Ex-Ringling Coach's Attorney speaks out on abuse allegations

The attorney of a former Ringling High School football coach and principal spoke publicly on Tuesday after prosecutors in Jefferson County dismissed Phillip Koons' criminal case. A group of Ringling high school student-athletes accused Koons of physical and verbal abuse.

RELATED: Criminal charge against former Ringling football coach and principal dismissed, cannot be refiled

Oklahoma City-based attorney Shelby Shelton, representing Koons, said, "This has been a long, hard fight", and the long-time educator's career has been tarnished with false allegations. 

Allegations of abuse coming out of Ringling High School three years ago, where Koons was a football coach and principal.  

"A student got suspended for threatening with a gun on Instagram," said Shelton. "He got suspended for those actions and his family turned around and tried to burn a man's reputation down and the school."

An OSBI investigation of the physical and verbal allegations resulted in one misdemeanor charge of outraging public decency against Koons.

"We've taken a beating on social media," said Shelton. "We've been called a pedophile, my client has."

Ending a lengthy career.

'They have tried to ruin a man's career," said Shelton. "A man who dedicated his entire life, 38 years."

Even though Jefferson County prosecutors dismissed the criminal charge last week.

"They looked at the evidence and looked at the depositions and made an evidence-based dismissal," said Shelton. 

A federal lawsuit that names Koons, his sons, the Ringling public school district and the superintendent remains on the table.

"It's about money; there's a 13-and-a-half million-dollar lawsuit from the same false allegations," said Shelton. "With that we want to thank all the people who have continued to support him despite these allegations."

Koons was advised by attorneys not to appear at the news conference. Shelton said talking about the dismissed criminal case or the federal lawsuit could put Koons and the school district at risk.

News 9 did contact the attorney representing the former and current students who filed the federal lawsuit for comment but have not heard back.