(SOUTHFIELD, MI, 4/4/2012) — The Michigan chapter of the Council onAmerican-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) today welcomed the dismissal of assault and battery charges against four Muslim high school football players in Dearborn Heights, Mich.
The Muslim athletes from Star International Academy were charged asadults for a late game skirmish against Westland Lutheran High School in October 2011.
CAIR-MI and other civil rights groups questioned the unprecedentednature of the charges in which no high school football players haveever been similarly charged in Michigan for unsportsmanlike conductduring a game.
SEE: Judge Urged to Dismiss Charges Against Four Arab American HighSchool Football Players (Arab American News)
http://tinyurl.com/7m3kfxn
SEE: Dearborn Heights Students Challenge Charges (CAIR-MI)
District Court Chief Judge Mark Plawecki dismissed all criminal charges against the four players and stated that such prosecution could set the dangerous precedent of criminalizing scholastic, collegiate and professional sports in Michigan. Judge Plawecki alsostated that the one who brought forth these charges must have never seen a football game before.
“We welcome the dismissal of adult criminal charges against the fourfootball players, though we continue to question why these chargeswere brought forth to begin with,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid. “Though we do not endorse unsportsmanlike conduct, selective prosecution of particular high school athletes with adult charges for activities that are common should be unacceptable to all of us.”
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, E-Mail: dwalid@cair.com