Seamons Vs. Snow: Case Study

Seamons vs. Snow
Theodore W Brown
SPT 610: Sport Law
May 31, 2015
Dr. Brent Estes

Seamons vs. Snow
CASE CITATION:
Sherwin SEAMONS and Jane Seamons, v. Douglas SNOW, Nos. 98-4152, 98-4155. Decided March 20, 2000
FACTS: Sherwin and Jane Seamons’ son, Brian Seamons, played football for Sky View High School in Utah. On October 11, 1993 while he was on the team, some of his teammates reportedly assaulted him in the locker room. Brian told his family about the incident and they decided to notify the police, the principal, Myron Benson, and the team coach, Doug Snow. Coach Snow asked Brian if he would be willing to meet with the team’s four captains, two of which were involved in the assault.
Brian apparently agreed to meet with the captains.

The intended scope of the apology is also a matter of dispute. The requested apology is dependent in part on Coach Snow 's intent in asking for it. The Coach 's purpose in making these statements to Brian is not easily ascertained and requires inferences drawn from the Coach 's behavior throughout the meeting and the broader controversy.
Brian testified that when Coach Snow told him to “take the weekend and think about it,” he understood he was being told not to participate in that night 's game. Coach Snow testified that by making this statement he was telling Brian he couldn 't participate in that night 's game. Had Brian offered the apology at the captains ' meeting he would have been allowed to suit up for the game. He was at school and ready to play on Friday. There was no indication that he didn 't want to play or would be prevented from playing in the Logan game. The only thing that happened to alter this situation was the captains ' meeting at which Brian was asked, and refused, to apologize. Thus, there is evidence that Brian 's refusal to apologize was directly related to the fact that he couldn 't play in the Friday game, which was, in effect, a temporary suspension from the team

However, whenever hazing involves assaulting the victim, then it goes to another level. A perfect example would be a 13-year-old Georgia student riding a school bus received a “wedgie” during a school hazing incident so painful that his mother took him to the emergency room. The boy was a member of the 2007 Charlton County High School junior varsity golf team. He was riding the bus along with varsity members, who held him upside down. According to a local new report, two older students called the boy to the back of the bus and, in addition to the wedgie, punched the 13-year-old in the groin and stomach — all as a part of an initiation ritual. In this case the youth should be tried as adults because of the severity of the incident and the emotional and physical effect that it had on the victim