NEW YORK (AP) — A Columbia University football player has been charged with a hate crime for allegedly assaulting another student and using racial slurs.
Chad Washington was charged with misdemeanor aggravated harassment as a hate crime.
Police say the 19-year-old defensive lineman followed the victim from his dorm room, grabbed him by the collar, yelled racial slurs and threatened to beat him up.
Washington was arraigned Wednesday and released without bail. His attorney, Daniel Fetterman, says the allegations don’t accurately reflect the events.
The victim is of Asian descent. Washington is black.
The Columbia Spectator reported that Washington recently wrote an op-ed piece for the newspaper in which he said student athletes deserved more respect than they’re given on campus.
