the perplexing case of ice hockey player mitchell miller

In our American system of jurisprudence, once you pay your debt to society, you are then free to go back and pursue your dreams.

Or at least that’s what we learned in school.

Mitchell Miller – who grew up in the Toledo, Ohio area - was a fourth-round pick by the Arizona Coyotes in 2020, but his draft rights were relinquished when a shocking story was published about how Miller and another middle school classmate were convicted in juvenile court in 2016 of assaulting and bullying Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, a Black classmate with developmental disabilities. In the report, Meyer-Crothers' mother alleged Miller began abusing her son in second grade and repeatedly used racial slurs in bullying the kid.

This is all true. Miller pleaded guilty at age 14 to one count of assault and one count of violating of the Ohio Safe Schools Act. He and another teenager were accused of making their classmate, Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, eat a candy push pop after wiping it in a bathroom urinal, and surveillance video showed them also kicking and punching Meyer-Crothers.

Miller acknowledged what happened and apologized for his behavior. The mother, Joni Meyer-Crothers, said at the time that Miller never personally apologized to Isaiah or their family other than through a court-mandated letter, which apparently was done. In addition to the court-ordered apology, Miller was order to perform 25 hours of community service, which he did.

Fast forward to today: after having a brilliant season last year in the United States Hockey League, which is a major showcase for top NHL prospects, the now 20-year-old Miller was signed by the Boston Bruins a week ago. But within a day of his signing, there was such an avalanche of negative publicity about what Miller had done as a 14-year-old, the Bruins tore up the contract.

Miller said the other day: “When I was in eighth grade, I made an extremely poor decision and acted very immaturely,” Miller said in a statement after Boston initially signed him. “I bullied one of my classmates. I deeply regret the incident and have apologized to the individual. Since the incident, I have come to better understand the far-reaching consequences of my actions that I failed to recognize and understand nearly seven years ago.”

This case is complicated, emotional, and one that asks the question: “In our society, do teenage athletes really get a second chance in life? Or does it really depend on just how much of an elite superstar that athlete is?”

These are difficult questions, but vitally important ones. Attorney and sports parenting expert Steve Kallas joins me on this riveting show. Listen here: The Sports Edge with Rick Wolff