A white former University of Kentucky student who was seen on a viral video using racial slurs and attacking a Black student worker pleaded guilty to several charges on Monday, according to multiple news outlets.
After Sophia Rosing repeatedly called Kylah Spring a “bitch” and the N-word while trying to hit her in November 2022, Rosing was arrested, charged and banned from the university.
Following mediation between the two women on Monday, Rosing pleaded guilty to four counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of alcohol intoxication, her attorney, Fred Peters, told CNN and the Lexington Herald-Leader. A felony charge of third-degree assault on a police officer or probation officer was reduced to a misdemeanor.
“A lot of things got said, apologies were made and we worked it out,” Peters told the Herald-Leader. “Her life has been on hold for the past 18 to 20 months.”
“She has had a lot of time to think about what she has done, and she wrote a nice letter of apology,” Peters added.
(NOTE: The following video contains offensive language that might be triggering for some readers.)
Spring, who can be seen in a video of the altercation attempting to restrain Rosing, talked to Lexington station WLEX-TV about the mediation on Monday.
“I told her that she didn’t break my spirit,” Spring said of Rosing. “That was one of the things I said the first time I ever spoke about what happened, and that rings true today.”
Spring added that she has forgiven Rosing despite not believing she is remorseful.
“Seeing yourself act in that light is not an easy thing to see, I imagine, so I guess there’s still a bit of maturing and unpacking she needs to do with that. So I’ll give her the space to do that,” Spring said. “I forgive her more so for myself.”
Rosing’s sentencing is set for Oct. 17, 2024. She is facing up to a year in jail, 100 hours of community service and a $25 fine.
