Following an incident in which a basketball official in western Kentucky was seriously injured, the Kentucky General Assembly is set to consider legislation designed to try and protect sports officials. Representatives Randy Bridges, of Paducah, Brandon Reed, of Hodgenville, and Chad McCoy, of Bardstown, are co-sponroring legislation labeled the “Good Sports Bill”, which would make intimidating sports officials a Class A misdemeanor. Physical assault would be a Class D Felony, which could carry a one to five year prison term, upon conviction.
The move to enact legislation comes after a Michigan man was arrested and charged with assaulting referee Kenny Culp at an AAU basketball game in Paducah back in April. The attack left Culp, who has been an official in the 1st and 2nd Region, with a broken collarbone, a concussion, bleeding on the brain, and an eye injury. He was taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville for treatment.
Kenyon Menifield, of Flint, Michigan, was charged in connection to the brutal attack.
