Teen Seeks Lighter Jail Sentence

By KELLEY SHANNON Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO (AP)  Tony Limon was a starter for South San Antonio High School's basketball team last year, a star player later voted ``Most Popular'' by his classmates at graduation.

Now, the 18-year-old is in the Bexar County Jail, hoping a five-year sentence imposed for breaking an opponent's nose during a game will be reduced. It's a case that has brought national attention to a young man who was already in trouble with the law and raised questions about violence in sports.

Today was the legal deadline for District Court Judge Mark Luitjen to lower the sentence. If that doesn't happen, Limon's lawyers plan to ask that their client spend up to six months in jail before going on probation.

Though Limon takes responsibility for his action and has publicly apologized, he did not mean to harm Brent Holmes, said Carlos Uresti, one of the teen-ager's attorneys.

``Tony just used poor judgment, and, I guess, got frustrated. He had no idea he was going to break the kid's nose,'' Uresti said.

At the county jail last week, Limon  wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, handcuffs and leg shackles  told reporters that South San Antonio coach Gary Durbon approved of his hitting Holmes.

``He told me it's about time someone shed blood,'' Limon said.

Durbon disputed that statement.

``I totally deny the accusation,'' Durbon said Thursday, declining further comment without his lawyer's approval.

Limon's case has fueled debate over whether athletes should be held accountable in criminal court for what they do in a game.

``There have been isolated cases of civil lawsuits that a student used too much force in executing a play, but I've never heard of a student being criminally charged before,'' Robert Kanaby, executive director of the National High School Federation, told The New York Times.

On Thursday, the League of United Latin American Citizens held a news conference in San Antonio to decry Limon's punishment.

``If it's going to be a felony, then let it be known,'' said LULAC spokeswoman Rosa Rosales. ``But that was accepted behavior. Whether it was right or wrong, it was accepted behavior.''

In Chicago last year, a teen-ager was charged with aggravated battery for a hit from behind near the end of a high school hockey game. A 15-year-old boy was paralyzed from the chest down as a result.

In professional sports, Boston Bruins player Marty McSorley is facing assault charges in Vancouver, British Columbia, for hitting Donald Brashear in the head with a stick in a Feb. 21 game.

In Limon's case, the aggravated assault charge was filed after last year's game between South San Antonio and East Central High School.

Videotape footage by a spectator shows Limon and Holmes running on the court. Limon then hits Holmes in the head with his forearm, knocking him down. Holmes suffered cuts, a broken nose, a concussion and had to undergo surgery.

No foul was called for the hit, and Limon played the rest of the game, which South San Antonio lost. School officials later suspended Limon for the rest of the season, but he graduated last spring.

It wasn't until last summer that a Bexar County grand jury indicted Limon on an aggravated assault-serious bodily injury charge. He agreed to plead no contest in exchange for a sentence that could range from probation to six years in prison. Limon applied for and expected probation.

But at sentencing Feb. 7, Luitjen gave him five years behind bars because Limon was already on probation for attempted burglary.

Additionally, Holmes has sued Durbon and the school district for $6,000 in medical expenses and other damages.

``There's really no disputing that it was a vicious, intentional assault,'' said Ray Leach, Holmes' attorney in the civil lawsuit. Statements by former players and an assistant coach indicate ``that the coach encouraged the kind of play that led to this incident,''

``We think either somebody was turning a blind eye to what was going on or they knew about it and just overlooked it,'' Leach said.

-- cin (cinlooo@aol.com), March 10, 2000

Answers

We like tough-guys in here!

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), March 10, 2000.

From purely a b-ball enthusiast point of view I think it is probably a correct decision,if it was that blatant.It is quite another point if he and the coach conspired to injur an opposing player.

I hate unsportsmanlike conduct.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), March 10, 2000.

Has anyone heard of a similar controversy 2 weeks ago, in the NHL? I don't watch hockey, so I can't even remember now the player's name or even his team (Van. Canucks maybe?) where he had hit a player from the other team, causing him mild head injury and to be out for the game.

The controversy was about wether the offending player should have been arrested by police on criminal charges, or left to be dealt with by the NHL. I didn't pay much attention to this news, but I believe the decision was for the NHL to deal with it.

If so, it shows a double standard, and sets a very bad example for the junior players, in any sport.

IMO, hockey became very violent over the years, as compared when I used to watch it as a teen. This violence is spilling over into games like basketball, a non-contact sport.

-- Chris (!@#$@pond.com), March 10, 2000.

Actually Chris, the NHL player in question (Marty McSorly, Boston Bruins) is close to being arrested and charged for felony assault by the Vancouver, B.C.P.D. In an interesting sidebar, the GM of the Vancouver team has offered to testify IN Martys defense. This will not be the first time that an NHL player has been charged but you may rest assured that a foundation for allowable actions will be set with this case.

Getting back to H.S. B-ball, we have a similar case in progress here in Southern California. A 610 17 year old phenom was recruited to play for a local H.S. This kid was from Northern Cal where he had a rap sheet longer than my last IRS audit. Never mind that he is a troubled soul, he got game. He liked to killed one of his own teammates during a practice session over nothing. Most want this dude to do some serious time but when you have game you can get away with murder, or at least attempted murder. Last I heard he was ordered into a state run mental evaluation program. Great huh?

-- Sifting (through@the.rubble), March 10, 2000.

Was L. Spreewell charged for strangeling his coach in the NBA? No.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), March 10, 2000.

Basketball is not a contact sport????!!!!

I think it is

-- cin (cinlooo@aol.com), March 10, 2000.

Sifting, thanks for clarifying this Mc.Sorly/NHL incident. Now that you explained it, that's what I remember.

"Most want this dude to do some serious time but when you have game you can get away with murder,..."

That rings an OJ bell ;-)

Cin, I played basketball as a teen, woman's ofcourse, but the rules are the same. It's not a contact sport like football is a contact sport. You're not suposed to placate, push, hit your oponent in anyway. Ofcourse accidents happen in the heat of the game and players end up on top of each other, but the SPIRIT is not supposed to be VIOLENT. One must outrun, outsmart and outskill one's oponent. It's more in the same category as volleyball. But like any sports in the pass couple of decades, BS has degenerated also. IMHO.

-- Chris (!@#$@pond.com), March 10, 2000.

Sifting, one more thing I forgot:

"In an interesting sidebar, the GM of the Vancouver team has offered to testify IN Martys defense. This will not be the first time that an NHL player has been charged but you may rest assured that a foundation for allowable actions will be set with this case."

IMO, this is more than an interesting sidebar, but the crux of the issue of why hockey and basketball has devolved so much over the years. Big money decide the morality of the games.

-- Chris (!@#$@pond.com), March 10, 2000.

i played basketball in school when i was younger only we called it

JUNGLEBALL

anything goes!!!

-- jungle jim (jungle@jim.net), March 13, 2000.

TONY LIMON IS NOT A CRIMINAL. I TOO WOULD BE IN PRISON FOR PLAYING TO ROUGH,BUT THAT IS JUST HOW SPORTS ARE PLAYED. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE BY PUTTING SOMEONE IN JAIL FOR PHYSICAL CONTACT, THEN PUT ONE OF THOSE RICH BLACK BASKETBALL PLAYERS, AND DONT PICK ON POOR TONY FROM THE SOUTHSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, WHERE THIS TYPE OF PLAY IS COMMON. FUCKING NIGGER GOT WHAT HE DESERVED.

-- ANTHONY VALADEZ (PLAYBOY9421@HOTMAIL.COM), November 09, 2002.

I think your asick sick peson because we are in the year 2000 you shuld take atrip to our time becase the word "nigger" is not such a nise word.

-- joel mercado (dogE_2000@hotmail.com), December 11, 2002.