Police close vandalism probe

No criminal charges will be filed in the vandalism at a locker room at the Jefferson High School Memorial Stadium following a football game against East Jackson Comprehensive High School.

The Jefferson Police Department closed its investigation after JHS officials decided not to pursue charges against East Jackson players or coaches over the incident.

“We are placing our confidence and trust in the administration of EJCHS to appropriately deal with these individuals and coaching staff to ensure this does not happen again in the future,” said JHS principal Kevin Smith in an e-mail to JPD officers.

But the investigation of the incident reveal some details of what happened that night:

• In addition to breaking name tags off of lockers, EJCHS players also drew a penis in dust and stole a JHS uniform and bag from a locker. The uniform and bag were later returned.

• That Coach Frank Caputo declined to discuss the matter with a JPD investigator at an interview and asked for a lawyer when read his Miranda Rights.

• That in “a fit of rage,” Caputo had kicked a water carrier holder during the game’s halftime and broken it in the locker room. The carrier belonged to EJCHS.

• One player told investigators that the coaches were more upset about having been defeated by JHS than they were about the broken name plates in the locker room. The coaches were also said to have cursed at the boys during halftime.

• That two EJCHS students broke off the sink in the visitors restroom, but that it may have been an accident from the boys trying to sit on it.

Seven players and Caputo were not allowed to participate in the last EJCHS football game of the season due to the incident.

“Vandalism of any kind is not acceptable and will not be tolerated,” said EJCHS Principal Pat Stueck after the event. “I hope that we can move forward and have this evolve into a healthy rivalry with good sportsmanship prevalent on both sides.”