Criminal lawsuit against UAlbany men’s basketball coach to be dismissed
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The UAlbany men’s basketball coach said the assault charge against him will be dismissed, given he complies with an agreement made in a Kentucky courtoom on Monday.
Coach Dwayne Killings is accused of assaulting a former UAlbany student-athlete in a locker room during an away game.
Through Killings’ PR team, Greenberg Public Relations, he said:
“Upon recommendation of the county attorney, the Court today approved a resolution of the case in Kentucky, which will be dismissed in one year, upon my completion of an online class in ‘corrective thinking.’”
“The interests of our team, players, families, program, and community always come first for me. That will never change. I look forward to continuing to build a program that the entire UAlbany community and Capital Region can be proud of, today and long into the future.”
Albany head coach Dwayne Killings directs his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., Monday, Nov. 22, 2021. (AP Photo / James Crisp)
Killings pleaded not guilty in January on that criminal charge of assault in the fourth degree in Kentucky. He is accused of pushing former player, Luke Fizulich against a locker and slapping him across the face before a game against Eastern Kentucky University in 2021.
An investigation was previously done by UAlbany and killings was suspended for five games and was fined $25,000. The coach is also being sued by Fizulich in a civil case.
“Bullying doesn’t just happen between students. It happens, as it did here, between an educator; someone to whom we entrust our children, and a student-athlete. Luke’s been very, very traumatized by this,” Andrew Miltenberg said, Fizulich’s attorney.
Miltenberg said he was pleased to hear of the outcome from the Kentucky court system. He said it will strengthen the civil lawsuit, “because there has been recognition not only by the state of Kentucky but by coach Killings that this did occur and he’s accepted the court’s recommendations that he undergo some corrective thinking.”
Miltenberg said both the criminal case and the lawsuit against killings are examples of why violent outbursts, by coaches and educators, need to continue to be brought to light.