LEXINGTON, Ky. - Current and former University of Kentucky football players filed a lawsuit Wednesday against a Lexington police officer who they claim "initiated false charges to frame and defame them after Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity members subjected them to racial slurs and physical assault."
The lawsuit claims Lexington Police officer, Cory Vinlove, made false charges against the players following the alleged attack by Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity members.
According to a release from Loevy & Loevy, in March 2021, Reuben Adams, JuTahan McClain, Andru Philips, Devito Tisdale and Joel Williams were UK athletes. Everyone but McClain attended a party hosted by the fraternity, where the group claims they were subjected to physical assault and racial slurs. Attorneys for the young men say they cooperated with the criminal investigation. The group alleges Vinlove refused to charge anyone, but brought false felony charges against the players. The suit also claims Vinlove made up evidence in a sworn affidavit, ignored evidence that would exonerate their clients and gave false testimony.
In the release, R.J. Adams and his parents said, "We are pursuing this lawsuit because our son was unjustly accused of a crime he did not commit. He was targeted and victimized by the criminal justice system of the Lexington Police Department, specifically Det. Vinlove, his supervisors, and the Police Chief. The remnants of this unjust act continues to have an impact on my son and our family. RJ was ostracized on campus, in the city of Lexington, in our hometown of VA, and on social media. We are seeking justice, accountability, and an apology for the false charges brought against him when he was a victim of a racial attack."
According to the attorneys, a Fayette County Grand Jury returned a no true bill and dismissed the charges against each of the UK players.
"This lawsuit is another tragic example of the damage caused by corrupt policing in America. It is shocking how Officer Cory Vinlove, in spite of objective evidence and the University of Kentucky's thorough investigation, damaged so many lives. As the lawsuits demonstrate, these five young Black men were targeted by a white officer with an axe to grind and determined to make a name for himself," said Elliot Slosar, one of football players' attorneys at Loevy & Loevy, a Chicago-based civil rights law firm.
UK reinstated the players immediately, but they say their football and educational careers and their mental health suffered because of the incident.
The university said in an email to Spectrum News 1, "We have no comment on pending litigation." The Lexington Police Department responded to Spectrum News 1's request by stating "No comment."