LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� A California woman was criminally charged Thursday for telling her daughter to 鈥渉it her鈥� before the girl punched an opposing player in the head during a basketball game.
The punch was thrown last month as two club teams played during a tournament in Garden Grove, south of Los Angeles.
Latira Shonty Hunt was caught on cell phone video yelling 鈥測ou better hit her for that鈥� after her daughter fell to the ground on a previous play involving the victim, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said Thursday.
The blow crumpled the 15-year-old victim 鈥渢o the floor like a rag doll,鈥� Spitzer said. The girl suffered a concussion, according to her family's lawyer.
Hunt, 44, is charged with two misdemeanors: contributing to the delinquency of a minor and simple battery and faces up to a year in jail if convicted, Spitzer said. Contact information for Hunt couldn't be found and it wasn't immediately known if she has an attorney.
鈥淚n my opinion it would have not happened, but for mom's words,鈥� Spitzer said of the attack. He said Hunt's words 鈥渨ere the catalyst鈥� that caused her daughter 鈥渢o even think about鈥� punching the other girl.
The girl who threw the punch is the daughter of former NBA player Corey Benjamin, who issued an apology shortly after seeing the video.
鈥淎s a father, I鈥檓 shocked and disappointed at my daughter鈥檚 behavior as this is not a reflection of the values and standards that my family holds. Nor does it exemplify the values, character and spirit of sportsmanship that the game of basketball requires,鈥� Benjamin said in a statement.
The victim's lawyer, Kevin Hahn, said the family is 鈥減leased with the DA鈥檚 decision to charge the mother. We think it鈥檚 warranted given the facts."
Christopher Weber, The Associated Press
