CINCINNATI (AP) - The Bengals took the unusual step of apologizing on Monday night for the conduct of cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones that was recorded in a police video released to the media.
Jones was arrested after an altercation at a downtown hotel the day after Cincinnati’s season ended with a 6-9-1 record. The 33-year-old cornerback was charged for the confrontation and for allegedly spitting on a nurse as he was processed at the county jail. Jones has said he’ll be exonerated of the charges.
Cincinnati police released a video on Monday showing Jones’ behavior in the back seat of a police car as he was taken to the jail. Jones asks what charges he’s facing and when he’s told two misdemeanors, he uses a stream of profanity toward the police officers.
At one point, Jones tells one of the offers that “I hope you die tomorrow.”
Jones’ language is so vulgar in the video that the Bengals issued an apology - a rare move for the team that usually avoids comment while a player’s case goes through the court system.
“We are extremely disappointed with Adam’s behavior,” the team said. “The behavior in the video is not what we expect from our players. The club is aware that Adam has put forth his own apology. However, we also offer an apology to the public and to our loyal fans.”
The NFL could suspend Jones for the start of next season under its player conduct policy. Jones has been suspended repeatedly during his career.
His case took an unexpected turn when Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said that he was waiting to see how the NFL reacted to Jones’ arrest before deciding how to proceed. As a result, Jones’ case was continued until Feb. 10. The police video released on Monday could factor into Deters’ decision about whether to prosecute Jones.
In addition to misdemeanor charges over the altercation at the hotel, Jones faces charges that he head-butted police and spit on a nurse at the jail after his arrest. The sheriff’s office - which runs the jail - said Jones was so combative that he had to be placed in a restraint chair.
The former West Virginia star was the sixth overall pick in the 2005 draft, expected to help anchor Tennessee’s defense for many years. His off-field problems started with a strip club melee in Las Vegas in 2007. He pleaded the equivalent of no contest to a misdemeanor charge.
Jones was blamed for instigating violence that led to someone else shooting two club employees, one of whom was left paralyzed from the waist down. He was ordered to pay more than $12.4 million in damages. The NFL suspended Jones for the 2007 season.
He was traded to the Cowboys, and was suspended again in 2009 for six games over an alcohol-related altercation with a bodyguard that the Cowboys provided.
Bengals owner Mike Brown decided to give him another chance, signing him as a free agent before the 2010 season. Jones played in at least 14 games over each of the past five seasons, becoming one of the Bengals’ top cornerbacks and kick returners. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl as an alternate in 2015.
While in Cincinnati, he was involved in several court cases.
Jones was acquitted in 2013 on an assault charge in Hamilton County after a woman accused him of punching her in a nightclub. Earlier that year, he paid a fine for disorderly conduct after police accused him of making offensive comments during a traffic stop. He also pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in January 2012 after an arrest at a Cincinnati bar.
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