The latest incident, in early December, involved a wrestler allegedly whipping another with a metal-tipped jump rope while teammates watched.
ROBBINSVILLE -- A former Robbinsville High School wrestler stood before a school board meeting Monday and described two years of bullying by a fellow teammate that including beatings, harassment and whipping with a metal-tipped jump rope.
Braydon Mackey, a sophomore, told the board members that senior wrestler Dylan James' whipping him with a rope in front of other teammates in December was the latest incident of many during his time on the squad.
The Dec. 5 incident led to James' dismissal from the team, officials say.
"I've asked him many times, 'What have I ever done to you?' and he just tells me 'shut up,'" Mackey said at the Monday meeting, according to an audio recording of the public session posted on the district's website.
Mackey said James regularly threatened him and struck him at practices despite his pleadings. He said the repeated bullying led him to break down in tears after practices. Mackey has since quit the team.
The Robbinsville police and Mercer County Prosecutor's Office are investigating the reported assault. No charges have been filed. "We're investigating jointly for potential criminal conduct," prosecutor's spokeswoman Casey DeBlasio said Thursday.
Robbinsville school officials have confirmed a member of the wrestling team was disciplined but declined further comment citing student confidentiality.
Mackey's public description of the alleged incidents on Monday came in response to a plea by James at the board of education meeting to be reinstated to the wrestling team for his senior season.
James said he's already learned from his punishment and he came to the meeting to publicly apologize to the teammate he is accused of striking, as well as his team, his peers and community.
"At no time did I mean to be malicious or harmful, for I now see how my actions were construed and I cannot apologize enough," James said.
James said he understands that his past experiences in witnessing things that "were not appropriate" are no excuse for his behavior.
"That does not make it OK for me to do it to someone else," James said.
James did not detail the recent incident, but said he knows his actions were wrong, and that he would work to change the "culture of the wrestling program."
"Please believe me that have learned from my punishment, and ask you to please consider returning me to the mat, where I promise you won't be disappointed you made this decision," James said.
After news of James' dismissal from the team became known at Robbinsville High School, students began voicing support for his reinstatement, with some wearing t-shirts last month and others starting a petition backing James.
Ten people spoke on his behalf at the Monday board meeting. Several identified themselves as having coached James as a youth, and all said he was a good kid who deserved a second chance from a severe punishment.
After hearing from James' supporters, Mackey's mother Shannon Mackey lashed out at the supporters, and tearfully said she turned the other cheek during her son's freshman year when the beatings started.
"My son as a freshman would get beat up before practice by Dylan James on a regular basis and I turned another cheek," she said. "My son got punched square in the chest by Dylan James, got the wind knocked out of him, and I turned the other cheek."
"I've turned enough cheeks."
"Dylan's not the victim here," Shannon Mackey said. "My son didn't ask to be beat with a jump rope."
"All he wanted to be part of what a team. One person took that away from my son," Shannon Mackey said.
Dylan James' father Ed James then spoke and said he applauded the Mackeys for coming forward, and reiterated his apologies to them. He said his son is not a bad person.
"My son was not malicious," Ed James said. "He thought he was messing around with a teammate. He did not use full force in what he was doing and he knows he was wrong. He made a terrible mistake."
Braydon Mackey took issue with the description of the events as "messing around."
"I don't see messing around saying I'm going to beat you up," Braydon Mackey said. "I don't see messing around when freshman year I was beaten up and thrown into a box and things I didn't want to happen."
"If I ask you multiple times 'What did I ever do wrong to you?' and you just say you're just going to beat me up, I don't see where that comes to messing around or not malicious."
"He's hurt me and all he can say is he's going to beat me up," Braydon Mackey said.
Ed James said his son was also targeted when he was a younger wrestler.
"My son, quite honestly, in the culture of the program over the last several years, he's experienced similar issues," Ed James said.
Robbinsville schools Superintendent Steven J. Mayer released a statement Thursday saying the school district is initiating an immediate review of their culture, procedures, and processes.
"Robbinsville Schools has no tolerance for harassment, intimidation, or bullying, and we work very hard to make sure that all of our students thrive in an environment that is safe, supportive, engaging, and inspiring," the statement said.
The statement said they expect their classrooms, athletic teams, clubs and activities, hallways and lunches "to be places where all students are encouraged to succeed as dedicated learners and good citizens."
James and his parents are appealing his removal from the team and the school board held a closed hearing on it Wednesday night. James, his parents, and their lawyer Seth Broder attended.
Mackey and his parents also attended, but only the James' and three wrestlers appearing on his behalf entered the closed hearing.
Broder had no comment Thursday, only saying he was awaiting a decision from the board.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.