News Summary
The Rhode Island Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of Olayinka Alege, a former school administrator, for assaulting a teenager at a gym. Alege was found guilty of forcibly massaging the foot of a 17-year-old boy at the Edge Fitness Club in Warwick. Despite his appeal and claims of insufficient evidence, the Supreme Court ruled that the evidence was adequate to support the conviction. This case raises concerns about hiring practices within educational institutions and their oversight regarding past allegations of misconduct.
Providence, Rhode Island – The Rhode Island Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of Olayinka Alege, a former school administrator, for the assault of a teenager at a gym. Alege, 44, was found guilty of assaulting a 17-year-old boy by forcibly massaging his foot at the Edge Fitness Club in Warwick in April 2021. The ruling was made public on Monday and marks a significant moment in a case that has drawn widespread attention.
Alege was initially convicted in April 2022 on one count of simple assault and/or battery. Following his appeal, he faced a retrial and was again found guilty in December 2023. The Supreme Court’s decision concluded that there was more than sufficient evidence to support probable cause, countering Alege’s claims which suggested otherwise.
The court’s ruling addressed Alege’s arguments regarding insufficient evidence and alleged legal errors made by the trial judge, Luis M. Matos. During the trials, Alege represented himself, challenging the admissibility of testimony from another victim who alleged a similar incident occurred with Alege in February 2021, at the same gym. Alege also claimed that trial judge Matos displayed bias against him and asserted that his sentencing, which included one year of suspended probation and 140 hours of community service, was excessively harsh.
The Supreme Court dismissed Alege’s claims of judicial bias. The justices noted that Judge Matos exhibited patience and respect throughout the proceedings. Evidence presented during the trials included testimony from the teenage victim, who stated that Alege approached him at the gym, inquired about his shoes, and then forcibly removed them without permission before attempting to massage his foot. The victim reported the incident to the police after discussing it with his father.
In addition to the testimony of the teenage victim, another man testified during the retrial that Alege had also grabbed his foot and attempted to remove his sock during a separate incident at the same gym. This corroborative testimony helped strengthen the prosecution’s case against Alege.
Alege’s arrest occurred in May 2021, shortly after the teenage victim reported the incident to authorities. Following his arrest, Alege resigned from his position, where he was responsible for overseeing middle and high school principals in Providence. Before this, he had encountered allegations of inappropriate behavior with minors while working in Florida in 2009, but he was never charged criminally in connection with those allegations. The circumstances surrounding Alege’s hiring in Providence faced scrutiny, leading to the termination of then-Superintendent Harrison Peters’ contract in May 2021, as Peters had previously worked with Alege in Florida.
Moreover, the prosecution relied on gym surveillance footage that confirmed aspects of the victim’s account, asserting Alege’s guilt in the matter. Despite the verdicts against him, Alege has remained unresponsive to contact attempts from reporters following the Supreme Court’s decision.
This ruling signifies a notable stance by the Rhode Island Supreme Court on handling cases involving assault and reflects the court’s commitment to considering sufficient evidence when determining the outcomes of such cases. The case also highlights potential issues regarding hiring practices and oversight in educational institutions related to past allegations of misconduct.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
ACLU Demands Release of Body Camera Footage in Police Shooting
Multistate Lawsuit Filed Against Trump Administration Over Education Funding Freeze
Rhode Island Man Arrested for Multiple Hit-and-Run Incidents
Demonstrators Protest Trump’s Policies in Providence
Rhode Island Supreme Court Upholds Conviction of Former School Administrator
Cranston Mayor Criticizes Judge for Releasing Shooting Suspects
Devin Martins Arrested for Crank Calling in Providence
Rhode Island Court Dismisses Eminent Domain Case for Housing
Cranston Police Arrest Two in Daylight Shooting Incident
Man Arrested for Online Threats Against Leaders
Additional Resources
- Boston Globe
- Wikipedia: Rhode Island Supreme Court
- WPRI
- Google Search: Olayinka Alege case
- Providence Journal
- Google Scholar: Olayinka Alege assault case
- GoLocalProv
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Assault
- Turn to 10
- Google News: Rhode Island Supreme Court decision
