ST. LOUIS — A prominent civil rights lawyer is representing nearly two dozen Cardinal Ritter College Prep football players who were pepper sprayed earlier this month following a game in Ohio and their families.

A spokesperson for lawyer Ben Crump on Sunday said Crump and several other Ohio-based attorneys would represent the 23 football players and their families after officers with the Massillon Police Department deployed pepper spray during a postgame altercation on Oct. 3.

Massillon police officers were providing security during Cardinal Ritter's game against Massillon Washington High School when the incident occurred. Officers said they pepper sprayed the players after they refused to follow commands.

Earlier this month, Cardinal Ritter players and their families said officers pep

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