Spotted At The Single Father’s Blog
The father of a high school basketball player in Oklahoma has been accusing of tackling a girl on the opposing team who also happens to be a beauty pageant winner. Classen School of Advanced Studies senior Jetta Smith is recovering from injuries that she received on June 5 at a basketball game at Douglas High School.
Court documents state that Leeroy Prince Jr. came from the stands during the basketball game and put Jetta in a choke hold. He allegedly then “slammed her down onto the court causing her head to hit the floor.” Not only is Jetta a basketball player, she is also the reigning Miss Black Oklahoma USA.
Witness accounts state that the altercation began when Smith and the suspect’s daughter were involved in an altercation on the court over a loose ball. Once the victim got up she was tackled and slammed onto the ground by Prince. Police say that he then began to choke her and refused to let her get up. According to Jetta’s mother, her daughter sustained several bruises, scratches and a concussion during the ordeal.
Jetta Smith’s father and her coach were able to get Prince off of her and escorted him out of the gym.
Smith’s mother Debra said “We are very pleased the District Attorney decided to pursue these charges. It’s not OK for parents, or adult to come out of the stands, and attack basketball players, or any kind of child, playing during a game.”
All I can say is that Jetta’s dad is a much better man than I am. As the father of a daughter I couldn’t even imagine some 54-year-old man putting his hands on her in that manner. In the midst of all of that chaos, I can’t promise that Mr. Prince would have been able to get up and walk out of that gymnasium if that were my daughter.
It’s bad enough that we have to protect our children from bullies in their own age group, now we have to watch out for adult bullies who think that it is okay for them to beat up on somebody else’s child. No Sir…Not on my watch!!!
