ATHLETES' TROUBLES CONTINUE 2 LITTLEROCK PLAYERS PROBED FOR TREATMENT IN PAST FIGHTS.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LITTLEROCK - Antelope Valley Union High School District administrators are investigating whether two Littlerock High School athletes accused in the fatal beating of a former schoolmate escaped discipline for prior fights.

The probe was prompted by sheriff's reports of two incidents, including one in July 1999 in which Richard Newton and Rodney Woods are accused of punching and throwing paint on another boy during a graffiti clean-up day in Littlerock.

``We've launched our own investigation into whether Littlerock High School officials failed to follow the 'zero tolerance' policy,'' said Linda Solcich, district spokeswoman. ``It was triggered by reports showing that Littlerock athletes were involved in earlier incidents.''

The reports are expected to play a role in a Sylmar Juvenile Court judge's decision on whether Newton and Woods are tried as juveniles or adults. The pair, plus codefendant Marcus Raines, are charged with murder and assault in the May 20 fatal beating of 19-year-old Christopher O'Leary at a Palmdale party.

The three, plus a fourth teen, are also charged with assaulting a friend of O'Leary's after the attack.

Prosecutors are seeking to try the three defendants, all 17, as adults.

Defense attorney James Blatt, Woods' attorney, said he doubted the reports will have much effect on the judge's decision.

``I don't consider it significant,'' Blatt said. ``The court will base their decision as to their involvement in a murder case, not to the fact they had a disagreement a year and a half before the incident.''

Newton's attorney, Denise McLaughlin-Bennett, said she will tell the judge the reports should have no bearing on whether the teens are tried as adults.

In an interview with a sheriff's deputy 11 months after the alleged graffiti cleanup incident, a teen-age boy said he was attacked after he approached Newton, Woods and a third boy who were painting their football numbers on the street.

The boy said Newton and Woods threw paint on him, hit him after pulling him to the ground, and chased after him as he ran to his truck, on which they also threw paint, the deputy's report says.

The teen said he told head varsity football coach Jim Bauer, but declined to press charges, the report says.

In a May 1998 incident, Newton and another student were cited after a fistfight in the boy's locker room at Littlerock High School, another sheriff's report says.

Under the district's ``zero tolerance'' policy, students accused of physical and verbal threats against staff members and assaults on students are brought before the school board for expulsion hearings, board President Bill Olenick said.

Fights between students that are characterized as ``mutual combat'' are typically handled by administrators at the school, depending on the students' histories, Olenick said.

Olenick said he doesn't recall either of the two incidents coming before the board, which handles about 300 expulsion hearings a year. The cleanup day incident should have been presented to the board, he said.

``It should have gone to the board, if what I'm being told is 100 percent accurate. That would fall under the zero tolerance category,'' Olenick said. ``As a rule, they probably would have been moved to an alternative school site or kicked out completely.''

At the time of the July 1999 incident, the football coach verbally reprimanded Newton and Woods, according to the sheriff's report. The victim told a sheriff's deputy, who was there at the community cleanup, that he did not want to press any charges.

The boy said Newton and Woods claimed he threatened them with a BB gun, which the victim denied doing, the report said.

McLaughlin-Bennett, however, said she has seen another deputy's report in which the alleged victim admitted the incident was ``horseplay.''

``It did not start out as a fight,'' she said. ``Because no aggressor could be identified, there were no charges filed.''

Solcich said she could not comment on whether any disciplinary action was taken against Newton and Woods and did not know whether Bauer informed school officials of the incident.

Solcich said students would be subject to discipline for incidents on school grounds or at school-sponsored functions. She said the cleanup day was organized by the Sheriff's Department, and that Littlerock High School students participated in it.

Sheriff's officials said the event was sponsored by the Sheriff's Department, Littlerock High School and the Sun Village Chamber of Commerce.

Bauer said Tuesday that the clean-up was not a school event. Beyond that, he refused to comment, referring calls to the district's attorney, who did not return phone calls.

In the May 1998 incident, Newton told deputies he fought with the other boy after the other boy spit in his face. The teacher who broke up the fight said while he restrained the other student, Newton punched the other boy.

Newton said he did not realize the other boy was restrained when he hit him in the face. He said the teacher was behind the other boy and was not visible, the report said.

Woods was released from custody July 7 on house arrest, but Raines and Newton remain in Sylmar Juvenile Hall. Woods was released after his defense attorney presented the judge with statements from 11 witnesses who said they did not see Woods hit or kick O'Leary.

Woods was released over the objection of the prosecutor, who said the attack on O'Leary ``was not an isolated incident.''