COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Suspended South Carolina forward Ashlyn Watkins has had the charges against her dismissed, according to online judicial records. —The State—
Watkins charges dismissed
- Thread starter hahnenkampf
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No surprise. It's likely the other party didn't want to cooperate, and Watkins is a college student, the solicitor was unlikely to push for anything.
Charges being dismissed for college arguments, threats, even fights is common. Barely a week goes by that some student isn't involved in a fight in a dorm or something. Typically, some internal discipline is handed out, maybe probation of some type, and that's it.
Good for Watkins. Now, hopefully she can earn her way back into Staley's good graces very quickly. I expect that's been the toughest part given Staley has been known to kick good players off the team when they weren't doing what she expected.
Charges being dismissed for college arguments, threats, even fights is common. Barely a week goes by that some student isn't involved in a fight in a dorm or something. Typically, some internal discipline is handed out, maybe probation of some type, and that's it.
Good for Watkins. Now, hopefully she can earn her way back into Staley's good graces very quickly. I expect that's been the toughest part given Staley has been known to kick good players off the team when they weren't doing what she expected.
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Update:
Watkins is back on the team. Suspension is lifted per The State newspaper.
We play at Clemson on Wednesday Nov 20th.
Any idea why that game is scheduled for 5pm on a Wednesday?
Clemson plays Presbyterian next week at 11am on a Monday. Then the next week they play UAB at 12am on a Monday.
Those are odd times if you want to try to generate some fan support for a new coach.
Watkins is back on the team. Suspension is lifted per The State newspaper.
We play at Clemson on Wednesday Nov 20th.
Any idea why that game is scheduled for 5pm on a Wednesday?
Clemson plays Presbyterian next week at 11am on a Monday. Then the next week they play UAB at 12am on a Monday.
Those are odd times if you want to try to generate some fan support for a new coach.
According to WIS TV: "Authorities said Watkins' assault charge was dismissed after she completed pre-trial intervention for first-time offenders, and the Solicitor’s Office declined to prosecute the kidnapping charge."
The charges were dropped due to her PTI, which basically means she plead guilty, but will have her record expunged when she completes the program. So apparently she was not as innocent as some thought. Apparently it was not because the other party didn't cooperate, nor were charges dropped due to lack of evidence or because of a misunderstanding, etc.
PTI is a one time thing. Hope she can control herself and not get into any more trouble.
The charges were dropped due to her PTI, which basically means she plead guilty, but will have her record expunged when she completes the program. So apparently she was not as innocent as some thought. Apparently it was not because the other party didn't cooperate, nor were charges dropped due to lack of evidence or because of a misunderstanding, etc.
PTI is a one time thing. Hope she can control herself and not get into any more trouble.
I never knew if she was innocent (or guilty). I wasn't there. I simply posted that the police report isn't the end all be all in any matter.
I also know college students get into arguments and fights. I didn't see any reason to treat her different than any other college students that get into a fight or physical altercation just because she's an athlete.
If they offered to not go to court if she accepted PTI, I don't blame her for taking it and admitting to anything they wanted her to admit to - whether she was guilty or not.
The victim did not let it go. If she had the case would have been summarily dropped. If the evidence had shown she had done nothing wrong, the case would have been dropped. That's not what happened. The charges were dismissed only after she agreed to PTI for first time offenders.
Her attorney is the one who said it was all a misunderstanding and that she would be cleared. This obviously was not the case. Apparently it was only Todd Rutherford who misunderstood.
Her attorney is the one who said it was all a misunderstanding and that she would be cleared. This obviously was not the case. Apparently it was only Todd Rutherford who misunderstood.
It's hard to tell. The solicitor's office in the Richland/Kershaw is so overloaded with cases, some routine cases are taking 2-4 years to resolve.
They just sentenced a repeat offender in Kershaw for serious crimes from an incident that happened in 2019.
Some charges don't require the other party to participate - even if they don't want to press charges they can still be charged and prosecuted.
I don't know if that happened in this case .
True story. Though doesn't sound like there's any long term issues related to the incident so time to move on. This year's team is going to need her services to have any chance of getting back to the NC game.
