Days after the Boston Bruins signed a prospective player who'd been convicted of bullying as a teenager then dropped him amid intense backlash, the person who was bullied has released a statement sharing what he's been dealing with.
In it, Isaiah Meyer-Crothers insists he's not friends with defenseman Mitchell Miller, who was convicted in 2016 for bullying Meyer-Crothers, who is Black and has developmental disabilities, in middle school. He said that since the scandal was dredged up by the Bruins, he's faced new abuse.
Meyers-Crothers wrote in the letter that he is now getting messages on social media from people who call him racist, derogatory names and say that he needs help. The letter was released in edited form Wednesday by the Hockey Diversity Alliance, a two-year-old diversity advocacy group founded by current and former professional hockey players.
Meyer-Crothers also recounts Miller reaching out to him last month over direct message on social media to make an apology, but says Miller didn’t give any proof that he’s helping in the community as a way to make amends, as his agent has said he has been doing.
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"Mitchell isn't my friend. It hurts my heart what he did to me," Meyer-Crothers said in the letter, ending it, "I can't take more of this."
Meyer-Crothers' mother confirmed to NBC10 Boston that her son sent the statement to the Hockey Diversity Alliance. She also said that Bruins President Cam Neely recently spoke to her for about 45 minutes, in what she characterized as a "good conversation" in which the team executive, a former player himself, "was extremely apologetic."
She had previously called Miller "a monster," telling NBC10 Boston he racially bullied her adopted son for years.
Miller pleaded guilty at age 14 to one count of assault and one count of violation of the Ohio Safe Schools Act. He and another teenager were accused of making Meyer-Crothers eat a candy push pop after wiping it in a bathroom urinal, and surveillance video showed them kicking and punching him. The 20-year-old was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2020 NHL Draft but was let go by the team after a news story was published about the bullying conviction.
In his statement, Meyer-Crothers recounted being bullied since he was in first grade, when he was one of few Black students, and said that Miller orchestrated a campaign with his friends to bully and degrade him.
"Everyone thought he was cool, but I don't see how someone can be cool when you pick on someone and bully someone your entire life," he wrote.
NBC10 Boston has reached out to Miller's agent for comment on Meyer-Crothers' statement. Last week, Miller's agent said that Miller has volunteered with several organizations and committed to working with others.
"We believe in restorative justice," Eustace King said in the statement. "Mitchell and I are on that path together, and I welcome you all to join us."
ESPN reported Tuesday that Miller remained under contract with the Bruins, despite the team cutting ties with him. Sources told the news outlet that the team had limited options for addressing the situation.
The Bruins' outreach to Miller — and lack thereof to the Meyer-Crothers family or the NHL as they considered taking on the player — has embroiled the team in scandal. Neely spoke Monday about the team's decision to part ways with Miller and said he was "extremely upset that we have made a lot of people unhappy."
“I take pride in the Bruins organization and what we stand for and we failed there,” he added.
When asked why the team cut Miller, Neely said, "Well, it was a combination of everything. Certainly our fan base being upset, and rightfully so. And for me it was, it was not worth putting the organization through this any longer."
Neely also admitted he "misread" expected backlash.
Boston signed Miller to an entry-level contract last week, leading to sweeping criticism from Bruins players, including captain Patrice Bergeron, as well as the team's fanbase.
When asked if statements from current Bruins players played a role in the team cutting Miller, Neely replied, “There was a lot of factors in this decision, and that was one of them.”
Neely said he and general manager Don Sweeney spoke with the club on Saturday. The offer to Miller was rescinded late Sunday, with Neely saying in a statement the Bruins thought Miller's conduct was an isolated incident and that the team reversed course based on new information -- particularly that the team hadn't spoken to Meyer-Crothers or his family.
"The fact we didn't talk to the family was concerning to me," Neely said.
Neely did meet with Miller, as well as his agent and his mom prior to signing him, but said Monday that he shouldn't have assumed the vetting process also included a meeting with Meyer-Crothers' family.
Asked why that didn't happen, Neely replied: "It's a great question. Something I need to find out.''
He said there's more work to do when asked about any potential penalties for people involved in the vetting process.
Neely reiterated that in his meeting with Miller he felt he was remorseful and worthy of an opportunity to play in the NHL.
"From everything I’ve heard, he was working on himself, working in programs to better himself. I was under the impression it was a 14-year-old kid that made a really bad decision and did some horrible things,'' Neely said. "He's 20 years old now. So I was under the impression that in the last six years he's done a lot of work on himself. ... I do believe in second chances but maybe some don't deserve it. I’m not saying it in particular in this situation, but I do believe in second chances.”
Neely used his statement Sunday night to apologize to Isaiah and his family, saying, he was sorry if the signing made them and other victims feel "unseen and unheard."
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Saturday that Miller is not eligible for the league and revealed the Bruins did not consult with the NHL before signing him.
However, Neely said Monday the Bruins did speak with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly about signing Miller last Wednesday, but it appears word may not have reached Bettman.
"There's a lot of people that are let down today," Neely said. "I'm disappointed that we're in this position. We shouldn't be in this position. So, we could've done a better job. We should've done a better job."
Neely apologized again to the Meyer-Crothers' family on Monday and said he planned to reach out to them.
"It's something they shouldn't have to continue to go through,'' he said.
Neely wouldn't comment Monday on any possible financial implications of cutting ties with Miller, and said he did not directly talk to Miller about the decision to cut him.
