In the past week, various WSU football coaches and personnel have taken to the media to claim the WSU and Pullman Police are engaged in a “witch hunt” against the football program.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

A “witch hunt” hypothesis would be plausible if, for example, there was a sudden spat of WSU football players arrested and charged for a crime like minor in possession (MIP) or drug possession – crimes that police often turn a blind eye to.

However, WSU football has not been plagued with a sudden rash of MIPs. Shalom Luani has been charged with second degree assault, as have Robert Barber and T.J. Fehoko.

Logan Tago has been arrested and charged with assault and felony robbery.

To suggest that this is a “witch hunt” is to suggest one of two things: either a) the police and prosecutors are committing an egregious, unprecedented breach of the law by arresting football players indiscriminately without evidence, or b) that the crimes these players are charged with do not warrant prosecution.

I find the first possibility laughably implausible, and the second possibility reprehensible.

Students like Alex Rodriguez, who have been violently assaulted or otherwise victimized by WSU football players, deserve justice and respect.

They do not deserve to have their cases trivialized by football coaches upset that they cannot control their athletes.