In a statement Tuesday, Washington State football coach Mike Leach suggested the media and cops may be targeting his players unfairly in light of several recent incidents.
Leach defended his decision to let linebacker Logan Tago and safety Shalom Luani play in the opening games of the season — they had recent arrests for fighting, assault, and robbery — by pointing the finger at police and media tactics he found unfair.
In his statement transcribed by the Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Leach asserted that charges have not been filed and his players are innocent until proven guilty. He also pointed out that all of the incidents in question involved groups of people, and yet his players had been the only arrests made in any of the cases.
“The only guys accused of doing anything are football players. Where’s everybody else? What about the other 100 people in the room? What was their role?” Leach asked.
Leach continues, “If the other guilty parties are not accused or charged, their (sic) needs to be an extensive investigation as to why. ... We can’t allow the double standard.” He also questioned the accuracy of statements made to the media by police and later reported as facts.
Although Leach vigorously defended his players, he acknowledged that charges could come at some point. “We’re going to let the legal system take its course,” he said.
The Pullman Police Department has recommended charging Luani with second-degree assault, but no charges have been filed yet. Leach claims Luani was jumped by six people and his shirt was ripped off.
“Unless we are supposed to believe that these football players fought themselves, then there are numerous other guilty parties,” Leach said, adding that media comments have “already condemned football players in the court of public opinion.”
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