A local attorney claims the Pine-Richland School District is using his client as a scapegoat for the firing of the football coaching staff.
Attorney Joel Sansone says his client, a Pine-Richland student, was hazed several years ago, but believes district officials are unfairly using the situation for the "consolidation of political power."
"When he first got to Pine-Richland years ago, he did suffer some hazing," Sansone told Marty Griffin on News Radio KDKA. "Some of the kids involved were football players."
Sansone claims the issue was "put to bed" at the time and did not involve the football program.
"It didn't have anything to do with the football team," he said. "It wasn't at football practice. It wasn't at camp. It had nothing to do with the coach."
He tells Marty Griffin on News Radio KDKA he believes the district used his client as a scapegoat for the firing and leaked his client's name.
"They used this as an excuse to claim this is why they're getting rid of this great coach," said Sansone.
In a statement, the district said there's no truth to any of Sansone's allegations.
"There is absolutely no truth to allegations that the Pine-Richland School District, its School Board, staff or anyone acting on its behalf at any time leaked information, “scapegoated” any student, implicated or identified any student to anyone in any part of its investigation into the allegations of student misconduct and overall misconduct within the football program as it relates to the District’s decision not to renew the Head Football Coaching Supplemental Contract of Eric Kasperowicz," read the statement.
Sansone says his client, who is Asian-American, has received death threats and other harassment from people accusing him of being the reason the coaching staff was fired.
"Threats to be stabbed with a knife," he said. "Every manner of filthy, vile remarks made toward him, both in-person, on social media and elsewhere."