Three months after his May 26 arrest on five charges including a felony, Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs was formally charged Thursday by the Brown County, Wisconsin District Attorney with two Class A misdemeanors, battery and criminal damage to property.
The original felony strangulation and suffocation charge was not filed. The domestic abuse designation was also not included in the formal charges.
His attorneys issued a statement: "The Brown County District Attorney has reviewed evidence and elected to file misdemeanor charges against Josh that do not include domestic violence. The allegations will be addressed in court, and not in the media."
The criminal complaint tells the story of what police investigated. A woman identified as Jacobs' girlfriend told officers she had found messages on his phone to other women, became upset, threw his phone and asked him to call her a car to Chicago.
When she tried to retrieve her own phone, Jacobs did not return it and a physical struggle lasted several minutes. She later attempted to exit his garage and was grabbed. Jacobs has not been convicted of any crime and is presumed innocent.
Each misdemeanor carries a maximum of nine months in prison or a $10,000 fine. His court date is November 17. The NFL is conducting its own investigation, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said Wednesday the team has been preparing for a potential suspension. The NFL has not yet announced one.
If you or someone you know has been affected by domestic violence, help is available 24 hours a day through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.