Bad Blood Spills Into Court: The Kansas/Missouri rivalry is taking a legal turn as a trespassing trial has been delayed until Dec. 21. During the Tigers’ home game against the Jayhawks last March, three Kansas students bickered with the off-duty Columbia police chief, who attended the game as a fan. Chief Jack Watring took exception to the Kansas students’ sign, which read “Call it what you want, it’ll always be Allen Fieldhouse East.” The banner referenced the dispute at Mizzou about renaming Paige Arena to Mizzou Area. The arena is named for Paige Laurie, the daughter of a multimillion-dollar donor. But Laurie apparently paid a USC student to finish her coursework.
According to the Kansas fans, Watring argued with the students, then ordered Andrew Wymore to be removed. Officials say he attempted to re-enter the arena, hence the trespassing charge. District attorney officials have offered Wymore, a future law student at UCLA, a plea bargain of $50, which he refuses to accept because he said that would require an admission of guilt. He’s willing to wait until Dec. 21 to start the trial to defend his innocence. The trial must wait because the prosecution’s primary witness was out of town when the trial was supposed to start and Wymore must soon report to UCLA for the upcoming fall semester. Wymore had better hope that Kansas’ recent success in Columbia extends to the court of law. [8/3/05]
