Notre Dame and Jimmy Black officially parted Friday over the assistant basketball coach's nagging troubles with a domestic violence charge.
Black's resignation, announced Thursday, came less than three weeks after his arrest for failing to appear in court to answer a charge he struck his fiancee.The Notre Dame sports administration did its best to skirt the unsavory circumstances surrounding Black and his departure. His resignation, which took effect Friday, was reduced to a single line in a six-paragraph news release announcing the hiring of his replacement, Parker Laketa, a restricted-earnings assistant for the Fighting Irish the past three seasons.
Black was more forthcoming. He issued a statement that was distributed to South Bend-area news media on Thursday.
"I apologize to the University of Notre Dame and the community for any embarrassment this has caused," said Black, a member of North Carolina's 1982 national championship team and an assistant to Notre Dame coach John MacLeod since 1991. "This situation will be remedied and will not occur again."
Black was arrested at his home May 7 on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court Jan. 4 on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. The charge stemmed from a Dec. 13 fight during which Black allegedly struck his fiancee, Stacy Frick, on the leg.
He had been arrested at the time by St. Joseph County police after officers called to the couple's home by Frick saw a red, hand-shaped welt on one of her legs. She told officers that Black had not struck her, but she was afraid of him. He was taken to jail and released a few hours later without posting bond.
In October, officers were called to South Bend's Memorial Hospital after Frick was treated for a black eye and other injuries. Police also were called to the couple's home after arguments Dec. 21 and March 16, but no arrests were made.
Black faces an initial court appearance June 12, but he could avoid prosecution under a pre-trial diversion program, St. Joseph County Prosecutor Michael Barnes said. Barnes said he has been told the couple was planning to marry in August.
"Sometimes a person becomes involved in a situation that they don't know how to cope with," Black said in his statement. "This is what has happened to me.
"I have never been involved in a volatile domestic relationship before. Many of the allegations made against me are not true. However, there is a kernel of truth than an argument did escalate to a point of shoving and physical contact.
"I am not proud of what happened. I do not want it to happen again. I have proposed joint counseling to my fiance to see why our relationship is so volatile. In the absence of joint counseling I will pursue individual counseling to understand why I would become involved in a relationship and continue a relationship that is so volatile and confrontational on both sides," the statement said.
Black could not be reached for comment Friday. The telephone at the couple's South Bend home has been disconnected.
MacLeod said he had met with Black recently on the matter, but will not discuss publicly what was said. He said Black was not pressured to resign.