The former University of Kentucky student caught on camera spewing a racist rant while drunk faces a string of charges that could cost her prison time. The woman’s viral rant shows her physically and verbally accosting a Black student.
Sophia Rosing, 22, was indicted by a grand jury on Feb. 22 on three counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of third-degree assault, one count of second-degree disorderly conduct and one count of alcohol intoxication.
Kylah Spring, the Black student subjected to Rosing’s racist harassment shared news of the indictment on her Instagram page where her supporters applauded her.
“When she went low, you went high!! What an amazing woman that I am honored to share a community with! Thank you for being a voice for women of color. You are powerful! This is just the beginning of the volumes that you will speak!” Graceemukherjee wrote on Instagram.
Instagram user Survivingwithgoodness expressed a desire for hate crime charges.
“I do wish they had put a hate crime charge included but, happy to hear she’s being held accountable! That there is serious consequences for her serious actions!” the user wrote.
In a now-deleted post, Rosing’s mother expressed support for her daughter amid her criminal charges.
“No one is perfect, and no one is above perfection. We all make mistakes, and no mistake should cost someone everything,” Jill Rosing wrote on the Change.org page.
Rosing’s problems began around 1 a.m. on Nov. 6 on the campus of the University of Kentucky in Lexington when she arrived at campus without identification. An inebriated Rosing was captured on cellphone video saying a slew of racial slurs.
Spring was working at the Boyd residency hall front desk when she encountered Rosing. The viral video shows a slouching Rosing calling Spring the N-word multiple times.
“You’re a n—-r and a b—ch,” Rosing is heard saying repeatedly.
As a disheveled Rosing flails, Spring tries to get her under control by grabbing and holding her wrists. Spring’s training called for her to contact a resident adviser, then check on the person’s well-being and safety.
“I do not get paid enough for this,” Spring says aloud on the video.
As the encounter continues, Rosing continues to hurl the N-word.
The video continues as a university police officer tries to apprehend the inebriated woman. Rosing was later taken to the Fayette County Detention center.
As police took Rosing to jail, she reportedly told police she had “lots of money” and was used to getting “special treatment.” She also allegedly kicked and bit a police officer.
Rosing bonded out of jail the next day, but she was also banned from the campus by university officials due to her inebriated behavior. Her attorney later told news media outlets she had been enrolled in treatment and that Rosing was embarrassed by the incident.
Weeks after the initial incident took place, Spring spoke publicly about her experience.
“I was very disheartened this happened to me when I was working and I really just wanted to make sure I acted appropriately so I could keep my job. … I was told to me the [n-word] was used over 200 times,” Kylah Spring said during a CBS News interview.
“This is not an isolated incident, it just happened to be on camera,” Spring’s mother, Betsy Spring, told CBS News.
Hundreds of Spring’s University of Kentucky classmates rallied in support of her in December.
“You will not break my spirit, and you will be held accountable for your actions,” Spring said during the rally.
In an Instagram story, Spring reacted to Rosing’s mother asking for support for her daughter.
“What is one word compared to someone’s entire future?” Jill Rosing wrote on her online petition.
“Sophia is very remorseful,” Jill Rosing added.
“She needs support to pick up where she has left off in all this madness and bloodthirst…She needs as many signatures as possible to show the board how important it is that she finishes her education,” Jill Rosing continued.
Spring replied saying, “She definitely said a racial slur. And she knew what she meant, and she said what she said. Don’t get mad because y’all starting to get corrected and straightened out. For once the justice system is working in the favor of people that look like me, and you mad she got caught not that she did it,” Spring’s post said.
Rosing’s arraignment is scheduled for March 17. If convicted, Rosing faces at least a year in prison up to five years for the third-degree assault of a police officer charge. Her fourth-degree assault and second-degree disorderly conduct charges carry possible jail time and fines.
