Coach Acquitted in Player’s Heatstroke Death

A Kentucky jury deliberated only 90 minutes before acquitting a high school football coach yesterday in the heatstroke death of a 15-year-old player.

The coach, Jason Stinson, was accused of ordering his players to run a series of sprints on a 94-degree day, refusing to relent even after some began vomiting, according to the Associated Press and ABC News.

The defense argued that Max Gilpin was more susceptible to the heat because he used a drug for attention-deficit disorder and a dietary supplement.

Defense lawyer Brian Butler called the reckless homicide prosecution a “witch hunt” and commented on the quick verdict. ''That's why they came back quickly, because he was innocent,'' Butler said.

Observers say that, despite the acquittal, the trial sends a message that coaches have to err on the side of caution on hot days, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports.