ISU announces the death of John Coughlin

[Sam-Skwantch]

Yet, Sappenfield seems to be assuming his innocence without knowing all the facts.

True .... unless he confessed the whole truth to her or she was privy to all the details and knew for herself what had happened. I certainly don’t know what she knew or what he was accused of.

I’m going to wait before making any judgements. Right now I’m just saddened. That’s all I have room for and I will admit that I have close friends who have worked with and knew John professionally. I’ve seen the shock in their faces and in their words. There are no winners in this situation IMO.

 

[GoodMorningGrapeseed]

What a sht show. I've been monitoring the responses towards his untimely death and I'm shocked by the assumptions made on both camps even though there's so much information lacking at this point. I'm annoyed at people like Chris and Delilah for victim blaming because it didn't sound like the John they know, but also at the ones who are condemning him as a monster, speaking as if they already know the exact nature of the accusation or the number of victims it happened to. And worse, they go around policing others' grief from some moral high ground. It's a very tricky situation, but I think the some of the mourning by his friends and fellow skaters shouldn't be mistaken for victim blaming, and they shouldn't get harassed for it. Anyway I hope the truth comes out soon for the sake of everyone affected.

 

[CoyoteChris]

True .... unless he confessed the whole truth to her or she was privy to all the details and knew for herself what had happened. I certainly don’t know what she knew or what he was accused of.

I’m going to wait before making any judgements. Right now I’m just saddened. That’s all I have room for and I will admit that I have close friends who have worked with and knew John professionally. I’ve seen the shock in their faces and in their words. There are no winners in this situation IMO.

Exactly correct. We are saddened but know very little at this point. Let us not concentrate on whether he was somehow guilty or innocent of some infraction. Not our job. Let us think of all the people who now hurt.

 

[noskates]

What a sht show. I've been monitoring the responses towards his untimely death and I'm shocked by the assumptions made on both camps even though there's so much information lacking at this point. I'm annoyed at people like Chris and Delilah for victim blaming because it didn't sound like the John they know, but also at the ones who are condemning him as a monster, speaking as if they already know the exact nature of the accusation or the number of victims it happened to. And worse, they go around policing others' grief from some moral high ground. It's a very tricky situation, but I think the some of the mourning by his friends and fellow skaters shouldn't be mistaken for victim blaming, and they shouldn't get harassed for it. Anyway I hope the truth comes out soon for the sake of everyone affected.

Thank you for your words. Mourning John does NOT equate to victim-blaming in any sense or on any level. Many knew and loved him and are having difficulty with his death and the accusations. They have every right to mourn the loss of a young life. This whole thing is disgusting because of the lack of information and the fertile imaginations of many - on either side of the issue.

I don't know what's right, but my feelings are when charges of any nature are leveled at an individual there should be some integrity in the information presented. It doesn't have to be blasted all over the media to inform people who may have worked with him. As Sam said, "there are no winners in this situation."

 

[plushyfan]

Ari Zakarian https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs0aAc3B8ag/ - I will never believe , John was pure and honest person, he was so proud to became ISU member, I do not buy this bulls**t. R.I.P.

 

[withwings]

The truth already has came out. We are too blinded in our own speculations and subjectivity to accept it.

There HAVE TO BE a professional help for both for accused and for victims. For both- accused and victims.

If, eventually accused ones, would be able to get a professional help on time, there would be less victims. I DO NOT mean this particular case, I say this in general.

 

[BeTheLivingProof]

Ari Zakarian https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs0aAc3B8ag/ - I will never believe , John was pure and honest person, he was so proud to became ISU member, I do not buy this bulls**t. R.I.P.

The same is said about everyone accused of awful things. I do not know if John is guilty or innocent, but just because he showed some people the “good” side of him does not mean he didn’t have demons he struggled with. I understand how hard this must be, but everyone on both sides need to have open minds right now.

 

[rachno2]

Ari Zakarian https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs0aAc3B8ag/ - I will never believe, John was pure and honest person, he was so proud to became ISU member, I do not buy this bulls**t. R.I.P.

And therein lies the problem.

 

[tothepointe]

SafeSport needs to explain why they changed his status while protecting the accusers' privacy. There must be a reason. John died the day after.

It might have been because John was still holding coaching clinics in December. It might have been that the evidence was getting stronger. I don't know.

What I do know is the people who believe in his innocence assume the investigation would have moved towards exoneration. While those who are a little more cynical believe it probably would have gotten worse before it got better. The reality is we don't know and I doubt USFS is going to say anything until after nationals.

 

[BeTheLivingProof]

And therein lies the problem.

I wish we could “like” posts on here. Consider this me “liking” your comment.

 

[plushyfan]

The same is said about everyone accused of awful things. I do not know if John is guilty or innocent, but just because he showed some people the “good” side of him does not mean he didn’t have demons he struggled with. I understand how hard this must be, but everyone on both sides need to have open minds right now.

And therein lies the problem.

I know I just wanted to show there are such people. This is not evidence, of course

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I wish we could “like” posts on here. Consider this me “liking” your comment.

We can like posts...well...we can give it a thumbs up which I did to yours

Although..... I’m going to amend my freind rachno2’s post to ....

“And therein lies a problem”

I think it’s equally a problem to say “I will always believe”


The only thing this situation needs is clarity IMO.

 

[BeTheLivingProof]

We can like posts...well...we can give it a thumbs up which I did to yours.

I don’t see that option on mobile (which is what I typically use), but that’s good to know, thank you!

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I don’t see that option on mobile (which is what I typically use), but that’s good to know, thank you!

I’m on mobile too but I (maybe unwisely) scroll to the bottom and click on the Full Site option. GS does not recommend it but I prefer the What’s New? feature which follows posts in all threads because I’m very nosy and poke it into everyone’s buisiness

 

[ancientpeas]

"Do you really want to ruin his life?"

Something that was said repeatedly to a person I love very much who was sexual assaulted and pressed charges. He was basically bullied by cops and other teachers into not pressing charges. And some of that had nothing to do with the sexual assault but about the fact that the accussed was married and the accuser was male. It is one of the most common things said to people who bring charges like somehow not only are you responsible for being sexuality assaulted but you are responsible for their response to being held accountable.

Really..some of you need to do some research into grooming and how it works.

If these charges are false he should have let the victim have their day in court. Now the victim will never get that and there will always be doubt and a certain part of the community who believes this person is lying.

 

[friedbanana]

I’ve been trying to articulate my thoughts, but I really can’t find the right words.

 

[Bcash]

And therein lies the problem.

And how do you solve that?

 

[pearly]

If these charges are false he should have let the victim have their day in court. Now the victim will never get that and there will always be doubt and a certain part of the community who believes this person is lying.

Why are so many people saying this? The investigation won't continue now?

 

[ancientpeas]

Why are so many people saying this? The investigation won't continue now?

Once the accused died they do not prosecute them. Like the guy that held those 3 girls captive in Chicago (?) who committed suicide in jail. They don't bother with a trial. Also how can the accused defend themselves? Everyone has the right to face their accuser and the only exception to that is if they try in absentia and even then if they catch the person they often have to redo the trial.

They may investigate it but it will always be incomplete because they will not have his version of events.

 

[rachno2]

And how do you solve that?

I don’t know, but refraining from statements like “I will never believe (the allegations)” seems like a good start.