| Advertisement |
|
|
UPDATE: Father Craig Hoge took his time before cameras Wednesday to vent over what he called false accusations lodged against his son Brandon for the last 11 months.
Hoge's son pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of battery which amounted to pleading guilty to inappropriately touching the victim on the bus ride home from the Terre Haute game. Now Craig Hoge said he is anxious for the public to see the bus videotape.
"I absolutely can't wait for this video to come out because you know what? They've been able to sell this story on innuendo and a one sided spin, and people are going see this video and say seriously?" said Hoge in a news conference Wednesday held after his son pleaded guilty.
Hoge Sr. claims the victim embellished a sexual attack. He said the victim gave doctors who examined him inconsistent names of who attacked him.
'"You put in a different name, someone that isn't even charged? It is absolutely preposterous you would give a medical report and you give the wrong name," said Hoge Sr.
He said the victim gave doctors a student's name he said attacked him. However, that student was never involved in any of the charges that eventually came forth.Hoge's father also called into question the victim's past.
"This kid has a disciplinary history longer than you can shake a stick at. To say there's a credibility issue would be a tremendous understatement," he said.
Still Mr. Hoge conceded.
"As a leader of the basketball team, like Brandon was, there shouldn't have been horseplay. They shouldn't have been horse-playing with freshman. Was that an error in judgment for Brandon? Absolutely."
Mr. Hoge again said it's about the tape and when that evidence comes out after Kitzinger's plea deal is done, people will be surprised at what the charges came from.
"You will see 20-25 kids laughing hysterically. You're going see this man(the victim) laughing. You're going to see him smiling. You're going to see him get up do a dance and have the biggest smile that a young man can have on his face."
Mr. Hoge said it doesn't jive with someone who says they were just violently attacked. As Fox59 News first reported the video shows the victim punching another student.
"The juvenile victim did get out of his seat, cross the bus aisle and punch another student three times," said Jim Crum, Hoge's attorney.
Craig Hoge is glad the case is now behind his son. He did have a final message to parents, that it could have been your son in his son's shoes.
"Your kids are about this far from this situation, some might say, oh my kids would never do that. Well, you know what my kid's a great kid. And we're sitting here today so I just ask people to be fair minded that by the grace of God said to themselves it wasn't my kid."
PREVIOUS STORY:
Former Carmel High School basketball player, Brandon Hoge, appeared before a Hendricks County judge Wednesday afternoon. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge for his role in the assault of a teammate.
Hoge was sentenced to serve 180 days probation along with 40 hours of community service. He was also ordered to write a letter of apology to the victim.
PREVIOUS STORY:
A former Carmel High School basketball player is due in a Hendricks County courtroom Wednesday afternoon.
Brandon Hoge is accused of assaulting a younger teammate on a team bus last year. He is expected to plead guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge for his role in the assault of a teammate.
The hazing incident took place on a team bus last winter coming back from a game in Terre Haute. Under the plea deal, Hoge will not serve any jail time.
The Hendricks County plea comes as Hamilton County prosecutors dropped charges against Hoge last month in a separate string of alleged attacks in the Carmel High School locker room.
Prosecutors told Fox59 Hoge was in class at the time of alleged incident.
Meatime, three other teammates: Robert Kitzinger, Oscar Falodun, and Scott Laskowski all pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor count of criminal recklessness in that locker room incident.
Each was sentenced to a year's probation and 40 hours of community service.
None will serve time.
Kitzinger also faces misdemeanor battery charges with a hearing scheduled in February but no plea deal is in place at this time.