Boston police officers announced Tuesday their intention to file misdemeanor assault and battery charges against two New York Yankees, stemming from a controversial incident during Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox. Outfielder Karim Garcia and pitcher Jeff Nelson allegedly beat groundskeeper and New Hampshire school teacher Paul Williams in the Yankees bullpen at Fenway Park, resulting in several injuries to Williams. While many reports of the incident are circumstantially vague, Boston Police believe they have enough evidence to charge Garcia and Nelson, who would have the option of appearing in Roxbury District Court to defend themselves.

The move by Boston Police has already been condemned as, in some cases, ‘severely biased,’ as people say the actions reflect bending the truth because of the gravity and excitement of the event itself. But we, as citizens, must trust that our tax-paid police officers are presenting their case as officers of the law, not fans, and that their judgment is based on that of two people who allegedly broke the law not one of granting special privilege just because Garcia and Nelson are professional athletes.

This is thoroughly a police matter; a man was beaten and forced to seek medical treatment, and the police are appropriately treating it as they would any other case of assault. While the heated Boston-New York rivalry certainly has done much to fan the flames of bias, if in fact Garcia and Nelson did assault Williams, they must receive due process under law and be arraigned under appropriate charges.

If we can trust our Boston court systems and police officers to effectively prosecute violent criminals, then surely we can trust them to take off their ‘B’ caps, shelve their Nomar jerseys and put aside their playoff grief in favor of upholding the law.