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Jefferson County DA drops charge against ex-Ringling football coach

Bill Oxford
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Unsplash

Less than a month before a jury trial in the case of an ex-Ringling football coach accused of abusing students was set to begin, the charge has been dismissed.

Phil Koons was charged with outraging public decency in late 2023 in connection to allegations he verbally and physically abused students while he was a high school football coach in Ringling. The misdemeanor charge came with a fine of up to $500 and up to a year in jail.

However, Jefferson County District Attorney Jason Hicks dismissed the charge last Friday. Court documents show he did so after reviewing civil dispositions and that he dismissed the charge with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought back to court.

A civil lawsuit filed against Koons on the behalf of multiple Ringling students is still pending in Oklahoma City federal court. The defendants claim Koons used sexist, homophobic, and racist slurs against them and once forced them to complete an exercise drill while naked as a punishment.

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Hannah France joined KGOU as a reporter in 2021, shortly after earning a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. In 2023, Hannah was the first place recipient of the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists' Radio Outstanding Reporter Portfolio award. Hannah reports on a variety of topics including criminal justice, housing, and labor rights and is dedicated to educating and empowering Oklahomans through community storytelling.
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