Kennedy deemed arrest 'national incident'

CINCINNATI, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Andy Kennedy, coach of the University of Mississippi's basketball team, said his arrest in Cincinnati would be a "national incident," a police tape shows.

The Cincinnati Enquirer said Monday a recently released police cruiser video shows Kennedy telling a Cincinnati police officer during his arrest last year over an alleged assault that the incident would become infamous nationwide.

"It's not worth it. Please trust me. Please trust me on this. This is going to be a national incident, sir," Kennedy said during his Dec. 18 arrest.

"You think we've never arrested somebody that's made national media? … We deal with the Bengals all the time," the unidentified arresting officer said later.

Kennedy was arrested for allegedly punching cab driver Mohamed Moctar Jiddou while making racial slurs.

Kennedy, who was charged with misdemeanor assault, filed a defamation suit against Jiddou and a witness to the alleged 2008 incident.

The Enquirer said the head coach of the Ole Miss men's basketball team was then hit with countersuits by the witness and Jiddou.