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American Morning

Foul Play?

Aired May 14, 2003 - 07:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Wakefield, Massachusetts are accusing a Little League mother of foul play.
While they're charging Valerie Yianacopolus with assaulting an 11-year-old boy who was rooting against her son's team, not all witnesses at the game agreed on exactly what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was saying some pretty bad stuff, things like, "Kill him, beat him down." And afterwards that she was saying, "He deserved it."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was standing right there as an umpire. I'm not a policeman, but if I see anyone kick a kid, I'm going to report it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, here from Wakefield is Police Chief Stephen Doherty.

Good to see you, Police Chief.

CHIEF STEPHEN DOHERTY, WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS POLICE: Good morning.

WHITFIELD: While there are so many opposing accounts as to what happened exactly, what's your understanding of what took place?

DOHERTY: The reports that we received indicated that an 11-year- old boy was a spectator and a supporter of one side of an ongoing Little League game. At the conclusion of that game, it's reported to us that another 11-year-old boy, who was a player in the now-ended game, came forward and assaulted him. It's further reported that his mother intervened in the assault and encouraged the boy, and as well she is charged with assault and battery for shoving the 11-year-old...

WHITFIELD: So, intervened...

DOHERTY: ... and was reported to have kicked...

WHITFIELD: ... intervened, not just verbally, but you're saying physically intervened.

DOHERTY: She is reported to have shoved the 11-year-old boy and reported to have kicked him in the face. WHITFIELD: She's also charged...

DOHERTY: The parties...

WHITFIELD: I'm sorry, go ahead.

DOHERTY: The parties were then separated, and the victim, 11- year-old, went home and sought the assistance of his family and medical attention.

WHITFIELD: All right, Valerie Yianacopolus, what did she tell officers when questioned as to what happened? What's her account of things?

DOHERTY: We have requested from her a statement. She has at this time, I believe, not provided it. We have gone to our local district court and got criminal charges based on the information the investigation has developed thus far.

WHITFIELD: So, in a case like this when you have so many opposing views, it would help if there were some videotaping of that event. Do you have that?

DOHERTY: We have asked for that through our local printed media. We have not received any as yet. But please appreciate that the people who came to this arena came on opposing sides, but they came on opposing sides in what was to be a positive athletic event, certainly not a place where one would reasonably anticipate violence.

WHITFIELD: Now, she has since resigned from her position as Little League treasury secretary, and apparently her husband was a coach on the team as well who also happens to be a Massachusetts state trooper. It would seem that many of the people there would feel a sense of security or safety knowing that at least one of the coaches was a law enforcement officer.

DOHERTY: Well, I think the fact that he happens to hold the occupation of law enforcement officer may -- you know, I don't know how people perceive someone, a law enforcement officer who is off duty. His primary function there was as a Little League coach. Clearly, this is not a venue where parents of young people would anticipate violence, and that's why we felt strongly that we have to move forward with the investigation, so that the courts can make a determination.

WHITFIELD: All right, Police Chief Stephen Doherty, thanks very much for joining us.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired May 14, 2003 - 07:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Wakefield, Massachusetts are accusing a Little League mother of foul play.
While they're charging Valerie Yianacopolus with assaulting an 11-year-old boy who was rooting against her son's team, not all witnesses at the game agreed on exactly what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was saying some pretty bad stuff, things like, "Kill him, beat him down." And afterwards that she was saying, "He deserved it."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was standing right there as an umpire. I'm not a policeman, but if I see anyone kick a kid, I'm going to report it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, here from Wakefield is Police Chief Stephen Doherty.

Good to see you, Police Chief.

CHIEF STEPHEN DOHERTY, WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS POLICE: Good morning.

WHITFIELD: While there are so many opposing accounts as to what happened exactly, what's your understanding of what took place?

DOHERTY: The reports that we received indicated that an 11-year- old boy was a spectator and a supporter of one side of an ongoing Little League game. At the conclusion of that game, it's reported to us that another 11-year-old boy, who was a player in the now-ended game, came forward and assaulted him. It's further reported that his mother intervened in the assault and encouraged the boy, and as well she is charged with assault and battery for shoving the 11-year-old...

WHITFIELD: So, intervened...

DOHERTY: ... and was reported to have kicked...

WHITFIELD: ... intervened, not just verbally, but you're saying physically intervened.

DOHERTY: She is reported to have shoved the 11-year-old boy and reported to have kicked him in the face. WHITFIELD: She's also charged...

DOHERTY: The parties...

WHITFIELD: I'm sorry, go ahead.

DOHERTY: The parties were then separated, and the victim, 11- year-old, went home and sought the assistance of his family and medical attention.

WHITFIELD: All right, Valerie Yianacopolus, what did she tell officers when questioned as to what happened? What's her account of things?

DOHERTY: We have requested from her a statement. She has at this time, I believe, not provided it. We have gone to our local district court and got criminal charges based on the information the investigation has developed thus far.

WHITFIELD: So, in a case like this when you have so many opposing views, it would help if there were some videotaping of that event. Do you have that?

DOHERTY: We have asked for that through our local printed media. We have not received any as yet. But please appreciate that the people who came to this arena came on opposing sides, but they came on opposing sides in what was to be a positive athletic event, certainly not a place where one would reasonably anticipate violence.

WHITFIELD: Now, she has since resigned from her position as Little League treasury secretary, and apparently her husband was a coach on the team as well who also happens to be a Massachusetts state trooper. It would seem that many of the people there would feel a sense of security or safety knowing that at least one of the coaches was a law enforcement officer.

DOHERTY: Well, I think the fact that he happens to hold the occupation of law enforcement officer may -- you know, I don't know how people perceive someone, a law enforcement officer who is off duty. His primary function there was as a Little League coach. Clearly, this is not a venue where parents of young people would anticipate violence, and that's why we felt strongly that we have to move forward with the investigation, so that the courts can make a determination.

WHITFIELD: All right, Police Chief Stephen Doherty, thanks very much for joining us.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.