RIDERS DROP DB COX

Faces assault charge

Community organizations in Regina say the Saskatchewan Roughriders did the right thing by quickly cutting defensive back Justin Cox following a third allegation of domestic violence, but note there is still more work to be done about the issue across the CFL and the rest of the country.

Cox was arrested Tuesday and charged with assault causing bodily harm in an alleged incident of intimate-partner violence.

Two days earlier, police were called to the 2200 block of McTavish Street in Regina for a report of an assault said to have happened earlier in the day. A 23-year-old woman there had injuries consistent with a physical assault.

At the time, Cox was identified as a suspect, but his whereabouts were unknown.

Over the next two days, police attempted to contact Cox and located him Tuesday.

He was released on an officer’s undertaking and is to appear in Regina provincial court on May 4.

Hillary Aitken, senior director of housing with the Regina YWCA, called Cox’s release “one good, but small, step” and questioned why he was welcomed to the CFL in the first place when the Roughriders knew of two previous allegations of domestic assault.

“That sent a wild message to survivors of domestic violence,” said Aitken.

On July 20, 2015, Cox was arrested for aggravated domestic violence, burglary of a residence and trespassing in Oktibbeha County, Miss. He was released by the Kansas City Chiefs the next day.

In November 2014, Cox was charged with burglary and aggravated domestic violence in a separate incident while attending Mississippi State. The charges were dropped after Cox pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

The CFL made sure Cox won’t resurface in the league any time soon.

In a statement, commissioner Jeffrey Orridge said CFL teams have been notified that any attempts to sign Cox to a contract will be refused by the league.

“The Canadian Football League is committed to doing its part to eradicate violence against women,” the statement read.

“That’s hopeful and the kind of leadership we need,” said Aitken.

Crystal Giesbrecht, director of research and communications with the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services, applauded the quick action by the Roughriders and the CFL.

“They’re making a statement that violence against women is not going to be tolerated,” said Giesbrecht.

When Cox’s previous charges came to light last year, Roughriders head coach and general manager Chris Jones defended bringing the player to Saskatchewan.

“I’ve known some people that have known Justin Cox since high school,” Jones said in July.

“I had a thorough investigation done on his background. I know some of his junior college coaches and some of his college coaches as well.

“I was fully satisfied with things that we found.”

When contacted Wednesday, Jones declined to comment on the latest charge that Cox faces.

In a series of tweets Wednesday, Cox apologized to the Roughriders and the team’s fans for his “actions and decisions” but later added “Clearly I did not beat up anyone #facts.”

Generally speaking, Giesbrecht said she sees sports organizations and other employers taking a tougher stance against domestic violence than they once did. But there is still far more to do, she added, especially in Saskatchewan with its high domestic violence rates.

One of the most important things in all of this, she noted, is that the complainant and the accused will both have access to programming through the CFL.