Former University of Kentucky student Sophia Rosing will remain in prison to complete a year-long sentence in connection to the viral racist tirade she enacted against a Black student employee in 2022. The 24-year-old’s lawyer filed a motion for shock probation, a request for a judge to consider probation and an early release, in February.
Per Lex 18 News, which reviewed court documents, the ex-collegiate pupil was described as not posing “an ongoing threat to public safety” in the filing. It also alleged that Rosing “has dedicated herself to personal growth and accountability. She intends to seek professional counseling, complete alcohol treatment programs, and enroll in racial sensitivity training.” Her lawyer argued that public scrutiny compounded with prison time was enough of a deterrent against her making the same abhorrent mistake twice. However, the motion was denied on Wednesday (March 12). Fayette Circuit Court Judge Lucy VanMeter explicitly ruled that granting Rosing her freedom “would unduly depreciate the seriousness of the offenses.”
Rosings’ belligerent encounter with Black student Kylah Spring blew up on TikTok in 2022
The viral footage recorded in November 2022 showed the then-22-year-old verbally and physically assault Kylah Spring, a freshman, inside of an on-campus dorm. Throughout the video, the white student struck her peer and called her a “n**ger b**ch.” Spring worked as a residential assistant and was attempting to subdue the intoxicated resident who had returned from a night out. At one point, police were called to intervene but were unable to thwart Rosing’s violent behavior, which included biting and kicking one of the public servants. As a result of her actions, she was charged with disorderly conduct, alcohol intoxication and fourth degree assault.
University of Kentucky’s response to the public outrage
The university’s immediate response to the ordeal included the announcement of an investigation and the offer of support to Spring. On Nov. 9, 2022, Rosing was permanently banned from the institution. In a press release, President Eli Capilouto emphasized that the disgraced undergraduate’s “behavior was disgusting and devastating to our community.” She would have graduated in May 2023. Spring publicly spoke out about the incident with “CBS Mornings” in December 2022, where she revealed the encounter with the upperclassmen went on for 10 minutes and that she was called the N-word over 200 times.
Indictment and consequences
Rosing was indicted in February 2023. She pleaded guilty to the charges and in October 2024 was sentenced to a year in prison, 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay a $25 fine. She is expected to be released after serving 12 months.