North Carolina Central coach Henry Frazier III was fired after he was arrested for a second time Monday.
Frazier was arrested for violating a domestic violence protection order between him and his ex-wife, Lanier Turner-Frazier. According to the Durham Herald Sun, the protection order stems from the incident that led to Frazier's first arrest in May of 2012 for assault on a female.
“The personal issues Coach Frazier is facing have caused the university to shift its focus from the priorities of student-athletes, the Athletics Department and the university,”
On Tuesday, Frazier was suspended. He was fired on Wednesday and the university released the following statement:
“The personal issues Coach Frazier is facing have caused the university to shift its focus from the priorities of student-athletes, the Athletics Department and the university.”
“NCCU does not condone alleged conduct or behaviors that are counter to the institution’s culture of providing a nurturing environment that supports student learning and academic success.”
The protection order prevented any contact between Frazier and Turner-Frazier. However, according to Frazier's lawyer Ralph Frasier, the violation is a big mix-up and "he will be vindicated."
The police report said that a juvenile male was at Turner-Frazier’s residence. That young man is the son of Frazier and his ex-wife, and he delivered a note from his father to Turner-Frazier about a parking ticket that was generated either by her or her biological daughter that Frazier has raised as his own, Frasier said.
In the note, Frazier, in a non-threatening way, explained that he’d taken care of the ticket and would deduct what he paid from Turner-Frazier’s alimony, Frasier said. The letter was hand-delivered by the son, in keeping with “the pattern of practice” that Frazier and Turner-Frazier have used since their separation to communicate about financial matters, Frasier said.
After last May's assault charge, Frazier had signed a court document admitting to "getting into an argument with Turner-Frazier before trying to pray for her by rubbing anointing oil on her, although he said that’s not something that she wanted to occur" per the Herald Sun. He pled guilty to the charge, which would go away upon completion of a court-ordered program.
Frazier was suspended with pay following that first arrest and was reinstated in July before the 2012 season began. Last season, in Frazier's second as head coach, Division I-AA NC Central finished 6-5. Assistant Dwayne Foster has been appointed the interim head coach and North Carolina Central opens the season on August 31 against Duke.
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