Alleged racial slur sparks fight

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - It is a case of he said, he said.  Two fights broke out after a Northampton, West Springfield lacrosse game on Wednesday.  Four players (2 randomly selected from each team, because it could not be determined who was involved in the fight) and a Northampton assistant coach were suspended.

West Springfield lacrosse players allege a Northampton assistant coach sparked the 2nd fight by yelling a racial slur, used to denigrate black people, directed at a West Springfield player.  

The West Springfield player in question is Italian, not black. 

Northampton Police Captain Kenneth Patenaude told 22News they are invesigating a "bias" incident, but intent has to be proven to charge the coach with a civil rights violation.

Under Massachusetts law, a threat of force has to be present to charge someone with a hate crime, which it was not.  Although, the incident could be some form of ethical intimidation, if  intent is proven; whether the assistant coach thought the player was black.

Northampton played a game on Thursday, the assistant coach was not there.  Northampton Athletic Director Jim Miller told 22News the assistant is suspended pending the investigation, and added that no person on the Northampton side heard any racial slurs.

Both Miller and West Side Athletic Director Cathy Meader are waiting for the Northampton police investigation to be completed.  Meader says this is not a shining moment for either school.

"Its certainly not what we're all about philosophically, our coach Jacques Charles works hard with our kids.  We try to play with integrity and sportsmanship, to see something like this makes you feel like you've taken a step backwards", says Meader.

Northampton lawyer James Winston told 22News that what will determine whether this coach can be charged is the credibility of the players and coaches interviewed and there may not be enough evidence to prove it.

Northampton police say the investigation continues and a final report may be released as early as Friday.