MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - He was accused of molesting two young boys and nearly beaten to death with a baseball bat by their mother. Now the DA's office says he won't face any charges.
27-year-old Lakeisha Richmond is accused of beating 33-year-old Tony Massey. Richmond accused Massey of molesting two of her sons, who play for the Magnolia Dolphins little league football team; Massey is an assistant coach.
"My 8-year-old said he wanted to play hide and seek and that [the coach] grabbed my 9-year-old’s hand and put it on the coach’s private part and my 9-year-old said, ‘No that's bad, that's nasty' and the coach said, 'No this is what college people do,'” said Richmond.
On her way to meet with the head coach over her children's allegations, Richmond saw Massey and couldn't hold back.
"He was running away,” said Richmond. “I didn't say anything to him I just blanked out. When I saw him, I saw my kids being hurt, that’s it.”
Neighbors say Richmond chased the coach down the street to a neighbor’s carport and then started beating him with a bat.
“There was blood splattered all over my carport,” said a neighbor Jackie Woods. “She beat his head open, split his head." Massey was taken to The MED in critical condition.
Richmond was charged with Aggravated Assault, and gained widespread support and criticism for her actions.
Massey has maintained his innocence. According to investigators with the Memphis Police Sex Crimes Bureau, the District Attorney's office has declined to prosecute him.
At a November 13 court appearance, Richmond waived a preliminary hearing, sending the case to a grand jury.
