A former student of the University of Kentucky in Lexington, 23-year-old Sophia Rosing, has pleaded guilty to assault and other charges related to a racist attack on a Black student. Rosing, who is white, pleaded guilty to four counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of disorderly conduct, and public intoxication in connection to an incident in 2022 where she attacked a Black student while the victim was working in a campus residence hall. Following her arrest on the night of the assault, Rosing was later expelled from the university and banned from campus by the university president.
Rosing’s attorney, Fred Peters, stated that the guilty plea was the result of a mediation between the two parties. Peters mentioned that during the session, apologies were exchanged, and a resolution was reached. Rosing, after reflecting on her actions, wrote a letter of apology. The sentencing for Rosing is scheduled for October 17, where she faces a possible punishment of up to 1 year in jail and 100 hours of community service.
The assault was recorded on video and shared on various social media platforms. The video showed Kylah Spring, the Black student, stating that Rosing had physically assaulted her multiple times, including kicking her in the stomach, while using racial slurs throughout the altercation.