Basketball Coach’s Wife Accused of Battery By Son’s Principal
Janet Neal is the wife of the newly hired New Mexico basketball coach. The coach's wife is accused of battery after allegedly attacking the assistant principal at her son's high school.
Cullen Neal the son of the coach and his wife, is a star player at Eldorado high school. He recently signed scholarship papers with New Mexico.
On February 21 the coach's wife allegedly attacked the Eldorado assistant principal in response to claims the AP made saying the coach's wife verbally abused the referees at one of her son's previous games.
According to USA Today the police report filed by assistant principal Susan Stanojevic says Janet Neal, "lunged at me and aggressively grabbed my left arm, yanking me to face her."
The battery complaint against the coach's wife goes on to say, "At the same time, she put her face close to mine and in an angry, loud voice, stated, 'the next time you want to accuse me of using profanity at a basketball game, you need to talk to me first."
Reports say that Janet Neal has used her attorney to deny the battery claims. Neal says, "I did not grab her, I did not threaten her and I did not feel physical towards her."
USA Today says the case was "referred to the Bernalillo County." The charge is listed as battery on a school employee. This 4th degree felony can carry a maximum 18-month sentence.
The case is still under review.