Ma’lik Richmond, post-verdict, (March, 2013).
Twenty-one-year-old defensive end Ma’lik Richmond entered the Youngstown State University football game Saturday late in the third quarter. YSU had built up a comfortable 52-6 lead against the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils by then, and Richmond played the remainder of the game. He recorded two tackles.

Thursday a federal judge had ruled that Richmond, who was found delinquent of sexual assault in 2013, when he was a member of the Steubenville High School football team, could suit up for the next two weeks. YSU had issued a statement in response to campus petitions, saying that Richmond must forfeit a year of eligibility.

The university appealed the judge’s ruling, but an appeals court found that allowing Richmond back on the team would not have “serious or irreparable consequences.” The federal district court judge, Benita Pearson, has scheduled a hearing for Sep. 28 to determine if the temporary restraining order against YSU should be permanent.

YSU prevailed 59-9 at Youngstown’s Stambaugh Stadium. The Penguins are now 2-1 on the season.

This article appears in Sep 13-19, 2017.

Sam Allard is a former senior writer at Scene.

5 replies on “Steubenville Rapist Ma’lik Richmond Played Saturday for YSU, After Judge’s Ruling”

  2. What he did was terrible, but I don’t really understand why a person that is not incarcerated would not be allowed to play football.

  3. Colleges and coaches need to be leaders in their communities and role models by setting higher standards for their athletes and students. There should be a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to sexual assault of any kind. No, you should not be allowed to play football or any sport once you are convicted of raping someone. That sends a terrible message to society. If you want to be the best, you need to expect the best and not compromise the integrity of your school and your team. Youngstown State you are disgusting for allowing this man on your team. And the judge made a terrible ruling to allow him to play. If you don’t serve justice we will through spreading the word.

  4. I don’t recall him being convicted of rape while at YSU. His crime occurred in high school. I understand that he and the victim are both working on repairing their lives and trying to move forward. He acknowledged his crime, demonstrated remorse, apologized to the. victim and regrets his actions.
    Now the hypocritical, do gooders (the old silver spoon in they’re mouth crowd) has decided he should not play on their football team.
    HYPOCRITES.

  5. advocate4victim,

    Since when is football some kind of moral high-ground? That is quite arbitrary. What else can free people be prevented from doing? Sounds like people take football a little too seriously. Most people don’t give a shit about football. It’s ludicrous that this is in the courts. What law is being debated? There is a law that says convicted rapists are banned from playing football?

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