Friday, March 2nd 2018, 9:09 pm
The attorneys for the four Bixby football players accused of sexually assaulting a teammate last fall at former superintendent Kyle Wood's home spoke out Friday.
3/2/2018 Related Story: Behavior In Bixby Rape Case Was ‘Roughhousing’ Not Criminal, Attorneys Say
Wood's son, Joe, is one of the four charged with second-degree rape by instrumentation along with Samuel Lakin, William Thomas, and Colton Cable
Their lawyers said what happened was simply "roughhousing" and part of the football team's culture.
Some Bixby parents are speaking out about the case.
One parent said this case has made her scared for her children's safety, but that what happened doesn't really surprise her.
Concerned parents like Amy Randolph are frustrated. Randolph has two kids in Bixby schools. One of them is a senior. She said she’s glad these students are being held accountable for what they're being accused of.
"It’s kind of not a surprise, I think just from some different things I've heard there's some tough kids in this group," said Randolph.
Randolph said this is an all-around heartbreaking situation and that she thinks it wasn't handled as quickly as it could have been. She said in this day and age it's already scary enough sending her kids to school.
"It’s very scary to send them off to school every day you worry about them coming home safe and to have to worry about attacks from your own classmates … you shouldn't have to worry about that," said Randolph.
That's why Randolph said her daughter goes to work, school, and then comes home.
Randolph also disagrees with the statement from the attorneys for the four boys that were charged, that this was just part of a prankish roughhousing culture.
"There's one thing to do practical jokes and pranks, things that'll make you laugh. These aren't those kinds of things. This is harmful to somebody and not just physically but emotionally," Randolph said.
She said while what these students are accused of is completely unacceptable behavior, there are still good teachers and students in her city.
"I mean to hear things like this going on and things like this happening is yeah truly heartbreaking cause this is a good town, good community, good schools," she said.
Three of the boys are due in court next week to be arraigned.
That is where they will enter a plea.
Another has already been arraigned.
As a reminder, an arrest is not the same thing as a conviction.
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