Tennessee’s Ruby Whitehorn pleads guilty to two misdemeanors

Tennessee women’s basketball player Ruby Whitehorn pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors in exchange for judicial diversion after a domestic incident last month.

Whitehorn was originally facing felony charges of aggravated burglary and domestic assault, but those were dismissed by a judge Friday.

She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of aggravated trespassing and vandalism.

“As a result of a lot of hard work and investigation, we were able to enter into a favorable plea agreement,” Whitehorn’s attorney, Gregory Isaacs, said. “Ms. Whitehorn is an excellent student-athlete and intends to focus her attention on athletics and academics at the University of Tennessee.”

According to court records obtained by the Knoxville News Sentinel, the victim claimed that she saw Whitehorn in a parking lot outside her residence and went outside after hearing glass break.

The victim then allegedly got into a physical altercation when her dog got loose and she went to retrieve it.

She said she subsequently ran into her residence with what she thought was her phone but later realized was Whitehorn’s phone.

The victim alleged that Whitehorn kicked in the front door of her residence and chased her upstairs.

After she locked herself in her bedroom, the victim alleges that Whitehorn kicked in that door as well, smashed a glass mirror, retrieved her phone and left.

Whitehorn claimed the victim attacked her first in the parking lot while she was trying to leave and that she was only trying to defend herself and get her phone back.

Isaacs said eyewitness accounts contradicted the victim’s accusations.

Whitehorn was suspended indefinitely following the arrest, and Tennessee has not yet announced if that has been lifted.

If she attends anger management classes and does not commit another crime, her record can be expunged after a year, Isaacs said.

Going into her senior season, Whitehorn averaged 11.6 points per game last year, her second season with the Volunteers after spending the first two years of her collegiate career at Clemson.

— With AP