Sophia Rosing ex University of Kentucky student pleads guilty to expletive racist attack to black staffer, Kylah Spring, with worker not necessarily believing apology or real change being made.
A former University of Kentucky student caught on viral video attacking a black student while hurling off racist racist expletives— including the N-word more than 200 times — has pleaded guilty to assault charges.
Sophia Rosing, 23, pleaded guilty to four counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of disorderly conduct, and one count of public intoxication in Fayette County Circuit Court on Monday, according to her attorney, Fred Peters.
The guilty plea follows a mediation in which, Peters said, ‘A lot of things got said, apologies were made and we worked it out.’
University of Kentucky student Sophia Rosing arrested and charged after assaulting another student who was at work and calling her a “nigger bitch”https://t.co/kzNRYupfj8 pic.twitter.com/WuOi4Stauo
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) November 6, 2022
‘It’s not my fault that you’re black!’
‘Her life has been on hold for the past 18 to 20 months,’ the attorney told the Lexington Herald-Leader. ‘She has had a lot of time to think about what she has done, and she wrote a nice letter of apology.’
Of note, the victim, Kylah Spring who was present during mediations told media she wasn’t necessarily sold on Rosing’s about turn and held reservations about her alleged ‘changed ways.’ Which might have more to do with saving her own skin than actual contrition and follow through. More on that below.
Rosing had allegedly kicked, punched and bitten 19-year-old student worker Kylah Spring while repeatedly calling her the N-word in a drunken tirade at a campus residence hall on Nov. 6, 2022.
Spring had previously said she tried to check on Rosing, who appeared drunk and in need of assistance, only to instead be attacked by the student and pelted with racist vitriol, she explained in a TikTok video describing the encounter.
‘The girl starts saying things like ‘Do my chores,’ ‘It’s not my fault that you’re black,’ ‘It’s not my fault that you’re ugly,’ and at this point, she’s like singing the N-word,’ Spring said following the assault.
N-word stated more than 200 times during recorded racist expletive rant
The former UK student continued being abusive when police arrived and placed her in handcuffs, when she allegedly kicked and bit the arresting officer during the ensuing drunken rampage.
Following her arrest, a judge set her bond at $10,000, which Rosen posted. She was released the following day.
The late-night assault was captured on video and posted online, where it went viral and sparked a fury of outrage, prompting students at the university to hold a ‘March Against Racism’ rally on campus.
The intoxicated Rosing was heard saying the N-word more than 200 times during the 10-minute video, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.
The incident led to the University of Kentucky permanently banning Rosing from campus following the racist attack.
In February 2023, Rosing was indicted by a Fayette County grand jury on all six charges she initially faced — including assault and felony assault of a police officer. Rosen at the time pleaded not guilty.
Upcoming sentencing
Since the indictment, Rosing’s case has been passed on the docket five times, and during that time, both parties attempted to reach a resolution, Rosen’s attorney told the Lexington Herald.
Peters told the outlet that the former business and marketing major now faces 12 months in jail, 100 hours of community service, and a $25 fine following her guilty plea.
Rosing is set to be sentenced on Oct. 17.
Following Monday’s hearing, Spring, who was in attendance for the guilty plea, spoke with LEX 18 and revealed that she and Rosen addressed each other during the mediation.
Sophia Rosing’s attorney says she is remorseful about what happened.
I also talked to Kylah Spring about what she told Rosing in their private mediation today. @LEX18News pic.twitter.com/DOc4GvWbDs
— Leigh Searcy (@LSearcLex) August 12, 2024
Black staffer refuses to be victim
‘I told her that she didn’t break my spirit,’ Spring told the outlet.
‘That was one of the things I said the first time I ever spoke about what happened and that rings true today.’
Peters also told the outlet that his client was ‘extremely remorseful,’ and ‘She read a very heartfelt apology to Kylah during our mediation.’
Spring, however, wasn’t necessarily sold on the said remorse.
‘I feel that a person that is remorseful takes actions that are moving towards proving they are remorseful,’ Spring told LEX 18. ‘Not just words.’
Spring claimed that Rosing did not mention the racial slurs she used against her during the hearing, which she said may still take her ‘a bit of maturing and unpacking’ to come to terms with.
‘I think her admitting at least a piece of what she’s done – admitting the things she said and being able to own up to them I think it’s going to follow behind,’ Spring said.
‘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.’
Nevertheless, Spring said she has forgiven Rosing and was raised to ‘not hold grudges.’
‘I forgive her more so for myself,’ Spring explained.
‘I was raised not to hold grudges, I was raised that we give people forgiveness because God forgave us. It’s a hard thing for me to come to terms with, but in the end, I want to live a life where people can say I was a kind and forgiving person.’
