Witnesses Asked To Stay Silent In PRP Trial

((HT: WDRB-TV))

It's still a month-and-a-half before witnesses testify in court about what happened to Max Gilpin the night he collapsed at Pleasure Ridge Park high school football practice.

Gilpin died three days later of complications from heatstroke.

A grand jury believed his head coach should be held criminally responsible.

The now-former coach Jason Stinson ((Pictured, thanks Fox 41)) goes on trial in Louisville on a charge of reckless homicide starting August 31st.

A memo given to current PRP football players and other potential witnesses Monday night says prosecutors are having trouble finding some of the potential witnesses.

The memo says prosecutors have made over 500 phone calls to schedule pre-trial interviews, separate from those already given to police and the school district. However, they haven't located everyone who could get a subpoena to testify.

PRP's football team will be into the fourth week of its new season when former coach Jason Stinson goes on trial. He's charged with reckless homicide in connection with last year's heat-related death of player Max Gilpin.

The players, parents and coaches are a close-knit group who are in contact with each other every day. The memo from the commonwealth attorney's office asks, but does not order, "players, coaches or other members of the PRP community" not to talk about the case.

The memo says that's to "avoid any unnecessary pressure" or "undue influence" on witnesses, and, "a fair trial is more likely the less this case is discussed."

Prosecutors write that the trial could last up to four weeks and that players and parents have asked not to testify on Fridays, because those are game days.

Stinson's case is a first in the country, in which a football coach is charged criminally with a player's death. He has pleaded not guilty.

A school district report last month found Stinson did not violate any of its policies.

Tuesday, his case received further national attention in a Wall Street Journal article on heat-related sports injuries.

Attorneys on both sides of the case spoke with players and parents in a closed-door meeting at PRP Monday night.

Chris Turner has the update from our friends at Fox 41


In a bit of an on-campus update...

Pleasure Ridge Park High School has a new football coach, who's already familiar with the team. 29-year-old Jason Hiser was hired as replacement for the former football coach, Jason Stinson. Hiser was the team's defensive coordinator last season under Stinson.

Stinson faces a reckless homicide charge in the death of player, Max Gilpin who collapsed during practice. He's pleaded not guilty and was suspended from coaching after his indictment.

New coach Hiser is among six former and current PRP coaches named in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Gilpin's parents. Hiser won't comment on the suit, but says the program is trying to move on from Gilpin's death.