May 6, 2009

Should Lane Kiffin recruit convicted rapists?

Deadspin poses this question of scruples: Should Lane Kiffin sign and recruit convicted rapists?

A little back story....

One of the players Kiffin is bringing to Tennessee next year is Daniel Hood, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive end from Knoxville Catholic High. He is 19 years old, and a "model student on and off the field," with high grades and higher test scores. However, when Hood was 13 he was convicted of kidnapping and raping his 14-year-old cousin. His 17-year-old accomplice was tried as an adult and got 10 years in prison. Hood has been in the care of the state ever since.

Long story short, Hood (who was 13 at the time) and a 17-year-old, wrapped his female cousin in duct tape and assaulted her.

Prior to the Vols signing Hood, his Catholic school dean, principal, teachers, coaches, father and (even) the girl he raped vouched for him. Despite his conviction for "kidnapping and aggravated rape", they all insist that Hood is the model kid now and that's he has paid and continues to pay the price for his actions.

"We didn't go about this lightly," UT coach Lane Kiffin said in a statement Tuesday. "We spent a lot of time researching the issue and talking to a lot of people who are well-respected in the community. Everyone spoke very highly of Daniel. He's a very bright young man who wants to move past this incident and be a good representative for the team, the university and the community."

Hood had 27 Division One offers at one point, but most were pulled when they learned about his conviction. I suppose being a having a sex offense on your record will have that effect on recruiters.

"I know people are going to form their opinions about me. Everybody's entitled to that. The only thing I can do is prove who I am now," Hood said. "Every day is a new battle. There's a new person I can meet. They may have a prejudice set up against me. But I have a chance to prove who I am every day and not only to be a witness to some of the correctional facilities and the jobs they're doing of putting out rehabilitated people, but more directly be a witness for Christ for the sake of his church."

Here's my take - if everyone that knows the kid is vouching for him (even his victim!), then I think Kiffin might be making the right call. While I certainly didn't commit any felonies as a 13-year-old, I'm quite sure that I wouldn't want my adult decisions to be judged solely on my teen or pre-teen mistakes. Hood has apologized publicly (especially in the bright lights of the UT scholarship offer) and says he's grown from his mistake.

What say you? Should Tennessee have a "no convicted felons" policy or is Kiffin right to give the kid a second chance?

Comments:

Should Lane Kiffin recruit convicted rapists?
Deadspin poses this question of scruples: Should Lane Kiffin sign and recruit convicted rapists? A little back story....
One of the players Kiffin is bringing to Tennessee next year is Daniel Hood, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive end from Knoxville Catholic High. He is 19 years old, and a "model student on and off the field," with high grades and higher test scores. However, when Hood was 13 he was convicted of kidnapping and raping his 14-year-old cousin. His 17-year-old accomplice was tried as an adult and got 10 years in prison. Hood has been in the care of the state ever since.
Long story short, Hood (who was 13 at the time) and a 17-year-old, wrapped his female cousin in duct tape and assaulted her. Prior to the Vols signing Hood, his Catholic school dean, principal, teachers, coaches, father and (even) the girl he raped vouched for him. Despite his conviction for "kidnapping and aggravated rape", they all insist that Hood is the model kid now and that's he has paid and continues to pay the price for his actions.
"We didn't go about this lightly," UT coach Lane Kiffin said in a statement Tuesday. "We spent a lot of time researching the issue and talking to a lot of people who are well-respected in the community. Everyone spoke very highly of Daniel. He's a very bright young man who wants to move past this incident and be a good representative for the team, the university and the community."
Hood had 27 Division One offers at one point, but most were pulled when they learned about his conviction. I suppose being a having a sex offense on your record will have that effect on recruiters.
"I know people are going to form their opinions about me. Everybody's entitled to that. The only thing I can do is prove who I am now," Hood said. "Every day is a new battle. There's a new person I can meet. They may have a prejudice set up against me. But I have a chance to prove who I am every day and not only to be a witness to some of the correctional facilities and the jobs they're doing of putting out rehabilitated people, but more directly be a witness for Christ for the sake of his church."
Here's my take - if everyone that knows the kid is vouching for him (even his victim!), then I think Kiffin might be making the right call. While I certainly didn't commit any felonies as a 13-year-old, I'm quite sure that I wouldn't want my adult decisions to be judged solely on my teen or pre-teen mistakes. Hood has apologized publicly (especially in the bright lights of the UT scholarship offer) and says he's grown from his mistake. What say you? Should Tennessee have a "no convicted felons" policy or is Kiffin right to give the kid a second chance?