Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will not face domestic violence charges after an alleged incident with his former girlfriend in July.
According to a released statement from The Columbus (Ohio) City Attorney’s Office, charges will not be filed due to “conflicting and inconsistent information” regarding the alleged incident, as reported by ESPN’s Jean-Jacques Taylor.
Elliott’s attorney, Frank C. Salzano, stated that Elliott is “looking forward to putting this behind him and continuing his focus on all things positive, both on and off the field.”
On July 22, Elliott’s girlfriend filed two police reports claiming that he assaulted her on separate occasions. One reported stated that while they sat in a parked call, Elliott caused her pain in her wrist. Elliott’s girlfriend denied any medical treatment. Four witnesses, including one witness sitting with Elliott and his girlfriend in the car, claimed they did not observe her claims.
The second report claimed that Elliott struck her several times over the course of five days. Elliott claimed that his former girlfriend suffered the bruises and marks during a bar fight.
Elliott, who consistently denied the allegations, has been fully cooperative in the investigation, according to The Columbus City Attorney’s Office.
The former Ohio State running back rushed for 1,821 yards and 23 touchdowns last season, winning the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award as well as the Big Ten Running Back of the year award. The Cowboys selected Elliott with the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft.
Earlier this offseason, Elliott, 21, made headlines for visiting a marijuana shop in Seattle prior to the Cowboys’ preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks. A video showed Elliott standing in the shop, and Elliott posed for photographs with fans. Elliott admitted it was a bad decision, but stated that he was simply curious about the out-of-the-ordinary shop.
In a statement delivered Tuesday by NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, Elliott remains under review by the NFL for the league’s personal conduct policy. According to the policy, players who fail to live up to the conduct may still receive discipline from the NFL, regardless of whether a criminal charge is processed or not.
The policy states that “persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime.”
The Cowboys open up their season Sunday against the New York Giants.
• Tommy Chalk can be reached at tchalk@washingtontimes.com.
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