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Annette McCullough Soccer Fight: High School Senior's Brutal Attack Earns Assault Charge (VIDEO)

Posted: 03/29/2012 3:35 pm Updated: 03/29/2012 3:35 pm

Annette Mccullough
Lewisville High's Annette McCullough was charged with assault after her brutal attack in a soccer match.

Annette McCullough, a senior at Lewisville High in South Carolina, faces an assault charge after she brutally attacked an opposing player during a soccer match against Chester High School.

The raw footage above from CN2 shows McCullough chasing after a ball with an unnamed Chester player trailing behind her. With the defender in close pursuit, McCullough falls down, perhaps as a result of incidental contact as the two players were running in such close proximity. Seeming to believe that her fall was the result of an intentional trip by the defender, McCullough immediately gets up and goes after the opposing player. The video shows the 18-year-old McCullough grab hold of the opponent's hair with one hand while repeatedly punching her in the face and head until another woman runs over to separate them.

Chester County Sheriff Richard Smith told FoxNews.com that McCullough was charged with third-degree assault and battery. Per the report, the victim suffered minor injuries.

The mother of the victim told WBTV that McCullough should be prosecuted and banned from playing soccer in the league.

While this attack may bring to mind the 2010 incident when University of New Mexico soccer Elizabeth Lambert violently pulled down an opponent by the hair during a match, the fury displayed by McCullough in the video may be more like the one of sporadic referee attacks that occur when a player who feels wrong takes matters into his or her own hands. In this case, though, the referee is hardly involved (although a linesman does help stop the altercation) until the close of the video, when he can be seen showing McCullough a red card as she is escorted from the field.

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Annette McCullough, a senior at Lewisville High in South Carolina, faces an assault charge after she brutally attacked an opposing player during a soccer match against Chester High School. The raw...
Annette McCullough, a senior at Lewisville High in South Carolina, faces an assault charge after she brutally attacked an opposing player during a soccer match against Chester High School. The raw...
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08:52 PM on 02/27/2013
The irony is if roles were reversed there'd be claims of racism demand for hate crime charges and more but since its a white victim its ok at worst it's a "teachable offense" but really no big deal right. To the point that its almost been a year & no progress on the case were there charges actually filed let alone a trial was there a plead deal. If the roles were reversed everyday there would be updates of the progress of the case let alone should it go to trial but not when the attackers black. Remember apparently only whites can be racists.
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Lazy American
Back from the banned
02:12 PM on 04/03/2012
When can we expect a Sharpton/Jackson press conference or perhaps a "teaching" moment from the kommunity organizer?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
LesKern
I am me and that's that.
10:55 PM on 04/06/2012
no. and the fact you used a "k" is very telling.
05:16 PM on 04/07/2012
How dare you use a K in your name, what's the world of stupid people coming too!?
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Elecktra001
PC assassin
10:15 PM on 04/02/2012
An adult assaults a minor. Time for a big girl life lesson.
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canpete
12:06 PM on 04/02/2012
lifetime ban seems appropriate..
12:47 PM on 04/02/2012
She should have gotten more than a lifetime ban.
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Elecktra001
PC assassin
10:16 PM on 04/02/2012
jail time seems apropriate.
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cashaww
10:43 PM on 04/01/2012
Really, assault charges? There are other actions that could be taken.
12:45 AM on 04/02/2012
like what?
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cashaww
10:51 AM on 04/02/2012
The school should handle this. Let me see, boot for a few games or tossed from the team. Other school disciplinary actions. Why get the Authorities involved in a stupid act between children, because of very poor sportsmanship? Now this young lady has a record that will follow her for life, and quite possibly limit her opportunities. We as a Society could loose out because there is no idea what this young lady could achieve. In essence, getting the Authorities involved, I think, for something like this, does no one any good.
06:39 PM on 04/01/2012
That wasn't classy at all. It didn't have a thing to do with race, it was plain old poor sportsmanship. If I was her coach (depending on whether or not there were other disciplinary incidents) I'd kick her off the team. You wanna be a student athlete, you hold yourself to a higher standard. If you can't handle it, don't play the game, simple as that. You don't brawl over a misunderstanding like you're in a back alley. I was equally appalled at the actions of Elizabeth Lambert, a pretty blonde white girl (who was promptly suspended, BTW). This is not what sports are about.
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Eugi
05:18 PM on 04/02/2012
I agree. I was surprise the coach put his arm around her on the way off the field.
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TamerAir
I don't want to believe, I want to know
04:42 PM on 04/01/2012
Nobody touches my team mate, her team mates should be ashamed of themselves
12:57 PM on 04/01/2012
I can't figure out how she tripped to begin with. I didn't see a foot shoot out, nor a shove. How did this happen? For everyone making this about race, it was a simple poor sportsmanship moment. How can anyone say it was about race simply because one of them is black and one is white? That does not qualify as an instant race war or hate crime. People need to look beyond colors and realize they are doing the very thing they are accusing others of doing.
11:21 PM on 04/02/2012
I agree with you about looking past color but anytime a white person or cop touch a black person. They make it a racist hate crime so why shouldn't the white people do the same. Look at the 2 tourist in Florida they were white gunned down had there shirts removed and pants pulled half way down. Where is the outrage why didn't are president make any comments. We know why but that God it was only 2 white crackers.
02:38 AM on 04/03/2012
Just because some black people make things about race, does not mean white people have the right to do the same. I would bet there are many white people trying to make it about race also. As the saying goes, 2 wrongs don't make a right.

With the situation you are referring to in Florida about the white tourists, I am not familiar with it. The case may well be that the circumstances are totally different. Even if blacks and whites each played a role in the situation.

We can only hope to be treated as we treat others, but if we aren't, it's on the other person, not us. We cannot control how everyone else reacts, only how WE react.

With the president making his comments, I am not saying he isn't sincere, but it may well be a reelection tactic.
11:46 AM on 04/03/2012
Where does race come into this at all? Not sure why you are attempting to equate this to anything about race. Did either girl allege race in the incident? The outrage is that one girl repeatedly punched another in the face...that's about it. To some people commenting, it's bad sportsmanship. Personally, I think it was a bit too violent to pass off as poor sportsmanship. It's not a national news item, just a shocking video.
08:41 AM on 04/07/2012
I had to jump on a old post to get to you !! But my point is these 2 white tourist were killed for being in the wrong neighborhood. They were never robbed and they were killed for being white as the perp said white creackers. Why is not being treated like a hate crime why did the President not chime in or these to tourist. Even the UK never got a response to this crime!! Imagine if Trayon Martine was found like those 2 tourist. in a white a white neighborhood with his pants pulled down and no shirt. There would be riots like they did for poor MR King.
03:13 PM on 04/07/2012
I totally understand your point here. I find myself struggling when I see the big awards shows on television for black and latino people, and that's acceptable. However, if we, as a white group, did something like this, we would be called racist. I get that. This country is so screwed up. People want recognition for their cultures, and separate themselves in the process. However, when racism is created because of that separation, those same people are offended. It's like, how can you have the separation for celebration of cultures but still celebrate being part of the whole human race? The answer is, you take the good with the bad, and understand there will always be hatred and idiots out there. Since you feel so strongly on this topic, maybe you can try and create a watchdog group to help bring attention to the issue? It's very difficult to try and take this on as a single person.
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09:17 AM on 04/01/2012
Black girl hits white girl in sports event-----black girl arrested by police & charged with assult---now will have a police record-----------Jim Crow is alive and well.-In the south.
02:54 AM on 04/02/2012
Never raise your hand to the man
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Eugi
05:22 PM on 04/02/2012
Adult woman STOPS playing the game, brings down adolescent member of opposing team and punches here repeatedly in the head while holding her down on the ground. It took effort to pull her off the victim. You realize blunt force trauma to the head can KILL, right?
02:14 AM on 04/01/2012
Why wouldnt her teammate back her up? She was just standing there watching her take a beating! If that was a guys game they would have only got one punch in
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Harry Bradford
04:04 PM on 04/01/2012
Why are you talking about making the situation worse? Try to think like a civilized human being instead of inserting misguided, macho views.
02:12 AM on 04/01/2012
Why wouldnt her teammates back her up?? her teammate was just watching her take a beating. If that was a guys game the player would have only gotten one punch in before being thrown off.
11:32 PM on 03/31/2012
How you see the video is a window to your soul.
06:41 PM on 03/31/2012
These charges are silly. If children fighting one on one no weapons. yes you break charges are silly. All this anti-bullying stuff to. Children need to learn how to fight like the old days.
07:29 PM on 03/31/2012
Yes break up the fight but I would not give charges. Also sports fights have always been treated differently. If there are no serious injuries, there are plenty of ways to punish a student in school without giving them a permanent criminal record.

If you are going the criminal route drop to simple assault instead of 3rd degree assault.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Harry Bradford
04:06 PM on 04/01/2012
What fight? One person viciously attacked another person. That's not a fight, it's assault.
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Eugi
05:24 PM on 04/02/2012
For it to be a "fight" there has to be more than one "fighter." Otherwise it's assault & battery. And "children?" This woman is 18.
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chaz
06:31 PM on 03/31/2012
Welcome to the Bible belt!
12:42 PM on 04/02/2012
So, how would you have handled it? She viciously attacked another person. Oh wait, it's because she's black you think she should be set free, huh!
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chaz
01:27 PM on 04/02/2012
blackhawk87,

If I was the ref I would have done what he did given her a red card.

After living in the South for ten years I just find it very funny that the South and the media refer to the South as the bible belt when in fact there is nothing bible about the South. This video is just another example of that fact.
01:50 PM on 04/02/2012
Not really. Red flag is just a suspension for the rest of the game. She brutally attacked the other girl. Sorry, but she got off easy. Don't tell me about the South, I have lived here for the past 24 years. If that had been a black girl getting attacked by a white girl, she would be getting charged with a hate crime and you'd probably support it. I am glad she is getting what she deserves.
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chaz
04:41 PM on 04/02/2012
blackhawk87,

Thank you for proving my point. My experience has been that no one hates like a southerner hates. Bible Belt my ***.
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Doobie Snacks
"Ruh-roh, Raggy"
12:35 PM on 03/31/2012
There is another headline on here "The Biggest Brawls In Sports History."
GUESS WHAT...No one was charged for assaults in the biggest brawls in sports history. The proper punishment for this incident was a red card and not an assault charge.
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cashaww
10:45 PM on 04/01/2012
Tossing her, for a game or two.
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Doobie Snacks
"Ruh-roh, Raggy"
07:14 PM on 04/02/2012
I agree or better yet, if it's a common occurrence with the player, for the rest of the season.
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Eugi
05:26 PM on 04/02/2012
For it to be a "brawl," I would presume the other girl would have to "brawl back" and not curl up in a fetal position on the ground while getting punched repeatedly in the head.