Update: Marietta woman pleads “no contest” in mask refusal case

WTAP News @ 11 - Washington County woman tased at middle school football game
Published: Sep. 23, 2020 at 11:57 PM EDT|Updated: Sep. 27, 2021 at 12:00 PM EDT
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Update: 9/27/2021

Nearly a year after an incident in which she was tased after refusing to wear a mask at a Logan, Ohio football game, Alecia Kitts has pleaded to the charges first issued against her.

The Hocking County Municipal Court says Kitts pleaded to resisting arrest and criminal trespassing on September 21. Her trial in municipal court was scheduled to begin September 28.

Logan Police said Kitts, attending a Marietta Middle School football game on September 24, 2020, was tased by a school resource officer after he repeatedly told her to wear a mask. She said she refused to do so because she has asthma.

Police say she was tased after she refused to leave the school grounds.

The municipal court says she was fined $200 on the resisting arrest, and $150 for criminal trespassing. She was also ordered to pay court costs.

Update: 8/18/2021

The trial of Alicia Kitts is now set for September 28. A pre-trial hearing is set for September 7.

Update: 6/8/2021

An August trial has been set for a Marietta woman tased at a middle school football game last October in Logan, Ohio.

A judge recently denied a motion by Alicia Kitts’ attorney to dismiss the case, after she previously rejected a plea deal.

Kitts’ trial is set for August 18-20 in Hocking County Municipal Court.

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Update: 5/19/2021

A motion has been filed to dismiss the case of a Marietta woman whose refusal to wear a face covering at a middle school football game last year made national headlines.

The Hocking County Municipal Court says the motion for dismissal of the case against Alecia Kitts was filed Monday. This, after Kitts last week declined a plea deal in the case.

Sitting Judge Michael Brandt is to consider the motion. No hearing has been set.

UPDATE: 5/14/21

A Marietta woman charged with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest following an incident at a middle school football game will take her case to a jury after rejecting a plea deal in Hocking County Municipal Court.

According to a deputy clerk within the court, Alecia Kitts declined a plea deal on Tuesday that would have reduced her charges to just criminal trespassing.

He said had she taken the deal, Kitts likely would have only had to pay a fine and would be on no-contact probation for one year, during which time she would not be allowed at any Hocking County school sporting events.

Kitts was arrested for trespassing last September when she refused to leave a middle school football game between Marietta Middle School and Logan Middle School that was taking place at Logan High School.

She had been asked to leave after she refused to wear a face covering, as was required by the school district.

When she refused to leave, a school resource officer told her she was under arrest and to put her hands behind her back.

She allegedly resisted, pulling away from the officer.

After more alleged resisting the officer deployed his Taser on Kitts and she was removed from the football game.

She was later charged with resisting arrest.

Another woman who allegedly interfered with Kitts’s arrest was charged with obstruction.

The deputy clerk we spoke to said she has also declined a plea bargain and will take her case to a jury trial.

Her plea deal would have dropped the obstruction charge to disorderly conduct, for which she would have only had to pay a fine and court fees.

You can read more about the original incident below.

UPDATE: 10/7/2020

Alecia Kitts faces a November 17 pre-trial hearing in Hocking County Municipal Court, after her attorney entered a not guilty plea Monday.

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UPDATE 9/24/20 @ 2:40 p.m.

LOGAN, Ohio (WTAP/WSAZ) - A Washington County woman was placed under arrest at a football game in Logan, Ohio and is now facing charges after police say she violated school policy. A witness tells WTAP the woman, identified as Alecia Kitts, is the parent of a Marietta Middle School student who was playing in Wednesday night’s football game.

According to the Logan Police Department, the game was taking place Wednesday evening at Logan High School Stadium for the 7th and 8th graders.

Police Tased a Marietta, Ohio, woman at a football game in Logan, Ohio, Wednesday night after she refused an officer's request to wear a mask

Police say a school resource officer worked the games at the request of the Logan Hocking School District to ensure the safety of fans and athletes.

According to police, part of that assignment is to make sure everyone is following CDC, Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Athletic Association and Logan Hocking School District guidelines.

One of those guidelines mandated by the school district is that all spectators wear a mask while on school property.

Police say the officer was walking the stadium when he noticed a woman sitting in the stands without a mask.

According to police, he went up to the woman and told her she needed to put a mask on because of school policy. Police say the woman told the officer she had asthma and wasn’t going to put one on.

The resource officer says he then told her several more times to put on a mask, and if she didn’t, he would ask her to leave and she would have to wait outside the stadium.

Police say the woman continually refused to put a mask on. At that point, the officer told the woman if she didn’t leave, she would be cited for trespassing and escorted off the property.

Logan Police say after several failed attempts to get the woman to leave, he informed her she was under arrest for criminal trespassing and asked her to put her hands behind her back.

He says she refused to do that as well. Police say the officer then tried to place her hands behind her back, but she started trying to pull away.

Police say another woman started trying to interfere.

At that point, the officer says he told her to comply, and if she didn’t, he would tase her. Police say she kept resisting, so the officer deployed his Taser.

At that point, he was able to get the woman in custody. Another officer then arrived and escorted the woman from the stadium.

Police say the woman kept trying to pull away from officers while she was being taken out of the stadium and was then placed into a cruiser.

According to police, Hocking County Emergency Medical Services responded, but the woman refused treatment.

The woman has been charged with criminal trespassing and released. Police say additional charges are pending against her and another woman involved.

Police say the woman was not arrested for not wearing a mask, but was charged for violating school policy and refusing to leave the premises.

Logan Police said in a statement, “This is an unfortunate incident for everyone involved. The incident remains under investigation.”

ORIGINAL STORY 9/24/20

LOGAN, Ohio (WTAP/WSAZ) - A Marietta woman was detained and arrested Wednesday evening during a middle-school football game in Logan, Ohio, police said.

Woman appears to refuse wearing a mask, is tased at football game in Logan, Ohio

According to police, the woman refused to wear a mask when approached by an officer. The police officer appears to use a Taser on the woman, before placing her in handcuffs. The Logan Police Department says that the incident is currently under investigation.

WTAP will keep you updated on this developing story.

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