Armein Kirkland charges dismissed!

Just because some of you seem so interested in Cincy basketball, I thought I'd share that little tidbit with you folks

 

not really the "kind" of Cincinnati basketball news that all of us are interested in

 

You know you run a sleazy program when news of dismissed charges is the highlight of an offseason.

 

Thanks, PI! That's the precise response that I would expect from a Charlotte fan. Here's the complete story:

Jason Williams, Cincinnati Post, 9/17/03:

Kirkland's tarnished image scrubbed clean

Label Armein Kirkland a fighter. But the good-natured University of Cincinnati basketball player isn't the least bit violent.
Kirkland spent the past five weeks fighting for his innocence and his reputation, never wavering in his quest to prove that he is a man of good character, not a man who commits violent acts.

"He told me he wouldn't settle for anything less than a clear dismissal, because he said he was falsely charged," UC athletic director Bob Goin said. "It proved to be good."

Indeed, Kirkland ultimately won the heavyweight bout, when city prosecutors on Tuesday dropped the misdemeanor charges of assault and domestic violence against the UC player, forcing Hamilton County Municipal Court judge Robert Winkler to throw out the case in which Kirkland was accused of attacking his now-former girlfriend.

In a meeting with assistant city solicitor Melanie Reising just before Kirkland was to stand trial before a jury, Ambrea Lacy changed her story from the one that she told police Aug. 2, when she and Kirkland were both arrested on the exact same charges stemming from an incident in a Price Hill apartment. Reising said Lacy, 18, who had originally accused Kirkland of slapping her in the face and grabbing her throat, said Tuesday that Kirkland did not hurt her.

But Kirkland, 19, knows that alone will not immediately restore his reputation.

"I was just worried about how everybody was going to take this," said Kirk-land, a sophomore forward. "I didn't want (the way people thought of him) to be negative because of somebody lying about me. It wasn't accurate to who I am, and my character. If I did it, I would take responsibility for it, but it wasn't true. I can't accept that.

"I'm just glad that somebody can see some people are really innocent. I just hope the public realizes that you can't believe everything you hear, that you're innocent until proven guilty, not guilty until proven innocent."

UC head coach Bob Huggins knows not everyone sees things that way.

"We're happy that the judicial process has taken its course," Huggins said. "We're happy that we didn't rush to unjust decisions. But it's a shame that a young man's reputation and image are tarnished over a period of time over something that didn't happen."

Kirkland's attorney, Mary Jill Donovan, asked Winkler to expunge all records in the case. Although her request was denied, Winkler said he would consider expungement, and likely grant it, if Kirkland applied for it again in 90 days.

Soon after spending the night of Aug. 2 in jail, Kirkland began his effort to prove he did nothing wrong. The following day, he met with Goin and told the athletic director his side of the story and convinced Goin that he did nothing wrong. Goin did not suspend Kirkland, but placed on him on undisclosed restrictions, which are no longer in effect.

Goin, who in the past has suspended athletes for being charged in violent acts before the judicial process concluded, also believed that Kirkland took the proper steps toward seeking help.

The UC players have been instructed to walk away from a potential volatile situation and call police.

"I did everything right," Kirk-land said. "I made two calls (to police). She was breaking stuff, and I saw the police weren't getting there fast enough so I called again. I was the one bleeding. I had to go to the hospital. There wasn't a mark on her body, not even a cat scratch."

Kirkland accused Lacy of biting his stomach and elbow, and he admitted having to use his hands to fend her off. Kirkland said Lacy took a verbal argument too far. Police said Kirkland and Lacy, both of whom are from Ty-ler, Texas, had been living together for two months. But he said that was false, rather that Lacy had been visiting him for 2½ weeks.

Lacy declined to comment.

Lacy has been given the option to attend counseling, Reising said, and "the state is deciding whether or not to file criminal charges against Miss Lacy -- for making a false statement during an official proceeding." Reising added that, if the state does decide to file charges, it is uncertain whether Lacy will be charged as an adult or a juvenile. (Lacy was 17 when she and Kirkland were arrested.)

Kirkland stood his ground with prosecutors, as well. Donovan said prosecutors had initially offered to drop the charges ifKirkland would agree to attend anger management classes.

"They were trying to get us to plea to something," Donovan said. "Armein absolutely stood firm. Armein refused any plea."

Kirkland said he felt like he not only was fighting for his own reputation, but for the UC program's image, which has taken its share of public-relations hits over the years for some players' run-ins with police. Kirkland said it frustrated him to see or hear things in the media about "another" UC player getting into trouble. When it comes to off-the-court issues, Kirkland said, each case should be viewed separately.

"It just makes us all look bad, it makes the program look bad," said Kirkland, who coaches are expecting to be a key figure on this season's team. "Other players have gotten into trouble in the past, and if they're actually guilty, I guess they have to accept the responsibility. But not everybody does it. You can't go by what everybody else did. Just because we play for the same school, doesn't mean everyone (commits crimes). You've got to give everybody a fair shake."

That is the way Kirkland said he tries to approach everyone he has ever met.

There are things Kirkland has done that validate his ability to relate to people. In high school, he would volunteer each week at the hospital where his mother, Farah, is a nurse. Numerous times, Goin, Huggins and the other UC coaches have complimented Kirkland on his gentlemanly attitude, saying he is open to criticism and never disrespectful.

Additionally, Kirkland was named to the Conference USA commissioner's honor roll after his freshman season, continuing his commitment to achieving in the classroom like he did at Tyler Lee High School. At Lee, Kirk-land was chosen as a member of an academic honors program called the International Baccalaureate Program.

Kirkland is appreciative that so many at UC took notice of his character and helped him through the legal process. He said Goin, the UC coaches and his teammates were supportive. Kirkland's brother, Arrash, who recently moved to Cincinnati to begin medical school at UC, also was a calming influence.

"Armein is a fine young man," Goin said.