Ex-UC coach Kennedy arrested

STAFF REPORT

Former UC head basketball coach Andy Kennedy, now the head coach at Ole Miss, is accused of assaulting a cab driver and hurling racial slurs at him.

Kennedy faces a misdemeanor charge of assault after the alleged attack downtown in the 500 block of Walnut Street at 1 a.m. Thursday.

Police records state that the alleged victim was Mohammed Ould Jiddou.

Also arrested was William Armstrong, the director of operations at Mississippi, on a charge of disorderly conduct, according to reports.

Kennedy and Armstrong are in Cincinnati for the SEC/Big East invitational at U.S. Bank Arena, in which Ole Miss is set to play Louisville Thursday night.

"I regret this situation," the 40-year-old Kennedy said in a statement. "The focus should be on the players and the game, not on me. I vehemently deny the charges levied against me, and am completely confident that I will be fully exonerated of all charges."

"There was no assault whatsoever, physical or verbal," Kennedy told ESPN.

Reports state that the 31-year-old Armstrong was thrown out of the Lodge Bar on East Seventh Street Thursday morning.

Armstrong and Kennedy then got into a cab, and a police report states that Armstrong taunted the driver "in which his conduct was likely to cause a violent response."

A separate report says Kennedy "was the aggressor" and punched Jiddou, allegedly using racial slurs.

Police say a person standing nearby witnessed the assault and said Armstrong was so intoxicated he refused to calm down when asked and requested that he be taken to jail.

Jiddou's lawyer, Rusty O'Brien, said Kennedy called Jiddou "Osama Bin Laden" and "Saddam Hussein."

"They're the worst names in the world, terrorists," O'Brien said. "For Kennedy to associate my client with them is hurtful."

O'Brien said Kennedy hailed Jiddou, a driver for Jet Cab, on a downtown street. When Kennedy got in the cab, he tried to bring four others with him, but Jiddou tried to explain he did not have room for the whole group.

O'Brien said Kennedy started calling his client names and punched him before getting out of the cab and hitting it as he walked away.

Kennedy has hired former Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen to represent him.

Allen entered a not guilty plea on behalf of his client Thursday morning, and the same on behalf of Armstrong. He said Kennedy "emphatically denies this and emphatically denies making any racial slurs."

Ole Miss assistant coach Michael White said Kennedy would coach Thursday night.

The school's athletic director, Pete Boone, issued a statement in support of Kennedy.

"Clearly, this is an unfortunate situation. However, after a full discussion with Andy Kennedy and his staff, who were with him, I have the utmost confidence that once all the facts are known, Coach Kennedy will be cleared of all charges," said Boone.

Kennedy is scheduled to appear before Hamilton County Municipal Judge Duane Mallory Jan. 16. Armstrong will appear the same day before Hamilton County Municipal Judge Brad Greenberg.