite student’s account used to be accurate, regardless that there used to be no video proof to back up both claim.
During the altercation, Christon broken property of the other student and put him in a headlock. Soon after, USC’s Department of Public Safety replied to the scene but declined to record any fees. Both scholars have since apologized to each other, in line with Christon’s enchantment.
After a six-week investigation, Christon was once given a 14-month suspension from athletics while the opposite student was no longer punished. Christon appealed the punishment but has no longer received an answer in the month since submission.
“The investigation used to be targeted handiest on Kenan and no longer on the other scholar,” Christon’s lawyer, Anton Diffenderfer, stated at Tuesday’s press convention.
In a university statement, USC said, “We have looked at this in line with university coverage and have taken suitable motion. We are unable to discuss the details as a result of pupil privacy regulations.”
Diffenderfer alleged USC’s investigation was unsuitable, pointing out that video evidence and display shots of conversations weren't taken into account. In his appeal, Christon alleged that Barton interviewed the other student only as soon as and did not question him about Christon’s version of events.
In his appeal, Christon laid out his goal to hunt anger management counseling and reiterated that he has no past history of physical violence at USC.
“We simply don’t think he merits this, the kind of particular person that he's, how laborious he’s labored to get right here,” his mother, Persephonie, mentioned via tears Tuesday. “Yes, I needless to say the entirety has repercussions, however Kenan has suffered significantly at this level and we simply need to know when that is going to be over.”
Diffenderfer didn't define what the following steps are in this procedure, expressing hope that USC reconsiders the punishment after reviewing Christon’s appeal. But he expressed frustration with how the coed judicial process has been established at USC.
“The complete investigation procedure, there’s no oversight. The investigator offers charges after which they publish. You don’t attraction it, that’s it,” Diffenderfer mentioned. “They give the scholars 10 days to [appeal and] struggle for their lives, their careers, everything. It used to be almost impossible for me to do in 10 days, with the proof and the information that we had. So it’s a wholly rigged system, it’s rigged to fail.”
Ali added, “Kenan desires to stick right here and be part of the Trojan family, but he can most effective do that if he’s treated relatively.”
This post first appeared on ocregister.com
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