APSOUTH BEND, Ind. - A Florida man who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of leaving a threatening telephone message for then-Notre Dame football coach Tyrone Willingham has been fined $2,000 and placed on probation for another year.
Andrew Kim French, 26, of Fort Myers, Fla., expressed remorse Tuesday to U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein for his actions, saying he was drunk at a party in November 2003 when he made the call.
French, a former basketball player for Florida Gulf Coast University, has completed an alcohol program, written an apology and performed 100 hours of community service. He was allowed to plead guilty in July to a misdemeanor rather than the felony for which he was indicted on in April 2004.
French has said he was drunk, under peer pressure and not using good judgment when he made the 3 a.m. call and left a message for Willingham.
He said that he said "terrible things'' during that call, including using racially charged terms about Willingham and threatening to burn a cross in the coach's yard.
Willingham, who coached the Irish for three seasons until he was fired in December 2004, is now the coach at Washington.
Since the indictment, French has been free on bond, living and working in Florida.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
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