Former Kentucky Student Who Called Black Dorm Worker N-Word 200 Times In Racist Attack Requests Early Release from Prison After Serving Four Months, Has ‘Dedicated Herself to Personal Growth’
The former Kentucky college student who was caught on camera hurling the N-word at a Black student during a racist attack is requesting an early release from prison.
Last October, Sophia Rosing was sentenced to a year in prison, 100 hours of community service, and a $25 fine after pleading guilty to four counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of disorderly conduct, and one count of alcohol intoxication.
Her case stems from a November 2022 incident where she was recorded attacking a Black desk clerk, Kylah Spring, at a University of Kentucky dormitory after stumbling into the building drunk. During the attack, Rosing punched, kicked, and hit Spring, all while calling her the N-word more than 200 times and making other racist references.
When footage of the attack went viral, Rosing was expelled and banned from the university. She’s also no longer eligible to re-enroll.
Now, after serving four months of her year-long sentence for the assault, Rosing is requesting an early release, according to a new motion obtained by LEX18.
Her attorney requested that the court suspend the rest of her sentence, place her on probation, and give her a chance to grow outside of a correctional facility.
“While Sophia’s offenses while serious, do not pose an ongoing threat to public safety,” the filing reads, adding that Rosing has faced “significant public scrutiny reputational harm, and lasting consequences, all of which serve as strong deterrents against re-offending.”
The motion notes that since Rosing’s arrest, she “has dedicated herself to personal growth and accountability. She intends to seek professional counseling, complete alcohol treatment programs, and enroll in racial sensitivity training.”
According to the Kentucky Kernel, the motion was filed in Fayette County Circuit Court, where a judge has not yet set a hearing. Rosing is currently being held at the Fayette County Detention Center under protective custody.
When Rosing pleaded guilty last August, she reportedly apologized to Spring face-to-face during a mediation portion of her plea hearing. Spring told local news outlets that even though she apologized for the assault, she never mentioned the racist terms and motivations for the attack during her hearing.
“I feel that a person that is remorseful takes actions that are moving towards proving they are remorseful. Not just words,” Spring told LEX18. “I forgive her more so for myself. I was raised not to hold grudges, I was raised that we give people forgiveness because God forgave us.”
Rosing’s attorney, Fred Peters, said he believed her sentence was “excessive” for a first-time offender.
“What she said was awful,” Peters said. “She got into a scuffle with the clerk and bit people on the hand; I think she did not deserve a sentence of 12 months in prison for the very first offense her in life.”
