This is not the best news I’ve had the chance to report (hopefully we’ll have some happier news to report soon), but I feel like it’s something that needs to be mentioned:
Mark Hardy, the Kings Assistant coach has been arrested in Washington DC for misdemeanor sexual abuse. According to ABC-TV’s website, and Rich Hammond, Hardy was taken into custody last night and the allegation came from a woman in her 20′s. The woman claims to be a relative of Hardy’s, which would obviously put a disturbing twist on the allegations.
Mark Hardy has served as an Assistant Coach for the Kings twice, first under Andy Murray from 1996 through 2006 and then returned under Terry Murray in 2008. He also played some of his 11 professional seasons in Los Angeles. Comments from the Kings organization thus far have been limited to “We are aware of the charge. Due to the legal nature of this matter, we will not have any additional comments at this time.”
It’s an upsetting development, and some parts of the blogosphere are already calling for his head. While certainly I’ve always been a fan of the “innocent until proven guilty” mantra, it’s always hard to follow in practice. If the allegations are false, I certainly hope he gets it all straightened out. If they’re true, well… it’s an awful story, but one that must be covered. On to better news soon…
Tags: Arrested, Kings, Mark Hardy
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Paul Sarabia
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