Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will not face a charge of simple battery over a locker room incident involving a Mercedes-Benz Superdome security officer in the aftermath of LSU’s national championship victory, according to multiple reports.
In a video that went viral earlier this week, Beckham Jr. was seen confronting an officer who was reportedly enforcing a no-smoking policy in the locker room. Beckham Jr. slapped the officer from behind, and the officer later contacted New Orleans police to press charges against the Browns star. The officer told police that he decided against arresting Beckham Jr. on the spot, but that he momentarily wanted to punch Beckham Jr.
Via NOLA.com:
“According to police, the lieutenant momentarily ‘wanted to retaliate by punching the offender’ — later identified as Beckham — but didn’t. That description appears to have been included to illustrate that the contact was unwanted, which is necessary to allege a battery.”
New Orleans police obtained an arrest warrant for Beckham on Wednesday.
OBJ wasn’t gonna let that officer spoil the fun.. told him to get the gat. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/sWoWj53r42
— 🕊 (@wannabjoyful) January 14, 2020
Fortunately, Beckham Jr.’s legal troubles seem to be over. It was first reported by NOLA.com that the officer involved signed an affidavit stating that he did not want to press charges against Beckham.
The officer reportedly told police last Wednesday that he wanted to press charges, and police initially wanted to charge Beckham with misdemeanor sexual battery.
Via NOLA.com:
The NOPD officer investigating the case initially sought a warrant to arrest Beckham for misdemeanor sexual battery, a non-expungeable crime defined as the intentional touching of the breasts or buttocks of someone who did not consent.
But the judge instead approved a warrant calling for Beckham to be booked with the lesser count of simple battery, an expungeable crime defined as “battery committed without the consent of the victim.”
After news broke that the stadium officer declined to press charges, ESPN reported later on Saturday that Odell Beckham’s lawyer, Daniel Davillier, said the issue had been “resolved,” and that New Orleans police had recalled the arrest warrant.
The controversy surrounding Beckham at the national championship game isn’t over yet, however. The investigation into the money Beckham Jr. handed out to LSU players after the game is ongoing.
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