Coach pays $25 to hit autistic kid

In the summer of 2005, it was the Falcons versus the Pirates in the T-ball playoffs of the R.W. Clark Youth Baseball League, and 8-year-old Keith Reese was the key Falcons player.

Yesterday, it was the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Mark R. Downs Jr. in a Fayette County Common Pleas courtroom and, once again, Keith Reese was the key player.

Keith, who is now 9, testified that Mr. Downs, the coach of his T-ball team on June 27, 2005, offered him $25 if he would throw a baseball at an autistic teammate, injuring him so he would be unable to take part in the playoff game.

League rules require each player to play at least three innings.

Mr. Downs, 29, of Dunbar, is charged with two counts of criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault, corruption of minors, conspiracy to commit simple assault and reckless endangerment. He and his defense attorney, Thomas Shaffer, rejected a December plea agreement offered by Fayette County District Attorney Nancy Vernon.

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