No assault charges for Milbury
Then-Islanders General Manager Mike Milbury speaks during a press conference at the Vanderbilt in Plainview. (Aug. 29, 2001) Credit: Newsday / Thomas A. Ferrara
Former Islanders and Boston Bruins coach Mike Milbury will not face charges after a Massachusetts clerk magistrate in Brookline, Mass., ruled Friday that there isn't enough evidence to criminally charge him after his confrontation with a 12-year-old youth hockey player.
The decision came after a closed-door hearing involving witnesses and police in Brookline District Court. After the hearing, Milbury said he is pleased with the ruling.
"Well, that's good that it's over a couple days before Christmas," he said. "It was an unfortunate misunderstanding."
Police sought to have Milbury charged with assault and battery, making threats and disorderly conduct after the Dec. 9 incident at a public hockey rink in Brookline. They said Milbury grabbed, shook and threatened a boy who was fighting and jawing with his 12-year-old son. Milbury, 59, said he grabbed the player's uniform to stop the fight but never assaulted or threatened the boy.
In a statement, Milbury said: "My family and I are gratified that the clerk magistrate found no reason to further investigate the incident at Larz Anderson Park two weeks ago when I separated two 12-year-old boys in a Pee Wee hockey game, one of whom was my son. I was a coach and supervisor on the ice that day when the scuffle broke out after the game had concluded and the referee had left. I know I acted responsibly to break up an altercation between two young boys in order to prevent potential injury to both. My actions were in no way inappropriate and I would take the same actions today if confronted with a similar situation in the future."
Milbury, an NHL analyst with NBC Sports, was taken off the air while he dealt with the incident. His attorney, Mark Berthiaume, said Friday that Milbury will resume work after the holidays. -- AP
