Minnesota wrestler accused of terroristic threats on Twitter allowed to compete
A bizarre court drama between a high school twisting a relatively benign Twitter message into a terrorist threat and a student-athlete with multiple previous suspensions came to an end on Wednesday, according to multiple reports out of Minnesota.
During a mediation hearing, Tyson Leon's family dropped their lawsuit against the Minnesota State High School League and Shakopee (Minn.) Public Schools once the school's district attorney agreed the 16-year-old could wrestle this winter, according to the Associated Press. He reportedly remains suspended from the football team.
The issue centers around a direct message Leon allegedly sent to a fellow student on Twitter in late August: "Im boutta drill my 'teammates' on Monday."
Leon defended the Twitter message as a reference to tackling his fellow Sabers on the gridiron during practice, because ... well ... obviously, right? Seems straightforward.
Except district officials considered the tweet a terroristic threat to the school, according to a Minneapolis Star Tribune report (despite reportedly never calling police about said threat). As Leon's mother, Barb Bainer, told the Star Tribune, “The ultimate goal was to get Tyson reinstated. ... The whole thing’s kind of ludicrous.”
Still, Leon, who finished sixth in the cadet division as a sophomore at the state wrestling meet last season, apparently isn't allowed to play football for Shakopee (5-3) this fall.
According to court records obtained by the AP, he's been suspended from sports on three other occasions -- for alleged alcohol use and fighting -- and had a heated exchange with school officials two days prior to his most recent suspension over the tweet.
When a coach discovered a text that referenced smoking on Leon's cell phone, officials confronted the student and kept him from scrimmaging despite his denial of using tobacco, the AP reported. Leon allegedly swore as he stormed from the room, and two days later the administration presented him with a printed copy of his Twitter account.
The person you should feel worst for is the Leon's first opponent on the mat this winter.
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