A Washington state high school student will continue to play on the school’s football team despite facing charges for two separate counts of rape.
Tyler Smith, 18, is out on bail and back playing defensive tackle for his Hoquiam High School football team, concerning many parents.
“I think it should be the same deal as what the NFL is doing. They should be off from it and not playing,” Larry Perry told a local ABC affiliate.
Prosecutors say the teen raped his first victim, a former girlfriend, when she was 16 in December 2012. A second accuser, an 18-year-old girl, was described by prosecutors as an acquaintance from Facebook, a local NBC affiliate reported. Court records are unclear whether either of the two alleged victims attended the same school as the suspect.
In both cases, the accusers said they repeatedly told him “no” and to stop. According to court documents, when detectives asked the teen if the girls said no, he said, “Yeah, but I thought she was saying ’no’ for pleasure and not to stop having sex.”
Hoquiam School District Superintendent Mike Parker said he supports the coaches’ decision to allow the student to play, the ABC affiliate reported.
“We felt that he’s innocent until proven guilty,” he said. “As bad as the crime might be, as repulsive as the crime might be, we’re trusting that the court system will sort that out for us.”
The teen faces more than a decade in prison if convicted. He goes back before a judge Oct. 27.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.