U of Illinois athlete pleads not guilty to menorah damage

URBANA, Ill. (AP) - A University of Illinois softball player has pleaded not guilty to damaging a menorah at a campus Jewish center this month.

A Champaign County Circuit Clerk's office spokeswoman said 21-year-old Ruby Fernandez-Rivera pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a felony count of criminal damage to property.

Fernandez-Rivera asked for a public defender but none had been appointed by Tuesday afternoon.

Fernandez-Rivera was charged after video from a surveillance camera at the Chabad Jewish Center showed a woman breaking an arm off the menorah on Feb. 7 while trying to unscrew light bulbs on it. A man was with her but did no damage.

Fernandez-Rivera is suspended from the softball team. A men's gymnast also was suspended from two competitions.

Fernandez-Rivera remains free and is due back in court April 12.