re: Head referee for St. Paul's/ Mandeville game arrested in middle of game

Yeah, after I posted that a couple of people did say that there are mechanisms to throw even police officers out of games but it seems like the refs bypassed those for the personal and direct route, instead.

And (and I'm not sure if it's accurate or not) but the WWL article that I posted earlier says that "public intimidation" can be charged simply for threatening someone's job which takes the "that's really messed up" to a whole new level.

I agree with the masses that both parties were really stupid and really wrong on so many levels and that officials might be tough to come by for the next home game.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure I know who the official was, assuming it was a NOLA crew and the white hat was the guy who said "I dare you".

That should tell you something...

quote:

---

I guess the question comes down to can the ref throw the cop out the game.lol no way if he's working the game.

---

Yes he can. The refs have complete control over any and all game events.

quote:

---

And (and I'm not sure if it's accurate or not) but the WWL article that I posted earlier says that "public intimidation" can be charged simply for threatening someone's job which takes the "that's really messed up" to a whole new level.

---

Yes, you can be arrested and convicted for saying "I'll have your badge".
messed up, indeed.

You'll get arrested for looking at a cop the wrong way in St Tammany, this doesn't surprise me.

The fact that talking to a cop is a crime is just pathetic. White Hat and game administrator have control over the game and it's activities. Not the cop.

from another website

quote:

---

It seams like there is not much the Home Team St Paul's could have done. St Paul's is a private Catholic school, that foolishly hired local Covington Police Officers for Game Security.

A Covington Police Officer was standing on the sidelines with several Mandeville fans.The referee assumed the Officer was standing there to enforce crowd control. Why else would the Officer be on the field? The referee had no idea that the Police Officer, Lieutenant Stephen Short, had a son playing for Mandeville (# 42), and the Officer had invited several of his son's friends, to come down on the field to watch the game.

The incident began with Mandeville facing a third-and-goal at the St. Paul’s 13 and trailing 13-3. The line judge came over to the sideline, and asked for the unauthorized personnel to be removed from the field following a request from the chain gang. The chain gang is on the visitor sideline so they can be viewed from the home press box. The chain gang was having troubles with the Visiting team (Mandeville) fans on the Mandeville sideline. When the line judge asked the Police Officer to move back, the Officer told the line judge to shut up (allegedly). The line judge threatens to remove the officer. The police officer then told the line judge that he did not have the authority to remove them, and the two exchanged words. Then the head referee came over to move the fans. Rather than be embarrassed by the game officials, the Officer Lieutenant Stephen Short called for backup. Four other policemen rushed to the scene on the Mandeville sideline, and less than a minute later, the referee was escorted off the field. Soon after, the line judge was removed, and both were taken off campus and into custody.

---

So in summary......
Lt Stephen Short of Covington PD was at the game on the visitor sideline
He has a son that plays for Mandeville
He was in uniform

There was a problem with spectators (mandeville fans) on the visitor sideline interfering with the chain gang (SPS fans/dads)

The Line Judge attempted to clear the Mandeville sideline of unauthorized spectators. it is alleged that some of those spectators were invited there by Lt Stephen Short

Lt Stephen Short took issue with the Line Judge managing the spectators on the visitor sideline and told him to worry about the game and he would take care of the crowd control.

The Line Judge took issue with Lt Stephen Short and threatened to have him removed from the sideline. Lt Short told the Line Judge that he did not have the authority to do so.

The referee (White Hat) comes over and stands up for his Line Judge. Words are exchanged between Short and the White Hat.

Lt Short calls for backup from CPD security detail. White Hat challenges Short's authority and is promptly arrested. Line Judge is also arrested.

Game is delayed for 25 mins, while the issues with the security, crowd control, the remaining crew and the arrested officials are sorted out. The (uniformed) clock operator comes down from the press box and the game is finished with a 4 man crew.

The Referee and the Line Judge are both booked on public intimidation charges and each post a $250 bond.

Questions:
was Short a paid member of the security detail or there on the sideline as a dad/fan (in uniform)?

where was the Game Administrator (from SPS) in all of this?

did Short invite the unauthorized spectators down to the sideline and then interfere with the LHSAA crew trying to officiate the game?

why did the remaining officials finish the game?

quote:

---

public intimidation

---

This must have been the ref.

Saw this story made the front page of Yahoo. embarassing.